The Role of Teen Mothers' Support Relationships in Maintenance of Contraceptive Use.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To explore interpersonal factors associated with maintaining contraceptive use over time among urban, African American teen mothers.

DESIGN

Longitudinal study, 2011-2015.

SETTING

Six pediatric primary care sites in the same city, all of which primarily serve urban, low-income, African American families.

PARTICIPANTS

Teen mothers accessing health services for their child at one of the six study sites.

INTERVENTIONS

The current study was a secondary data analysis of data that were collected as part of a patient-centered medical home model intervention, that compared a group of teen mothers and their children who were participants in the intervention with mother-child dyads who were enrolled in standard community-based pediatric primary care. Structured interviews were conducted with teen mothers at baseline/enrollment, when their children were, on average, 3 months old, and again 12 months later.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Maintenance of contraceptive use over time.

RESULTS

Teen mothers who perceived any tangible support from their own mothers were significantly less likely to maintain contraceptive use over time (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = .27). However, teens who perceived any emotional support from their own mothers were nearly four times more likely to maintain contraceptive use (AOR = 3.74). Teens who lived with their own mothers were more than 5 times more likely to maintain contraceptive use over time (AOR = 5.49).

CONCLUSION

To better understand contraceptive discontinuation and thus to prevent repeat pregnancies among teen mothers, it might be necessary to further examine the role of support relationships in teen mothers' contraceptive decision-making. Secondary pregnancy prevention programs should include key support persons.