Ds. Kalmuss et Pb. Namerow, SUBSEQUENT CHILDBEARING AMONG TEENAGE MOTHERS - THE DETERMINANTS OF ACLOSELY SPACED 2ND BIRTH, Family planning perspectives, 26(4), 1994, pp. 149
Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth reveal that approx
imately one-quarter of teenage mothers have a second child within 24 m
onths of their first birth. The prevalence of closely spaced second bi
rths is greatest (31%) among young women whose first birth occurred pr
ior to age 17. Teenage mothers' characteristics before the first birth
(such as race or ethnicity and parents' level of education) and at th
e time of the first birth (such as years of schooling completed and wh
ether their first birth was wanted) influence whether they have a rapi
d second birth. For example, those with more educated parents are less
likely than others to have had a closely spaced second birth. In addi
tion, young mothers who obtain additional schooling in the period afte
r their first birth are less likely to have a closely spaced second bi
rth, while those who marry are more likely to have a rapid second birt
h.