A cross-sectional examination of birth rates among adolescent girls in foster care

Children and Youth Services Review, June 2013

Bryn King, Emily Putnam-Hornstein, Julie A. Cederbaum, Barbara Needell

Suggested Citation
King, B., Putnam-Hornstein, E., Cederbaumb, J. & Needell, B. (2013) A cross-sectional examination of birth rates among adolescent girls in foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 36, 179-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.11.007

Abstract
Although research has suggested that girls in foster care are at high risk of teen birth, limited data have been available from which rates could be calculated and characterized. Results indicated that although only a small number of 15- to 17-year-old girls in foster care gave birth each year, their birth rate was somewhat higher than the rate observed in the general population. Girls who were in foster care for less time or experienced greater placement instability had higher rates of birth. In terms of race and ethnicity, Black and Latina adolescents in foster care were more likely to give birth than their White counterparts. During the 5-year period, there were no detectable trends in the overall birth rate of girls in foster care, despite significant declines in the birth rates of 15–17 year olds in California overall.