Sexual Abuse in Childhood and Adolescence and the Risk of Early Pregnancy Among Women Ages 18–22

Trajectories of psychopathology and risky behaviors associated with childhood abuse and neglect in low-income urban African American girls

“…Childhood sexual abuse, in particular, has been linked to an increased risk of teenage pregnancy, earlier onset of sexual activity, greater numbers of sexual partners, increased rates of abortion, and increased risk of sex trading in adolescence and adulthood (Boden, Fergusson, & Horwood, 2009;Kalichman, Gore-Felton, Benotsch, Cage, & Rompa, 2004;Senn, Carey, Vanable, Coury-Doniger, & Urban, 2007;Young, Deardorff, Ozer, & Lahiff, 2011). One prospective study has also linked childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect to risky sexual behaviors and STIs in adulthood (Wilson & Widom, 2008.…”

Comprehensive Care and Pregnancy: The Unmet Care Needs of Pregnant Women with a History of Rape

“…These results indicate that women raped in childhood had unmet needs in pregnancy prevention as evidenced by early pregnancies and mental health outcomes related to the timing of the assault (Nelson et al, 2010; Young et al, 2011). These studies indicated that the timing of sexual assault in the survivor’s life course may therefore impact the occurrence of future assault, or revictimization, as well as the physical and mental health status of the survivor.…”

“…Low sociodemographic status is both a risk factor for and an outcome of sexual trauma. The majority of the 11 studies noted a higher prevalence of women who were young, poor, less educated, and minorities among participants in these pregnancy studies who were rape survivors (Nelson et al, 2010; Leonardson et al, 2003; Lukasse et al, 2009; Nerum et al, 2009; Osbourne et al, 2001; Van der Hulst et al, 2006; Young, et al, 2011). These findings from the literature are consistently showing decrements in the health status of survivors or unmet needs in relation to the five components of comprehensive care.…”

“…Three studies also demonstrated a higher incidence of unwantedness in pregnancies that were the direct result of a rape, leading to higher numbers of elective abortions, spontaneous abortions, and adoptions (Holmes et al, 1996; McFarlane, 2007; Nerum et al, 2009). One study also used hazard analyses to demonstrate that women who experience sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence are at increased risk of early pregnancy, or a pregnancy that occurs in adolescence (Young, Deardorff, Ozer, & Lahiff, 2011). However, the strongest and most consistent associations were found between rape history and increased rates of depression including post-partum depression, stress, anxiety, mental distress, and PTSD (Eberhard-Gran et al, 2008; Garabedian, Lain, Hansen, Garcia, Williams, & Crofford, 2011; Holmes et al, 1996; Lukasse et al, 2009; Nelson et al, 2010; Osborne et al, 2001; Van der Hulst et al, 2006).…”

“…A final factor that emerges from a few of the studies is consideration of a life course perspective, looking at outcomes measured based on the timing of sexual assault by comparing whether it occurred in childhood or adulthood (Garabedian et al, 2011; Young et al, 2011). These results indicate that women raped in childhood had unmet needs in pregnancy prevention as evidenced by early pregnancies and mental health outcomes related to the timing of the assault (Nelson et al, 2010; Young et al, 2011).…”