Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T07:25:04.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

First intercourse, contraception and first pregnancy in Flanders: changes during the past 30 years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

E. Lodewijckx
E. Lodewijckx
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics, University of Ghent, Belgium
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The investigation of women in Flanders born between 1931 and 1962 shows that premarital sexual intercourse has become almost general and that the age at the onset of sexual intercourse is steadily declining. Until the 1970s in spite of the improving contraceptive behaviour of youngsters, the number of women experiencing premarital pregnancy increased and first conceptions occurred at an increasingly younger age. The 1970s marked a turning-point: fewer women became pregnant before marriage or in adolescence. From that time, the contraceptive revolution kept pace with the sexual revolution.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , October 1987 , pp. 439 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alan Guttmacher Institute (1976) Eleven million Teenagers. What Can be Done About the Epidemic of Adolescent Pregnancies in the United States? Planned Parenthood Federation of America, New York.Google Scholar
Bachrach, C. A. (1984) Contraceptive practice among American women, 1973–1982. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 16, 253.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bogue, D. J. (Ed.) (1977) Adolescent Fertility. Community and Family Study Centre, University of Chicago.Google Scholar
Cannon, K. L. & Long, R. (1971) Premarital sexual behaviour in the sixties. J. Marr. Fam. 33, 36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Card, J. J. & Wise, L. L. (1978) Teenage mothers and teenage fathers: the impact of early childbearing on the parents' personal and professional lives. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 10, 199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christensen, H. T. & Gregg, C. F. (1970) Changing sex norms in America and Scandinavia. J. Marr. Fam. 32, 616.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cliquet, R. L. (1981) Geslachtsverkeer, voorbehoeding, zwangerschap en geboorte voor het huwelijk in Vlaanderen. Bevolking en Gezin, 3, 317.Google Scholar
Cliquet, R. L. (1983) Fertility Behaviour in Flanders. An Over View of Two Decades of Systematic Research Efforts. Werkdocument 7, CBGS, Brussels.Google Scholar
Cliquet, R. L. & Lodewijckx, E. (1986) The contraceptive transition in Flanders. Eur. J. Popul. 2, 71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Debusschere, R. (1985) De enquête Gezinsontwikkeling in Vlaanderen, 1982–1983. Werkdocument 16, CBGS, Brussels.Google Scholar
Farrell, C. (1980) Sexual attitudes and behaviour of young people. In: Changing Patterns of Sexual Behaviour. Edited by Armytage, W. H. G., Chester, R. & Peel, J.Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Geeraert, A. (1983) Relatievorming bij adolescenten in Vlaanderen. Report 61, CBGS, Brussels.Google Scholar
Jones, E. F., Forrest, J. D., Goldmann, N., Henshaw, S. K., Lincoln, R., Rosoff, J. I., Westoff, C. F. & Wuld, D. (1985) Teenage pregnancy in developed countries: determinants and policy implications. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 17, 53.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ketting, E. (1982) Contraception and fertility in the Netherlands. Int. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 8, 141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kisker, E. E. (1985) Teenagers talk about sex, pregnancy and contraception. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 17, 83.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koenig, M. A. & Zelnik, M. (1982) The risk of premarital first pregnancy among metropolitan-area teenagers: 1976 and 1979. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 14, 239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lodewijckx, E. & Cliquet, R. L. (1986) Een geactualiseerd profiel van de Belgische vrouw die abortushulpverlening heeft verkregen in Nederland. Bovolking en Gezin, 2, 63.Google Scholar
McCarthy, J. & Radish, E. S. (1982) Research note: education and childbearing among teenagers. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 14, 154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mckenry, P. C., Walters, L. H. & Johnson, C. (1979) Adolescent pregnancy. A review of the literature. Fam. Coordinator, 28, 17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Millman, S. R. & Hendershot, G. E. (1980) Early fertility and lifetime fertility. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 12, 139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Singh, B. K. (1980) Trends in attitudes towards premarital sexual relations. J Marr. Fam. 42, 387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trussell, J. & Menken, J. (1978) Early childbearing and subsequent fertility. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 10, 209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallis, C. (1985) Children having children. Time, 126, 28.Google Scholar
Westoff, C. F., Calot, G. & Foster, A. D. (1983) Teenage fertility in developed nations: 1971–1980. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 15, 105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zabin, L. S., Hirsch, M. B., Smith, E. A. & Hardy, J. B. (1984) Adolescent sexual attitudes and behavior: are they consistent? Fam. Plann. Perspect. 16, 181.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zelnik, M. & Kantner, J. F. (1974) The resolution of teenage first pregnancies. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 6, 74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zelnik, M. & Kantner, J. F. (1979) Reasons for non-use of contraception by sexually active women aged 15–19. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 11, 289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zelnik, M. & Kantner, J. F. (1980) Sexual activity, contraceptive use and pregnancy among metropolitan-area teenagers, 1971–1979. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 12, 230.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zelnik, M., Koenig, M. A. & Kim, J. J. (1984) Sources of prescription contraceptives and subsequent pregnancy among young women. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 16, 6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zelnik, M., Shah, F. K. (1983) First intercourse among young Americans. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 15, 64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed