Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Limited Socioeconomic Opportunities and Latina Teen Childbearing: A Qualitative Study of Family and Structural Factors Affecting Future Expectations

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The decrease in adolescent birth rates in the United States has been slower among Latinas than among other ethnic/racial groups. Limited research has explored how socioeconomic opportunities influence childbearing among Latina adolescents. We conducted in-depth interviews with 65 pregnant foreign- and US-born Latina women (31 adolescents; 34 adults) in two California counties. We assessed perceived socioeconomic opportunities and examined how family, immigration and acculturation affected the relationships between socioeconomic opportunities and adolescent childbearing. Compared with women who delayed childbearing into adulthood, pregnant adolescents described having few resources for educational and career development and experiencing numerous socioeconomic and social barriers to achieving their goals. Socioeconomic instability and policies limiting access to education influenced childbearing for immigrant adolescents. In contrast, family disintegration tied to poverty figured prominently in US-born adolescents’ childbearing. Limited socioeconomic opportunities may play a large role in persistently high pregnancy rates among Latina adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Santelli JS, Melnikas AJ. Teen fertility in transition: recent and historic trends in the United States. Annu Rev Public Health. 2010;31:371–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Pazol K, Warner L, Gavin L, Callaghan WM, Spitz AM, Anderson JE, Barfield WD, Kann L. Vital signs: teen pregnancy—United States, 1991–2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60(13):414–20.

    Google Scholar 

  3. California Department of Public Health, California’s Teen Births Continue Decline. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/NR11-008.aspx. Retrieved 1 Feb 2011.

  4. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: preliminary data for 2009. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2010;59(3).

  5. National Campaign to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy. Fact sheet: teen sexual activity, pregnancy and childbearing among Latinos in the United States. Washington: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kirby D. Antecedents of adolescent initiation of sex, contraceptive use, and pregnancy. Am J Health Behav. 2002;26(6):473–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Foster DG, Biggs MA, Amaral G, et al. Estimates of pregnancies averted through California’s family planning waiver program in 2002. Perspect Sex Rep Health. 2006;38(3):126–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Santelli J, Morrow B, Anderson JE, Lindberg LD. Contraceptive use and pregnancy risk among U.S. high school students, 1991–2003. Perspect Sex Rep Health. 2006;38(2):106–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Dehlendorf C, Foster DG, de Bocanegra HT, Brindis C, Bradsberry M, Darney P. Race, ethnicity and differences in contraception among low-income women: methods received by family PACT clients, California, 2001–2007. Perspect Sex Rep Health. 2011;43(3):181–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Zavodny M. The effect of partners’ characteristics on teenage pregnancy and its resolution. Fam Plann Perspect. 2001;33(5):192–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Adolf D, Ramos C, Linton K, Grimes D. Pregnancy among hispanic teenagers: is good parental communication a deterrent? Contraception. 1995;51(5):303–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Crosby RA, DiClemente RJ, Wingood GM, et al. Low parental monitoring predicts subsequent pregnancy among African-American adolescent females. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2002;15(1):43–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hayward MD, Grady WR, Billy JO. The influence of socioeconomic status on adolescent pregnancy. Soc Sci Q. 1992;73(4):750–72.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kirby D, Coyle K, Gould JB. Manifestations of poverty and birthrates among young teenagers in California zip code areas. Fam Plann Perspect. 2001;33(2):63–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Cubbin C, Santelli J, Brindis CD, Braveman P. Neighborhood context and sexual behaviors among adolescents: findings from the national longitudinal study of adolescent health. Perspect Sex Rep Health. 2005;37(3):125–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Geronimus AT. The weathering hypothesis and the health of African-American women and infants: evidence and speculations. Ethn Dis. 1992;2(3):207–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. McDade TW, Chyu L, Duncan GJ, Hoyt LT, Doane LD, Adam EK. Adolescents’ expectations for the future predict health behaviors in early adulthood. Soc Sci Med. 2011;73:391–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Beutel AM. The relationship between adolescent nonmarital childbearing and educational expectations: a cohort and period comparison. Soc Q. 2000;41(2):297–314.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kalil A, Kunz J. First births among unmarried adolescent girls: risk and protective factors. Soc Work Res. 1999;23(3):197–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Schvaneveldt PL, Miller BC, Berry EH, Lee TR. Academic goals, achievement, and age at first sexual intercourse: longitudinal, bidirectional influences. Adolescence. 2001;36(144):767–87.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Young T, Turner J, Denny G, Young M. Examining external and internal poverty as antecedents of teen pregnancy. Am J Health Behav. 2004;28(4):361–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gest SD, Mahoney JL, Cairns RB. A developmental approach to prevention research: configural antecedents of early parenthood. Am J Community Psychol. 1999;27(4):543–65.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Oman RF, Vesely SF, Aspy CB, et al. Youth assets and sexual risk behavior: the importance of assets for youth residing in one-parent households. Perspect Sex Rep Health. 2005;37(1):25–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Get real about teen pregnancy campaign. Voices of California: a multicultural perspective on teen pregnancy; 2003. Retrieved from http://www.letsgetreal.org/pdfs/Voices.pdf.

