Comprehensive clinic-based programs for pregnant & parenting teens
Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Evidence Ratings
Scientifically Supported: Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Some Evidence: Strategies with this rating are likely to work, but further research is needed to confirm effects. These strategies have been tested more than once and results trend positive overall.
Expert Opinion: Strategies with this rating are recommended by credible, impartial experts but have limited research documenting effects; further research, often with stronger designs, is needed to confirm effects.
Insufficient Evidence: Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Mixed Evidence: Strategies with this rating have been tested more than once and results are inconsistent or trend negative; further research is needed to confirm effects.
Evidence of Ineffectiveness: Strategies with this rating are not good investments. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently negative and sometimes harmful results. Learn more about our methods
Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Evidence Ratings
Scientifically Supported: Strategies with this rating are most likely to make a difference. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently positive results.
Some Evidence: Strategies with this rating are likely to work, but further research is needed to confirm effects. These strategies have been tested more than once and results trend positive overall.
Expert Opinion: Strategies with this rating are recommended by credible, impartial experts but have limited research documenting effects; further research, often with stronger designs, is needed to confirm effects.
Insufficient Evidence: Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Mixed Evidence: Strategies with this rating have been tested more than once and results are inconsistent or trend negative; further research is needed to confirm effects.
Evidence of Ineffectiveness: Strategies with this rating are not good investments. These strategies have been tested in many robust studies with consistently negative and sometimes harmful results. Learn more about our methods
Health factors shape the health of individuals and communities. Everything from our education to our environments impacts our health. Modifying these clinical, behavioral, social, economic, and environmental factors can influence how long and how well people live, now and in the future.
Comprehensive clinic-based programs for pregnant or parenting teens address the complex needs of teenage mothers. Programs include health care and family planning services, and help participants with non-clinical needs through case management, counseling, social support, and connections to social services. Services are often provided by both medical teams and social workers. Programs are often geared toward preventing rapid repeat pregnancy, a second pregnancy within 12-24 months. Teenage childbearing poses economic, social, and medical risks to mothers and their infants; risks are magnified by repeat pregnancies during adolescence1.
What could this strategy improve?
Expected Benefits
Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:
Reduced teen pregnancy
Reduced rapid repeat pregnancies
Potential Benefits
Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:
Increased vaccination
Increased use of contraception
Increased condom use
What does the research say about effectiveness? This strategy is rated scientifically supported.
There is strong evidence that comprehensive clinic-based programs that support pregnant and parenting teens reduce rapid repeat pregnancies among participants2, 3. Such programs also appear to promote clinic attendance and increase immunization completion for infants3.
Comprehensive programs based in large urban hospital and clinic facilities with multi-disciplinary teams have been shown to reduce repeat pregnancies among minority and low income adolescent mothers through 18 months post-partum2, 3. An assessment of the Philadelphia-based Health Care Program for First-Time Adolescent Mothers and their Infants, for example, indicates that black teenage mothers with Medicaid are less likely to experience a repeat pregnancy within 18 months than non-participating peers4 and an assessment of the Generations program in Washington, D.C. indicates increased contraceptive and condom use for 12 months among black teenage mothers5. An evaluation of the Colorado Adolescent Maternity Program (CAMP) indicates that participants who choose to use long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) appear least likely to become pregnant again6.
Integrated clinical and social services, combined mother and infant care, contraceptive education, and a multi-disciplinary youth-oriented approach appear to increase program effectiveness. Providing easy access to services and reaching young women at antenatal and postnatal consultations for their first pregnancy may also increase program effectiveness1.
How could this strategy impact health disparities? This strategy is rated likely to decrease disparities.
Implementation Resources
SPTW - Social Programs That Work (SPTW). Full list of programs.
Footnotes
* Journal subscription may be required for access.
1 Rowlands 2010 - Rowlands S. Social predictors of repeat adolescent pregnancy and focused strategies. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics Gynecology. 2010;24(5):605-16.
2 Corcoran 2007 - Corcoran J, Pillai VK. Effectiveness of secondary pregnancy prevention programs: A meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice. 2007;17(1):5–18.
3 Akinbami 2001 - Akinbami LJ, Cheng TL, Kornfeld D. A review of teen-tot programs: Comprehensive clinical care for young parents and their children. Adolescence. 2001;36(142):381-93.
4 SPTW - Social Programs That Work (SPTW). Full list of programs.
5 Lewin 2016 - Lewin A, Mitchell S, Beers L, Schmitz K, Boudreaux M. Improved contraceptive use among teen mothers in a patient-centered medical home. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2016;59(2):171-176.
6 Stevens-Simon 2001 - Stevens-Simon C, Kelly L, Kulick R. A village would be nice but... It takes a long-acting contraceptive to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancies. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2001;21(1):60-65.
To see citations and implementation resources for this strategy, visit:
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