The effectiveness of action to curb unplanned pregnancy in adolescence: A review of the literature

Abstract

Pregnancy in adolescence constitutes a public health problem owing to the high incidence of morbidity and mortality among mothers and newborns and the possible disruption it causes in the life of adolescents. The aim of this review is to show which studies present evidence of a reduction in adolescent pregnancy as a result of strategic action. Six hundred and seventy-one citations were identified in the data bases, of which only nine were considered appropriate and used in this article. The approaches which had a impact on reducing the occurrence of pregnancy in adolescence were: a) comprehensive sex education (100% with positive results), prevention of further pregnancies (60%) and abstinence programs (50%). Although the programs presented were focused on the U.S.A population, as were those who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of this study, we observed that the use of methodologies with social approaches that take into account the different specific social and demographic and behavioral adolescents were important points for success and recognition of the interventions examined, as are strategies that lead to the reflection on the choices of adolescents for their future life.