Are pregnant adolescents stigmatized by pregnancy?
Received 2 January 2004; accepted 3 June 2004.
Abstract
Purpose
To identify prevalence and correlates, including substance use and exposure to violence, of feeling stigmatized by being pregnant as an adolescent.
Methods
A total of 925 low-income African-American, Mexican-American, and Caucasian pregnant adolescents aged ≤ 18 years were interviewed on the postpartum ward of a university hospital within 48 hours of delivery. Correlates of stigma were identified among self-reported behaviors such as substance use, exposure to violence, family support and criticism, as well as reproductive and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results
Two out of five adolescents (39.1%) reported feeling stigmatized by their pregnancy. As compared with their nonstigmatized peers, stigmatized adolescents were more likely to report having seriously considered abortion, being afraid to tell parents about pregnancy, feeling that parents/teachers thought pregnancy a mistake, and feeling abandoned by the fathers of their babies. Stepwise logistic regression revealed the following correlates independently associated with feeling stigmatized: white race/ethnicity, not being legally/common-law married or engaged to the baby’s father, feelings of social isolation, aspirations to complete college, experiencing verbal abuse or being fearful of being hurt by other teenagers, and experiencing family criticism. In contrast, greater self-esteem and having dropped out of school before conception were protective of reporting feelings of stigma.
Conclusions
Significant proportions of pregnant adolescents feel stigmatized by pregnancy and are at increased risk of social isolation and abuse. These young women may need special attention during and after pregnancy to develop concrete strategies to care for themselves and their children to complete their education and avoid becoming clinically depressed.
aSection of Adolescent Medicine & Sports Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
bCenter for Community Health and Education, Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, New York, New York
cDivision of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
dDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Address correspondence to: Constance M. Wiemann, Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics, Section of Adolescent Medicine & Sports Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine 6621 Fannin Street, Mail Station CC610.01, Houston, TX 77030-2399.
ABSTRACT