Home > Research Areas > Teen Sex & Pregnancy TEEN SEX & PREGNANCY Child Trends examines sexual activity, contraceptive use, and fertility, focusing particularly on teens and young adults, to help program providers and policy makers develop strategies for preventing unintended pregnancies, nonmarital births, and sexually transmitted infections.

Research Briefs Executive Summaries & Full Reports Speeches, Presentations & Briefings Other Publications Facts at a Glance Fact Sheets Publications Archive

We are:

• exploring What Works for Adolescent Reproductive Health (Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions)  

• looking at patterns of contraceptive use and consistency
• studying how characteristics of partners and relationships influence reproductive health, including sexual activity, contraceptive use, teen, nonmarital, and unintended childbearing, and sexually transmitted infections
• studying partner age differences  and communication
• investigating male involvement in family planning
• studying the predictors and consequences of nonmarital childbearing
• researching how unintended childbearing influences child and parent outcomes
• examining parent involvement and teen sexual behaviors

We disseminate our research in fact sheets and research briefs, articles in peer-reviewed journals, presentations, and news releases.  More detailed information about our research projects and funders can be found in Our Current and Recent Projects.

Research Briefs

  Parents Matter: The Role of Parents in Teens’ Decisions About Sex
Erum Ikramullah; Jennifer Manlove; Carol Cui; Kristin A. Moore
November 2009
In this research brief, we look specifically at whether parental involvement in adolescence reduces the chances of teens being sexually active at a young age.

  Telling It Like It Is: Teen Perspectives on Romantic Relationships
Lina Guzman; Erum Ikramullah; Jennifer Manlove; Kristen Peterson; Harriet J. Scarupa
October 2009
Teen romantic relationships have become a pervasive part of popular culture, from TV shows, movies, and books to blogs and social networking sites. But the attention paid to these relationships extends beyond the parameters of popular culture. Romance, teen style, has become of increasing interest to anyone concerned with healthy adolescent development—with good reason.

  Young Adult Attitudes About Relationships and Marriage: Times May Have Changed, But Expectations Remain High
Mindy E. Scott; Erin Schelar; Jennifer Manlove; Carol Cui
July 2009

  Ten Reasons to Still Keep the Focus on Teen Childbearing
Emily Holcombe; Kristen Peterson; Jennifer Manlove
April 2009

  Estimated Percentage of Females Who Will Become Teen Mothers: Differences Across States
Kate Perper; Jennifer Manlove
March 2009

  Teen Births: Examining the Recent Increase
Kristin Anderson Moore
March 2009

  Sexual and Reproductive Health Behaviors among Teen and Young Adult Men
Jennifer Manlove; Elizabeth Terry-Humen; Erum Ikramullah; Emily Holcombe
October 2008

  Long-Term Consequences for Teens with Older Sexual Partners
Erin Schelar; Suzanne Ryan; Jennifer Manlove
May 2008

  Discussions About Contraception or STDs Prior to Sex
Emily Holcombe; Suzanne Ryan; Jennifer Manlove
April 2008

  Contraceptive Use Patterns Across Teens' Sexual Relationships
Emily Holcombe; David Carrier; Jennifer Manlove; Suzanne Ryan
February 2008

  Assessing Adolescent Reproductive Health: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Meghan O’Toole; Kristin Anderson Moore; Victoria N. Ball
February 2008

  Trends in Hispanic Teen Births: Differences Across States
Kerry Franzetta; Erin Schelar; Jennifer Manlove
November 2007

  Repeat Teen Childbearing: Differences Across States and by Race and Ethnicity
Erin Schelar; Kerry Franzetta; Jennifer Manlove
October 2007

  Men’s Pregnancy Intentions and Prenatal Behaviors: What They Mean for Fathers' Involvement with Their Children
Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Allison Horowitz; Elena Kennedy; Kate Perper
June 2007

Executive Summaries & Full Reports

  The Consequences of Unintended Childbearing
Cassandra Logan; Emily Holcombe; Suzanne Ryan; Jennifer Manlove
May 2007

Speeches, Presentations & Briefings

  Teen Perspectives on Healthy Romantic Relationships Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Lina Guzman; Erum Ikramullah; Jennifer Manlove; Kristen Peterson
Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America
Detroit, Michigan
April 3, 2009

  Risky Adolescent Sexual Relationships & Reproductive Health in Young Adulthood
Suzanne Ryan; Mindy Scott; Erin Schelar; Kate Perper; Jennifer Manlove
Add Health Users Workshop
Bethesda, MD
July 25, 2008

Facts at a Glance

  Facts at a Glance 2009-Repeat Births in Large Cities
2006 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2009-City Comparisons
1991 & 2006 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2009
2007 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2008
2006 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2008: State-by-State Comparisons
2005 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2007: State-by-State Comparison
1991 and 2004 Data

  Facts at a Glance 2007
2005 Data

Fact Sheets

  Diploma Attainment Among Teen Mothers
Kate Perper, Kristen Peterson, Jennifer Manlove
January 2010
Only one-half of women in our study sample who had been teen mothers had earned a high school diploma by the age of 22, compared with almost 9 in 10 (89 percent) young women in our study sample who had not given birth as a teen.

  Condom Use and Consistency Among Teen Males
Erum Ikramullah; Jennifer Manlove
October 2008

  Forced Sexual Intercourse Among Young Women
Emily Holcombe; Jennifer Manlove; Erum Ikramullah
August 2008

  How Much Do You Know About Teen Sexual Behavior? A True-False Quiz
Emily Holcombe; Kristen Peterson; Jennifer Manlove
August 2008

  What Works for Adolescent Reproductive Health: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
Victoria Ball; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008

  Discussions About Contraception or STDs Prior to Sex
Emily Holcombe; Suzanne Ryan; Jennifer Manlove
April 2008

  Contraceptive Use Patterns Across Teens' Sexual Relationships
Emily Holcombe; David Carrier; Jennifer Manlove; Suzanne Ryan
February 2008

Other Publications

Vulnerable Youth: A Closer Look at Reproductive Health Outcomes
Existing research indicates that children and adolescents who come into contact with service systems—including child welfare, juvenile justice, and runaway/homelessness services—are at risk for a number of negative outcomes as they transition to adulthood.
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. September 2009. Read more...

Trends in Sexual Experience, Contraceptive Use, and Teenage Childbearing: 1992-2002
J. Manlove - E. Ikramullah - L. Mincieli - S. Danish. Journal of Adolescent Health May 2009. Read more...

Sexual and Reproductive Health Behaviors among Teen and Young Adult Men
J. Manlove - E. Terry-Humen - E. Ikramullah - E. Holcombe. October 2008.

Condom Use and Consistency Among Adolescent Males in the United States
J. Manlove - E. Ikramullah - E. Terry-Humen. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43, 325-333. October 2008. Read more...

  Teen Births: Examining the Recent Increase
K. A. Moore
Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
October 2008

Pathways from Family Religiosity to Adolescent Sexual Activity and
Contraceptive Use
J. Manlove – C. Logan – K. Moore – E. Ikramullah. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 40, 105-117. June 2008.
Publication

Unplanned Pregnancy and Family Turmoil
Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. April 2008. Read more...

Older Sexual Partners During Adolescence: Links to Reproductive Health Outcomes in Young Adulthood
S. Ryan – K. Franzetta – J. Manlove – E. Schelar. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 40, 17-26. March 2008.
Publication

Publications Archive

View all publications older than 3 years.