Social and Biological Transgenerational Underpinnings of Adolescent Pregnancy

Adolescent pregnancy (occurring < age 20) is considered a public health problem that creates and perpetuates inequities, affecting not only women, but societies as a whole globally. The efficacy of current approaches to reduce its prevalence is limited. Most existing interventions focus on outcom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 18; no. 22; p. 12152
Main Authors:	Rowlands, Amanda, Juergensen, Emma C., Prescivalli, Ana Paula, Salvante, Katrina G., Nepomnaschy, Pablo A.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Basel MDPI AG 19-11-2021 MDPI
Subjects:	Abortion Adolescents Age Behavior modification Birth control Child development Children & youth Communication Domestic violence Education Environmental aspects Fairness Family power Family relations Family structure Food security Gametogenesis Gender Girls Housing Inequality Intervention Life history Literature reviews Menarche Menstruation Mothers Power structure Pregnancy Prevention Puberty Public health Review Sexual behavior Sexual health Sexual intercourse Social change Social dynamics Social interactions Teenage pregnancy Teenagers Womens health Canada United Kingdom > UK Australia United States > US
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Summary:	Adolescent pregnancy (occurring < age 20) is considered a public health problem that creates and perpetuates inequities, affecting not only women, but societies as a whole globally. The efficacy of current approaches to reduce its prevalence is limited. Most existing interventions focus on outcomes without identifying or addressing upstream social and biological causes. Current rhetoric revolves around the need to change girls’ individual behaviours during adolescence and puberty. Yet, emerging evidence suggests risk for adolescent pregnancy may be influenced by exposures taking place much earlier during development, starting as early as gametogenesis. Furthermore, pregnancy risks are determined by complex interactions between socio-structural and ecological factors including housing and food security, family structure, and gender-based power dynamics. To explore these interactions, we merge three complimentary theoretical frameworks: “Eco-Social”, “Life History” and “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease”. We use our new lens to discuss social and biological determinants of two key developmental milestones associated with age at first birth: age at girls’ first menstrual bleed (menarche) and age at first sexual intercourse (coitarche). Our review of the literature suggests that promoting stable and safe environments starting at conception (including improving economic and social equity, in addition to gender-based power dynamics) is paramount to effectively curbing adolescent pregnancy rates. Adolescent pregnancy exacerbates and perpetuates social inequities within and across generations. As such, reducing it should be considered a key priority for public health and social change agenda.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-1
ISSN:	1660-4601 1661-7827 1660-4601
DOI:	10.3390/ijerph182212152