Ever-pregnant and never-pregnant teens in a temporary housing shelter

Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing are of national concern; documented sequelae are numerous and varied. The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study is to describe the differences in selected demographic, sociocultural, physiological, psychological, and cognitive variables among 136 ever-pregnant and never-pregnant teens residing in a temporary housing shelter. Teens who experienced a pregnancy had significantly higher chronological age, gynecological age, and school grade level in addition to reporting significantly greater histories of both rape and voluntary sexual activity than did never-pregnant teens. This study indicates that teen pregnancy is a major problem among adolescents in temporary housing shelters. Our findings provide guidance for clinical interventions and further research with this at-risk population.