Greater sexual education for teens needed in the spring months

A recent study has found that adolescents are more likely to conceive children in March than adults are. These findings, whether they can be attributed to a hormone variation or simply spring break, suggest that greater care should be taken during the spring months to encourage teens to take proper precaution if they are sexually active.

If teens are getting pregnant, then that means they are probably not using condoms, raising their chances of developing a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Researchers examined teen pregnancies that occurred in one area over a five-year period. They found that a high number were conceived during the month of March, and although there were also adults conceiving during this time, the rates were much higher for teens.

"If spring break is the reason behind this upswing in adolescent pregnancies then perhaps just before the vacation would be a good time for a proactive burst of family planning information and access, so teenagers head off for the holiday with contraception awareness and positive sexual health strategies fresh in their minds," said researcher Mary Anne Jamieson, M.D, associate Professor in Queen's Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, a practicing obstetrician at Kingston General Hospital.