Associations Among Sociodemographic and Contextual Factors and Youth Pregnancy Preferences

Efforts to improve access to and use of contraception among young people have often inadequately accounted for the diversity in feelings youth hold about a potential pregnancy. Research using validated measures, is needed to investigate the distribution of pregnancy preferences among youth (15-24 years old) and identify contextual factors that may shape these preferences.

A series of bivariate regression models and one multivariate regression model were run using data from the Attitudes and Decision Making After Pregnancy Testing (ADAPT) study, including n = 1,020 assigned female at birth youth recruited from 23 health facilities in the southwestern United States. Pregnancy preferences were measured with the Desire to Avoid Pregnancy (DAP) scale, a prospective validated measure.

A range of DAP scale scores (pregnancy preferences) were found, with a mean of 2.5 (standard deviation 1.1, 0 = greatest openness to pregnancy, 4 = strongest desire to avoid pregnancy). Parous (1.98 vs. 2.63 nulliparous; aCoeff. -0.38, p ≤ .001) and more religious youth (2.16 vs. 2.68 without religion; aCoeff. -0.47, p ≤ .001) were relatively more open to the prospect of pregnancy (e.g., lower DAP score). Those without a main partner (2.79 vs. 2.41 in a relationship; aCoeff. 0.37, p ≤ .001), who were in school (2.80 vs. 2.25 not in school; aCoeff. 0.45, p ≤ .001), and those experiencing depressive symptoms (2.70 vs. 2.40 not depressed; aCoeff. 0.19, p ≤ .01) expressed stronger desire to avoid pregnancy.

Youth pregnancy preferences are diverse and shaped by their partnership status, prior childbearing, social context, and mental health.