Follow-up of adolescents previously studied for contraceptive compliance

Identification of adolescents at risk for contraception noncompliance and consequent pregnancy presents an important challenge to physicians caring for this age group. The present study examines the relationship between psychosocial information found in earlier studies to predict short-term contraceptive compliance to compliance one to three years later. Of the 31 patients located, 45% had become pregnant, of whom more than half had undergone therapeutic abortions. Three subscales of the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale had been significantly lower at baseline in the group that subsequently became pregnant. Those who chose to abort their pregnancies had higher baseline self-image. Low baseline scores on self-image and reproductive knowledge differentiated the group that became pregnant and kept their babies from those who had not become pregnant. There was excellent concordance between contraceptive compliance four months after prescription and compliance one to three years later. Accordingly, adolescent females who are using prescribed contraception at six months are likely to continue to do so subsequently. This suggests that follow-up should be frequent during this six-month period to maximize the likelihood of compliance.