BMJ  2007;334:221 (3 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39108.405139.1F

Letters

Teenage pregnancy

Systematic review addresses socioeconomic inequalities

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

We have grappled with social disadvantage and teenage pregnancy in our recent systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions to reduce the social exclusion associated with teenage pregnancy.¹ As Henderson et al postulate,² we found that programmes aiming to change life opportunities for young people have a considerable positive effect on reducing pregnancy in this group. Our meta-analysis of high quality controlled trials indicated that pregnancy rates could be reduced by 39% in young people who themselves were recipients of day care as children or received youth development programmes in American studies. However, studies of young people's views also showed important research gaps. These include the development and evaluation of policies to promote young people's involvement in schooling, further education and training, and to support families experiencing problems linked with social disadvantage and poverty.

Happiness, enjoyment of school, and ambition can all help to delay parenthood in young . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating (EPPI-) Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, London WC1H 0NR

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