  25. Rosengard C, Pollock L, Weitzen S, Meers A, Phipps MG. Concepts of the advantages and disadvantages of teenage childbearing among pregnant adolescents: a qualitative analysis. Pediatrics. 2006;118(2):503–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Frost JJ, Oslak S: Teenagers’ pregnancy intentions and decisions: a study of young women in California choosing to give birth: Alan Guttmacher institute; 1999.

  27. Jacobs JL. Gender, race, class, and the trend toward early motherhood. A feminist analysis of teen mothers in contemporary society. J Contemp Ethnogr. 1994;22(4):442–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Driscoll A, Brindis C, Biggs A, Valderrama T: Priorities, progress and promise: a chartbook on Latino adolescent reproductive health; 2004. San Francisco: University of California, San Francisco, Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and the Institute for Health Policy Studies.

  29. Harris KM: The health status and risk behaviors of adolescents in immigrant families. In: Children of immigrants: health, adjustment, and public assistance. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 1999.

  30. Kaplan CP, Erickson PI, Juarez-Reyes M, et al. Acculturation, gender role orientation, and reproductive risk-taking behavior among Latina adolescent family planning clients. J Adolesc Res. 2002;17(2):103–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Biggs MA, Ralph L, Minnis AM, et al. Factors associated with delayed childbearing: from the voices of expectant Latina adults and teens in California. Hisp J Behav Sci. 2010;32(1):77–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Fan X, Chan M. Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: a meta-analysis. Educ Psychol Rev. 2001;13(1):1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. National Immigration Law Center: DREAM act summary; 2011. Los Angeles, CA. http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/dream/dream-bills-summary-2011–05.pdf.

  34. Kirby D. Emerging answers, research findings on programs to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; 2007. Washington: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the California Department of Public Health, Center for Family Health, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program and the Office of Family Planning. Dr. Minnis’s contributions to the study also were supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health (K01 HD047434). The authors would like to thank the research interviewers and clinic staff who contributed to study recruitment and data collection activities.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s Global Health Imperative, RTI International, 114 Sansome Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA

    Alexandra M. Minnis

  2. School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Alexandra M. Minnis & Lauren Ralph

  3. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center on Social Disparities in Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Kristen Marchi & Paula Braveman

  4. Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Lauren Ralph, M. Antonia Biggs, Sarah Combellick, Abigail Arons & Claire D. Brindis

Authors
  1. Alexandra M. Minnis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kristen Marchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lauren Ralph
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Antonia Biggs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sarah Combellick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Abigail Arons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Claire D. Brindis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Paula Braveman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra M. Minnis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Minnis, A.M., Marchi, K., Ralph, L. et al. Limited Socioeconomic Opportunities and Latina Teen Childbearing: A Qualitative Study of Family and Structural Factors Affecting Future Expectations. J Immigrant Minority Health 15, 334–340 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9653-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9653-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation