Early Childbearing Perspectives of Black Adolescents on Pregnancy, Abortion, and Contraception

Is there a correlation between a teenager's education and occupational goals and their attitudes toward pregnancy, abortion and childbearing? What about choosing abortion over delivery? Does one's family background significantly contribute to their decision? Does family involvement prevent early teenage childbearing? Based on a study of African-American teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds living in poor urban areas, this volume unravels a startling number of issues surrounding adolescent pregnancy, abortion, and childbearing. The authors show why these adolescents often wait until after their first sexual encounter to obtain contraception, and reveal the correlation between family involvement and the pregnancy or no-pregnancy decision. They also compare teenagers who terminated their first pregnancy with those who delivered babies. How were their educational and occupational goals affected? What about their economic status and their chances for subsequent pregnancy? This sensitive presentation makes an unmistakable contribution to the continuing problem of teenage pregnancy. It also brings us one step closer to making the changes necessary for improved methods of education, prevention, and advocacy. Early Childbearing affords the reader excellent insight into the complexities of the pregnancy problem. It also offers encouragement for educators, health care and social service professionals to assist teenagers and their families in improving their health and well-being. "Freeman and Rickels contribute with a very clear and concise discussion of the connections between psychological and structural factors. Attention is given to many issues. . . . Freeman and Rickels have written a very readable text and coherently present their research findings in both written and tabular form. The concluding chapter offers a great deal more than a summary of the book's content. . . . The conclusions drawn by the authors are insightful and intuitive, as are the authors' recommendations. Early Childbearing is loaded with useful information, and the bibliography is extensive and provides readers with abundant resources. This book will interest researchers in stratification, practitioners who work with similar populations, those involved in policymaking and program development, and sociologists involved in poverty, race/ethnicity, and inequality." --Contemporary SociologyFreeman, Ellen W. is the author of 'Early Childbearing Perspectives of Black Adolescents on Pregnancy, Abortion, and Contraception' with ISBN 9780803952829 and ISBN 0803952821.