Search citation statements
Paper Sections
Citation Types
Year Published
Publication Types
Relationship
Authors
Journals
IntroductionAlcohol consumption is associated with unintended pregnancies among teenagers. Its role as a broader determinant of teenage fertility rates remains unclear. We investigate whether adolescent binge drinking affects the number of teenage births.MethodsBinge drinking data from 137,898 females aged 15–16 were collected in the HBSC study (2002–2018, 43 countries/regions) and 267,359 in the ESPAD study (1995–2019, 41 countries/regions). Age‐specific fertility rates were from the Human Fertility Database and the World Health Organization. We examined changes over time in countries' average levels of binge drinking among female pupils aged 15–16 and population‐level fertility rates for the same cohorts when aged 16–19 years.ResultsControlling for differences between countries and survey waves, we found an association between binge drinking and fertility rate, B = 0.019, 95% confidence interval [0.004, 0.034]. When accounting for the countries' time trends, the association was substantially reduced, B = 0.006, 95% confidence interval [−0.0062, 0.0174]. The relationship was not moderated by abortion rates and controlling for contraceptive use had no impact on the findings.Discussion and ConclusionsThe association between adolescent binge drinking and fertility rates diminishes when accounting for country‐specific time trends. Given the lack of clear mechanisms linking binge drinking to trends in fertility rates rather than shorter‐term changes, the association likely reflects broader secular trends. Binge drinking may be involved in teen pregnancy and childbirth in individual cases but it does not explain recent developments in teenage fertility rates.
IntroductionAlcohol consumption is associated with unintended pregnancies among teenagers. Its role as a broader determinant of teenage fertility rates remains unclear. We investigate whether adolescent binge drinking affects the number of teenage births.MethodsBinge drinking data from 137,898 females aged 15–16 were collected in the HBSC study (2002–2018, 43 countries/regions) and 267,359 in the ESPAD study (1995–2019, 41 countries/regions). Age‐specific fertility rates were from the Human Fertility Database and the World Health Organization. We examined changes over time in countries' average levels of binge drinking among female pupils aged 15–16 and population‐level fertility rates for the same cohorts when aged 16–19 years.ResultsControlling for differences between countries and survey waves, we found an association between binge drinking and fertility rate, B = 0.019, 95% confidence interval [0.004, 0.034]. When accounting for the countries' time trends, the association was substantially reduced, B = 0.006, 95% confidence interval [−0.0062, 0.0174]. The relationship was not moderated by abortion rates and controlling for contraceptive use had no impact on the findings.Discussion and ConclusionsThe association between adolescent binge drinking and fertility rates diminishes when accounting for country‐specific time trends. Given the lack of clear mechanisms linking binge drinking to trends in fertility rates rather than shorter‐term changes, the association likely reflects broader secular trends. Binge drinking may be involved in teen pregnancy and childbirth in individual cases but it does not explain recent developments in teenage fertility rates.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.