Teen pregnancy is a major public health concern
and the majority of these pregnancies are unintended.
The study population included women whose first pregnancy
occurred at age 19 or younger (n = 2,142). Data
from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth was used
to determine whether women’s reports of her own pregnancy
intentions differed from her perception of her male
partner’s pregnancy intentions at the time of conception.
Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression were
used to examine perceived discrepant pregnancy intent.
Most (55.4%) reported that the pregnancy was unintended
by both, 22.1% indicated only he intended the pregnancy,
5.6% indicated only she intended the pregnancy, and
16.9% reported both intended the pregnancy. Compared to
adolescent pregnancies respondents recalled being unintended
by both her and her partner, Black and Hispanic
respondents were more likely than whites to indicate the
pregnancy was intended and were more likely to indicate
that she did not intend the pregnancy but believed her
partner did. Respondents who were older at the time of
conception were more likely to indicate that the pregnancy
was intended by both her and her partner. There are differences
in recall of pregnancy intentions as perceived by
respondents. Female adolescents perceived that the male
who fathered the pregnancy intended to get pregnant at that
time more often than she did. Teen pregnancy prevention