Having Gang-affiliated Boyfriends Double Girls' Likelihood of Becoming Pregnant

Having a boyfriend in a gang doubles a teen girl's likelihood of becoming pregnant, according to a study published in the May 1, 2008, edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Researchers associated with RTI International, the University of California-San Francisco, and the University of North Carolina reached this conclusion after studying 237 sexually active females in the San Francisco area for two-year periods between 2001 and 2004. More than 27 percent of the girls who were observed became pregnant during the study, with those whose boyfriends were in gangs or previously incarcerated becoming pregnant at twice the rate of girls without gang-affiliated partners.

Whether the girls themselves were members of gangs had "no significant affect" on the pregnancy rate, the researchers reported.

According to an article published by United Press International, "researchers suggest there may be increased perceived social pressures for gang members to have a baby, or women with gang-involved partners may feel less power to negotiate condom use."

An abstract of the study that was posted on the AJE website notes that the heightened pregnancy rates indicate that girls with gang-affiliated or incarcerated boyfriends are also at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.