Research informs policies and practices related to risk factors among youth in foster care

The Youth Policy Institute of Iowa, in collaboration with Iowa State University, has published an analysis of Pregnancy and Parenting among Iowa Youth Transitioning from Foster Care. This important data sheds light on two issues – Child Abuse Prevention and Pregnancy Prevention – and highlights more data about Iowa’s most at-risk population.

The study highlights the following data from youth engaged in the foster care 2019 ISU Youth Policy Report system :

• Many youth start their sexual experiences at early ages (< age 14) and had multiple partners and pregnancies.
• Only 22% report always using birth control, and 27% report never using birth control.
• While the majority of females reported receiving early and consistent prenatal care, few females or males participated in birthing or parenting classes.
• Mean age for first pregnancy is 17.9 years old, and by age 21, more than 50% of young women had at least one child.