8aLaan enlnsula SLaLe unlverslLy

8alanga Campus



CompllaLlons of SLudles abouL 1eenage regnancy

















SubmlLLed by
Ma Aurora A Saldana
1able of ConLenLs
age
l 1eenage regnancy 1
ll 1eenage regnancy havlng a baby lsn'L a nlghLmare buL lL's really hard" 6
lll Changlng aLLerns of 1eenage regnancy 8
lv SLudy Llnks 1een regnancy Lo Sexy 1v Shows 13
v Comprehenslve Sex LducaLlon MlghL 8educe 1een regnancles 13
vl SLudy Sex on 1v llnked Lo 1een regnancles 16
vll 1een regnancy ls ConLaglous" SLudy Says 19
vlll When 1een regnancy ls no AccldenL 20
lx uk SLudy 1eenage regnancy More CpporLunlLy Lhan CaLasLrophe 23
x SLudy Clalms Sex on 1elevlslon ConLrlbuLes Lo 1een regnancy 26
xl 8aLang lna A hoLo documenLary on 1eenage regnancy 29
xll 1een 8lrLh 8aLes PlghesL ln MosL 8ellglous SLaLes 30
xlll An exploraLlon of Lhe moLlvaLlons for planned Leenage pregnancy ln Lngland 32

An expIoration of the motivations for 'pIanned' teenage pregnancy in
EngIand.

1hls lndepLh sLudy explores Lhe moLlvaLlons for 'planned' Leenage pregnancy ln Lngland 1he flndlngs
have lmporLanL lmpllcaLlons for Lhe 1eenage regnancy SLraLegy and Lhe lncreaslng pollLlcal agenda on
young people and healLh
1he reporL ls based on 31 lndepLh lnLervlews underLaken among Leenagers ln slx relaLlvely
dlsadvanLaged locaLlons who reporLed Lhelr pregnancy as planned (41 women and 10 men)
key flndlngs lnclude
O young women reporL varled accounLs of Lhe exLenL Lo whlch Lhelr pregnancy was planned
O young womens chlldhood and background acL as conLrlbuLlng facLors Lo plannlng a pregnancy
O more expllclL and dlrecL lnfluences lnclude vlewlng pregnancy as a chance Lo galn a new ldenLlLy
and change dlrecLlon ln llfe
1he reporL lncludes numerous quoLaLlons from young people and documenLs Lwo conLrasLlng case
sLudles
Summary
1he CovernmenL has made reduclng Leenage concepLlon raLes a prlorlLy 1hls sLudy by Suzanne CaLer
and LesLer Coleman of Lhe 1rusL for Lhe SLudy of Adolescence (1SA) looked aL whaL lnfluences young
peoples declslons Lo plan a pregnancy lnLervlews were conducLed wlLh 41 young women and 10
young men who reporLed a planned pregnancy
lannlng ranged from open dlscusslon wlLh parLners and Laklng sLeps Lo ensure a poslLlve and healLhy
pregnancy Lo Lhose who were more amblvalenL and faLallsLlc abouL Lhe prospecLs of pregnancy desplLe
belng aware of how Lo use conLracepLlon
MosL planned pregnancles were noL dlrecLly relaLed Lo Lhe deslre for a chlld buL Lo young peoples
background or Lhelr currenL slLuaLlon
An unseLLled background and bad experlences aL school provlded an lmpeLus Lo change dlrecLlon ln
llfe ?oung people saw parenLhood as an opporLunlLy wlLhln Lhelr own conLrol Lo change Lhelr llfe and
Lo galn lndependence and a new ldenLlLy
nelghborhood characLerlsLlcs lnfluenced declslons lncludlng llmlLed employmenL and Lralnlng
opporLunlLles and local accepLance of young parenLhood
MoLhers saw parenLhood as provldlng an opporLunlLy Lo creaLe a lovlng famlly (ofLen compensaLlng for
Lhelr own bad experlences of chlldhood) a new purpose sense of capablllLy and saLlsfacLlon
MoLherhood was preferred Lo havlng a lowpald deadend [ob
Many moLhers spoke of Lhelr love of bables ofLen helghLened by experlence carlng for oLher chlldren
Several wanLed Lo geL moLherhood ouL of Lhe way so as Lo be young enough Lo en[oy llfe once Lhelr
chlld had grown up
Many sald LhaL Lhelr llfe would have been worse lf Lhey had noL become a parenL Lhrough conLlnued
famlly dlsrupLlon and unhapplness a growlng sense of worLhlessness and lack of dlrecLlon and for
some worsenlng alcohol and drug use
?oung faLhers gave slmllar reasons for plannlng buL Lhere were also dlfferences such as Lhelr own lack
of a faLher flgure and wanLlng Lo be Lhere for Lhelr chlld 1hey could have noLably less lnpuL ln Lhe
plannlng sLage Lhan Lhe moLher and were also more llkely Lo regreL Lhe declslon
1he sLudy shows LhaL planned Leenage pregnancy has dlfferenL moLlvaLlons 8uL glven Lhelr
dlsadvanLaged backgrounds Leenagers saw young parenLhood as a reasonably raLlonal cholce and
unllke mosL alLernaLlve ways of changlng Lhelr llfe one wlLhln Lhelr own conLrol
lnLroducLlon
8aLes of Leenage blrLhs ln Lhe uk are Lhe hlghesL ln WesLern Lurope and Lhe cosL Lo Lhe CovernmenL of
pregnancy amongsL Lhose under 18 has been esLlmaLed aL over 63 mllllon a year 1here ls marked
reglonal varlaLlon wlLh half of under18 concepLlons occurrlng ln Lhe flfLh of census wards wlLh Lhe
hlghesL Leenage pregnancy raLes 1here ls a sLrong assoclaLlon beLween Leenage pregnancy and poverLy
and dlsadvanLage
1hls quallLaLlve sLudy used lndepLh lnLervlews wlLh a small sample of whlLe young people from slx
dlfferenL areas of hlgh poverLy and dlsadvanLage across Lngland Lo explore Lhelr percelved reasons for
plannlng a pregnancy (Ages clLed are Lhose aL flrsL planned pregnancy)
WhaL was Lhe lnfluence of poverLy and dlsadvanLage?
1he vasL ma[orlLy of Lhe sample descrlbed Lhelr moLlvaLlons for plannlng a pregnancy ln Lerms of Lhelr
background and Lhe slLuaLlon Lhey were ln aL Lhe Llme raLher Lhan reasons speclflcally relaLlng Lo
bables 1helr responses spllL lnLo Lwo broad Lhemes chlldhood and background facLors and lndlvldual
needs and preferences for planned pregnancy
Chlldhood and background facLors
AlLhough noL always sLaLed expllclLly lL was clear LhaL Lhe young peoples chlldhood and background
had ln some way provlded a foundaLlon for Lhelr declslon Lo become pregnanL
Chooslng Lo become pregnanL was percelved Lo correcL Lhelr deprlved chlldhood and alLer Lhelr llves
for Lhe beLLer 1he young women spoke candldly abouL Lhelr unseLLled background Lhelr dlssaLlsfacLlon
and varlous problems assoclaLed wlLh school 1hls was ln sLark conLrasL Lo Lhe sense of purpose and
fuLure assoclaLed wlLh Lhelr chlld 1hls feellng of belng unseLLled was due Lo lssues such as parenLal
separaLlon dlfflculL relaLlonshlps wlLh famlly (lncludlng vlolence) and movlng locaLlon frequenLly

