UK program reduces repeat teen pregnancy, study says
Posted on December 11, 2009
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Repeat teen pregnancy is much lower than average among mothers who participate in the University of Kentucky’s Young Parents Program, according to a study.
The study followed 1,386 teen mothers who took part in the program and showed that less than 1 percent had a repeat pregnancy within three years, compared with 18.7 percent of teen mothers statewide, according to a UK release Thursday. The study was published in the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology last year.
The long-running program helps expectant mothers 19 and younger from pregnancy through the child’s fifth birthday. Teens are referred by the university’s obstetrics-gynecology department and the local health department. They get prenatal care, well-child care for their children, counseling, education and help for any other medical or mental health issues.
Participants also can get contraceptives to prevent future pregnancies through the program. In the study, 84 percent chose Norplant implants, 13 percent used pills or the patch, and 3 percent used non-hormonal contraception or chose abstinence.
Study leader Dr. Hatim Omar, chief of adolescent medicine and the Young Parent Program at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, said the program is effective for many reasons.
He said it “provides individualized care with highly trained staff, teen education, social support, affordability and necessary medical care for both the teen and her baby.”
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