Lee S H, Yen C H, Wu W Y, Lee M C
School of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan.
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2007;19(1):40-2. doi: 10.1177/10105395070190010801.
In Taiwan, the age-specific fertility rate for adolescent girls aged 15-19 years has remained at 14-18/1,000 births during the past two decades, which is the highest among developed countries in Asia. There was a surprisingly high age-specific fertility rate for married women aged 15-19 years at 726 per 1,000 in 1994, much higher than that of the United States. Adolescent childbearing causes many adverse outcomes including unwanted and unstable marriage, repeated childbearing during adolescence, and increased risks of having low birth weight and preterm births and neonatal mortality. Studies in Taiwan showed that adolescent childbearing is associated with their poor knowledge but open attitude and behaviour on sexuality, the inadequate contraceptive services for the adolescents in need, some risk-taking behaviors, family dysfunction and low socioeconomic status of the adolescents' families. About two-thirds of the fathers of infants born to adolescent girls were adults, even old adults with a low education level Effective strategies for adolescent childbearing prevention range from sex education, the direct provision of contraceptive supplies, and to life options programmes, especially for the adolescents with high risk of adolescent pregnancy. Reducing the incidence of adolescent childbearing by active use of contraception is more important and practical than prohibiting adolescent sexual activity.
在台湾，15至19岁少女的年龄别生育率在过去二十年一直维持在每千例出生14至18例，这在亚洲发达国家中是最高的。1994年，15至19岁已婚妇女的年龄别生育率高达每千例726例，远高于美国。青少年生育会导致许多不良后果，包括意外和不稳定的婚姻、青春期反复生育、低出生体重、早产和新生儿死亡风险增加。台湾的研究表明，青少年生育与其对性的认知不足但态度开放及行为有关，为有需要的青少年提供的避孕服务不足，一些冒险行为、家庭功能失调以及青少年家庭的社会经济地位较低。少女所生婴儿的父亲约三分之二是成年人，甚至是受教育程度低的老年人。预防青少年生育的有效策略包括性教育、直接提供避孕用品以及生活选择计划，特别是针对青少年怀孕风险高的人群。通过积极使用避孕措施降低青少年生育发生率比禁止青少年性行为更为重要和实际。
