Pregnancy Risk Among Sexual Minority Youth

Studies from the 1980s and 1990s suggested sexual minority youth are at increased risk for pregnancy. To provide more current data, investigators analyzed 2005, 2007, and 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System surveys administered to students in grades 9 through 12 in New York City. The analysis included only students who reported ever having vaginal intercourse (4892 females, 4811 males; approximately 10% non-Hispanic white, 40% non-Hispanic black, and 40% Hispanic).

Overall, 14% of females reported ever being pregnant and 11% of males reported getting someone pregnant. Of females, 11% described themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and 10% reported having both male and female partners. Of males, 4% described themselves as gay, bisexual, or unsure and 3% reported having male and female partners.

In analyses adjusted for gender of sexual partners, race/ethnicity, age, and survey year, lesbian and bisexual females were almost twice as likely as heterosexual females to report ever being pregnant. However, after further adjustment for two sexual risk behaviors — younger age at first intercourse and greater number of lifetime sexual partners (both more prevalent among lesbian and gay students) — the increased risk disappeared. Among males, those with both male and female partners were four times as likely as those with only female partners to have gotten someone pregnant. Being unsure of one's sexual identity also increased the risk, but the association was attenuated after adjustment for number of sexual partners and history of sexual abuse.