lL was very confuslng because my mum and dad spllL up when l was Lhreeandahalf so l had Lhe
hearLbreak from Lhere and LhaL screwed me up a blL and LhaLs how l became wlLh ! faLher of baby
cos l was so screwed up l dldnL know where l was golng really (MoLher 16)
MoLhers ofLen reporLed bad experlences aL school 1hree key lssues were frequenLly menLloned
dlssaLlsfacLlon wlLh work and Leachers bullylng and Lruancy and poor educaLlonal aLLalnmenL and
dlrecLlon
lndlvldual needs and preferences
Some young women sLrongly felL a need Lo change Lhelr llves and vlewed havlng a chlld as a way Lo do
so 1hls was normally relaLed Lo escaplng negaLlve slLuaLlons or lnsecurlLles 8ecomlng a moLher was
seen as provldlng Lhls new ldenLlLy and purpose 8easons for wanLlng Lo change Lhelr llfesLyle lncluded
escaplng a dlfflculL home llfe a need for a proper and lovlng famlly of ones own galnlng a purpose Lo
Lhelr llfe and a deslre Lo prove Lhelr capablllLy
l had a really really bad chlldhood l was ln care and my parenLs arenL very good parenLs so l [usL
LhoughL a baby would glve me LhaL sLablllLy and also glve me someLhlng LhaL would love me
uncondlLlonally never LhoughL lL would leave me and cos lLd be mlne nobody could Lake lL away l
was Lhe only kld aL Lhe age of 9 plannlng Lo have a baby l was desperaLe for baby son and lve
en[oyed hlm so much Pe gave me my purpose and my place ln llfe and my goal (MoLher 13)
Some young people had a real love of bables and experlence of carlng for Lhem and Lhls was a sLrong
moLlvaLlon for plannlng 8elng lnvolved and surrounded by bables led Lhem Lo wanL a chlld of Lhelr
own perhaps earller Lhan Lhelr peers parLly because Lhey felL comforLable ln Lhe maLernal role CLhers
wanLed Lo geL lL (moLherhood) over wlLh young Lo ensure Lhey were a young parenL and sLlll able Lo
en[oy llfe afLer Lhelr chlldren had grown up
l babysaL all Lhe Llme everybody sald ld be a good mum Lhe amounL of chlldren ld looked afLer
and l knew exacLly whaL l was dolng when l goL pregnanL (MoLher 18)
lL sounds really awful buL so LhaL l can geL on wlLh my llfe ?ou know ln a way lf you llke geL Lhem
ouL of Lhe way! (MoLher 16)
Speclflc lssues for concern
1he sLudy ralses a number of lssues worLhy of furLher dellberaLlon
1here are several dlfferenL Lypes of plannlng whlch lncluded slLuaLlons where Lhe faLher was noL fully
lnvolved ln Lhe declslon
We [usL Lalked abouL lL she wanLed one and Lhen we had one lL was slmple really l couldnL Lell you
why lL [usL happened and lL was good buL lL wasnL llke anyLhlng deep (laLher 16)

She [usL sald why donL we have one? and Lhen aL flrsL l Lhough nah lLs Loo soon buL Lhen l LhoughL
lLd be qulLe good and l LhoughL lL wouldnL happen for ages 8uL lL was llke Lwo monLhs and she was
llke lm pregnanL whlch was cool cos l really wanLed Lo be a dad by Lhen (laLher 18)
lL was probably more me Lhan my parLner lL was LoLally unplanned for my parLner buL for me lL was
probably more well well see whaL happens really (MoLher 18)
SLopplng Lhe use of conLracepLlon was ofLen seen as placlng Lhe prospecL of pregnancy ln Lhe lap of Lhe
Cods AlLhough all Lhe lnLervlewees were aware of Lhe purpose of conLracepLlon many dld noL fully
recognlze Lhe posslblllLy of pregnancy lf Lhey sLopped uslng lL 1here was also a lack of awareness of
lssues surroundlng ferLlllLy
1hose plannlng Lhelr pregnancy may have speclflc supporL needs dlfferenL Lo Lhose becomlng pregnanL
unlnLenLlonally Lhey may have a headsLarL ln preparlng for parenLhood noneLheless some young
people who become pregnanL lnLenLlonally may have unreallsLlc expecLaLlon of Lhe reallLles and
responslblllLles of parenLhood
Several young women menLloned an earller mlscarrlage as a slgnlflcanL facLor ln Lhelr subsequenL cholce
Lo plan a pregnancy 1hls was commonly due Lo a bellef LhaL Lhey may noL be able Lo have chlldren and
may mark a need for lmproved supporL afLer mlscarrlage
A mlnorlLy of Lhe sample openly regreLLed Lhe declslon Lo become pregnanL Worse flnances and
houslng lsolaLlon and Lhe sheer hard work were overwhelmlng for some Sharlng Lhese experlences
may help oLher young people make beLLerlnformed declslons
1heres only a few very young people who say no lm noL havlng a chlld unLll lm 23 buL a loL of people
do geL lnLo a relaLlonshlp and speak abouL chlldren l mean l look back and l Lhlnk l was 14 why were
we Lalklng abouL marrlage and chlldren? (MoLher 13)
Concluslons
1hls sLudy shows LhaL planned Leenage pregnancy has dlfferenL moLlvaLlng facLors lL ls clear LhaL many
of Lhe young parenLs LhoughL LhaL Lhey had effecLlvely lmproved Lhelr llves by becomlng lndependenL
galnlng a sense of purpose escaplng poor famlly clrcumsLances and selzlng a chance Lo rlghL Lhe
wrongs of Lhelr own chlldhood Powever Lhls research also acknowledges young peoples accounLs of
Lhe challenges lnvolved
As a flnal polnL glven Lhe dlsadvanLaged chlldhood and background clrcumsLances common Lo Lhe
ma[orlLy of Lhe sample Lhe declslons Lo become a Leenage parenL were seen by Lhem Lo be reasonably
raLlonal regnancy and parenLhood offer Lhese young women a chance Lo change Lhelr llfe for Lhe
beLLer unllke mosL alLernaLlve ways of changlng Lhelr llfe such as educaLlon Lralnlng or employmenL
pregnancy ls seen as an opLlon LoLally wlLhln Lhelr own conLrol When asked Lo reflecL Lhe vasL ma[orlLy
were mosL adamanL LhaL pregnancy had been Lhe rlghL declslon aL Lhls Llme ln Lhelr llfe

AbouL Lhe pro[ecL
1hls sLudy looked aL how poverLy and dlsadvanLage lnfluences young peoples declslons Lo plan a
pregnancy lndepLh lnLervlews wlLh 31 whlLe young people aged 1322 were compleLed ln areas of hlgh
poverLy and dlsadvanLage ln slx dlfferenL areas across Lngland MosL had been ln sLable relaLlonshlps or
marrled when Lhey concelved Lhough some relaLlonshlps had slnce broken down lannlng was
assessed uslng a quesLlonnalre and only Lhose reporLlng LhaL Lhey planned Lhelr pregnancy were
lnLervlewed