Comprehensive school-based services for pregnant and parenting adolescents in West Dallas, Texas.

Abstract

A cohort of 339 Black (n = 210), Hispanic (n = 118), and other (n = 11) adolescent mothers in Dallas, Texas, were followed from the start of their pregnancy through the school year of the delivery to assess differences in numbers of prenatal care visits, postpartum care, repeat deliveries, and school continuation rates. Approximately one-half the teens received reproductive services at a comprehensive, school-based clinic and one-half at a categorical (Title XX) family planning and prenatal care clinic. Adolescents attending the school-based clinic were more likely to be in school at conception and averaged more prenatal visits than those served by the categorical provider. However, during the pregnancy and following the delivery, school dropout rates for the two sets of teens converged. School continuation rates were higher among a subset of adolescents attending the Dallas Independent School District school for pregnant teens than among other teens. Hispanic teens were two times more likely than their Black counterparts to drop out of school. No differences were found in repeat birth rates, by ethnicity, clinic site, or school attended.