Employment and the pregnant adolescent: A health risk?

Abstract

Background Prior studies suggest that youth who are employed ≥ 15 hours per week are at increased risk for substance use and decreased school involvement. Research examining the effects of employment on adolescent pregnancy are absent from the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare pregnant teens who worked ≥ 15 hours per week with nonworking pregnant teens on substance use, pregnancy complications (preterm labor delivery, maternal anemia, or chorioamnionitis), birth outcomes (miscarriage, birth weight, SGA, and head circumference), and related prenatal factors (number of clinic visils and gestational age at firsl visit). Methods We conducted a prospective study of 533 tri-ethnic adolescents, aged 12–17 years, who completed a structured questionnaire at their first obstetric visit between January 1992 and December 1994. Elicited information included demographic and reproductive characteristics; recent substance use and high-risk sexual behaviors. Medical charts were reviewed to obtain information on pregnancy complications and birth outcomes. Results Comparisons were made between the 61 teens who reported being employed ≥ 15 hours and the 450 teens who denied current employment uSing chi-square, student's t-tests, and logistic regression analyses. Working, as compared to nonworking teens were significantly older at their first prenatal visit (16.5 vs. 15.8 yr), were of higher financial status (31% vs. 14%), entered into care at an earlier gestational age (12.1 Vs. 15.4 wk), had more prenatal visits (10.1 vs. 8.5), were more likely to be enrolled in school (83% vs. 68%), and were less likely to have a positive chlamdia culture at first visit (7% vs. 20%). Cigarette, alcohol, or marijuana use since last menstrual period and use in the last 30 days; ethnicity; gravidity; and parity did not significantly differ between groups. Although a trend for miscarriage was found (13.5 vs. 6.7, P=.08), no otner differences in other birth outcomes or pregnancy complications were detected. Logistic regression analyses revealed that pregnant adolescents working ≥ 15 hours were more likely to be enrolled in school (OR 3.4), enter into care at Conclusions These data suggest that employment does not increase pregnant adolescents risk of substance use, prenatal complications, or poor birth outcomes. In fact, employment was strongly associated with earlier entry into prenatal care and school involvement.