Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 September 2011
During the last 10 years an increasing number of pregnancies have been noted in adolescents. The children of these pregnancies are often at risk. The problem was discussed in a meeting on Pregnancy and Abortion in Adolescence in 1974, held at WHO headquarters, Geneva. An annotated bibliography was prepared for that meeting, from which this review originated. The literature covered a wide range of subjects, but an attempt has been made in this review to discuss the problem in six main sections: social aspects; sexual attitudes and behaviour; sex education and information; contraceptive services for adolescents; medical and clinical aspects and legislation. Quite a number of teenagers are sexually active even in their early teens but often keep to one partner. Their use of contraception is poor, partly because of a lack of education and information. Young people are demanding better information and services, which would probably best be provided through special teenage clinics. So far, there have been very few investigative studies dealing exclusively with adolescent use of different contraceptive methods. Methods of contraception available at present are often unsuitable for use by adolescents, and further research on the problem is needed.