Adolescent parenthood associated with adverse socio-economic outcomes at age 30 years in women and men of the Pelotas, Brazil: 1982 Birth Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate the potential long-term effects of adolescent parenthood on completed education and income.

Design

Population-based birth cohort study.

Setting

All live births in 1982, whose mothers lived in the urban area of Pelotas, southern Brazil.

Sample

A total of 3701 participants: 1914 women and 1787 men at age 30 years.

Methods

Questionnaires were completed by the mothers in the early phases of this study, and by the cohort members in adolescence and adulthood. Linear regression models and G-computation were used in the analyses.

Main outcome measures

Educational attainment and income at age 30 years.

Results

In women, adolescent parenthood was associated with lower attained education compared with women without adolescent maternity: by -2.8 years [95% confidence interval (CI) -3.2 to -2.3] if their first birth was at age 16-19, and by -4.4 years (-5.5 to -3.3) at age 11-15. These effects were greater among women who had three or more children. Women with adolescent parenthood also had 49 or 33% lower income at age 30 if their first child was born when aged 16-19 or 11-15, respectively. In men, the adverse effect of adolescent parenthood on education appeared to be mediated by a higher number of children and there was no effect of adolescent paternity on income at age 30 years.

Conclusion

These findings suggest lasting socio-economic disadvantages of adolescent parenthood, with larger effects being apparent in women than in men.

Tweetable abstract

Adolescent parenthood has an adverse effect on educational attainment later in life, and on household income among women.

SUBMITTER: Gigante DP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6774777 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature