# Demography, health, and contraceptive use of repeat teenage mothers

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2020 · $131,092

## Abstract

Project Summary
Nearly 1/5 of the 230,000 annual births to teen mothers in the US are repeat births (births to a teen mother
who already has one or more children), the large majority of which are unintended. Repeat teen mothers are a
high-risk group of adolescents; they are more likely to drop out of high school, are less likely to be employed,
and more likely to have mental health problems, and start prenatal care later or receive no prenatal care more
frequently compared to first-time teen and older mothers. They also experience higher incidence of preterm
birth, low infant birth weight, and infant mortality compared to both first time teen mothers and older mothers.
Despite the vulnerability of these mothers and their children, they have been notably understudied compared to
first-time teen mothers. The demographic composition of this population, their health profile, their knowledge
and attitudes toward contraceptive are not well documented. We also lack understanding of the processes by
which teens choose their contraception, knowledge that is necessary to inform appropriate education and
facilitate uptake of effective contraception among teen mothers wishing to prevent a repeat birth. The proposed
research has 3 aims: 1. Characterize the US repeat teenage mother population with regards to demographic
characteristics, reproductive health, and contraceptive use and compare this population to first time teen
mothers and older mothers (ages 20-25). 2. Identify individual factors that influence teens' desire to use long
acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) in high- and low-access states, Colorado and Texas. 3. Identify
knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and perceived accessibility regarding postpartum contraception, particularly
LARCs, among teens. This award will provide training and mentorship to Dr. Julie Maslowsky, a developmental
psychologist and population health scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, in demography, adolescent
reproductive health and sexual behavior, and qualitative research methods to complement her existing
expertise in adolescent development, population health, and quantitative methods. The training and research
experience will prepare Dr. Maslowsky to be an independent scientist producing a program of novel, high-
impact research on adolescent reproductive health. The results of the proposed research will yield novel
insights into the population composition of repeat teen mothers, their health profile, and their knowledge,
attitudes, and experiences regarding contraception. Such insights are a necessary first step to fill the current
gap in policy and practice around repeat births to teen mothers. Ultimately, this research will inform successful
provision of effective contraception to teen mothers who desire it in order to reduce the number of unintended
repeat teenage births and ultimately lead to healthier mothers and babies across the nation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9972953
- **Project number:** 5K01HD091416-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Julie M Maslowsky
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $131,092
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9972953

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9972953, Demography, health, and contraceptive use of repeat teenage mothers (5K01HD091416-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9972953. Licensed CC0.

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