Severe depression and stress affect proper birth control measures among teenagers and this leads to unwanted pregnancies and further complications, a new study found.
Researchers from University of Michigan's Population Studies Center interviewed 689 teens aged between 18 and 19. They found young women with mental health issues like moderate to severe depression and stress symptoms are least bothered about using contraception or condoms every time they involve in sex.
The findings come at a time when the country is struggling to prevent teen pregnancy and depression. These are common and serious mental health problems faced by the young generation. An estimate from CDC shows young women aged between 15 and 19 giving birth to about 367,752 infants in 2010.
According to the agency, pregnancy is the sole reason behind young girls discontinuing their studies. Only 50 percent of teen mothers complete their high school education compared with 90 percent of women giving birth in adulthood.
One out of every eight teens in the U.S. suffer from depression, an outcome of chemical changes in the brain caused by stress or hormonal changes. Treating depression early is crucial as a delayed treatment worsens the situation and leads to self-destructive behaviors. According to lead researcher Kelli Stidham Hall, unemployment and other difficulties play a major role in teenage depression.
"Perhaps an unintended pregnancy for these women could make things even worse," Stidham Hall, told Today.
For the study, all the participants shared details about their mental health and the frequency of sex and use of contraception. Researchers found about 25 percent experiencing moderate to severe stress and another 25 percent having moderate to severe depression. Oral birth control or condoms were found to be the most popular forms of contraception among the participants. Women with depression (47 percent) were found involving more in unprotected sex than others.
Findings of the study were presented at a meeting of the America Public Health Association.
