Relationship Characteristics Predicting Unintended Pregnancies Reported in An Online Weekly Survey: Preliminary Results

Jennifer S. Barber, University of Michigan
Heather H. Gatny, University of Michigan
Jennifer Yarger, University of Michigan

This paper uses longitudinal data from a weekly mixed-mode (online or phone) survey spanning 2.5 years, or 130 weeks. We use these data to examine the types of relationships that produce unintended pregnancies among 1000 18-21 year old women. We draw from the literature predicting that serious relationships, as well as unstable relationships, lead to pregnancy. We examine dynamic, time-varying measures of seriousness and instability. Our results are preliminary at this time, but our analyses suggest that both seriousness and instability are important. We plan to conduct detailed analyses using a wide variety of measures of these concepts before the PAA conference.