Parental involvement and young women's contraceptive use

Young adult women in the United States tend to delay family formation, pursue higher education and professional jobs, and become sexually active before marriage. Using effective contraception is the best way to ensure that nonmarital parenthood does not disrupt educational and career plans. Because parental involvement in education shapes teenagers' attitudes about school and work by encouraging achievement and by providing a home environment that values education, this study assesses whether it may also influence contraceptive choices during early adulthood. Analysis of data from 3,828 young women who participated in the National Education Longitudinal Study indicates that parental involvement not only increases the odds that young adult women use contraception, but it is also tied to the likelihood of using specific birth control methods.