Farakhutdinov Sh., Mehrishvili L. (2026) Podrostkovaya beremennost': politika podderzhki i protivorechiya obshchestvennogo mneniya [Teenage Pregnancy: The Politics of Support and Contradictions of Public Opinion]. Zhurnal issledovanii sotsial’noi politiki [The Journal of Social Policy Studies], 24 (1): 87–104. DOI: 10.17323 ...

Òåêñò ñòàòüè íà ñàéòå æóðíàëà URL: https://jsps.hse.ru/article/view/34000/26630 (äàòà îáðàùåíèÿ 18.05.2026)

Abstract

This article examines public opinion on adolescent pregnancy and state support measures for pregnant minors within the contemporary Russian context. The study’s relevance stems from the contradiction between the sustained decline in adolescent pregnancy rates and the growing public and political focus on demographic policy initiatives that aim to expand support for early motherhood. Rather than focusing on adolescent pregnancy as a social phenomenon in itself, the study centres on public perceptions of the government’s attempts to redefine its status through social policy instruments. The empirical basis of the research is provided by data from a nationwide survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM). The analysis addresses attitudes towards the acceptability of childbearing under the age of eighteen, levels of awareness of one-off financial payments to pregnant schoolgirls and public opinion on this support measure. Particular attention is paid to socio-demographic differences in respondents’ answers according to gender, age, level of education and type of settlement. The analysis is descriptive and comparative in nature, aiming to identify normative and value-based divisions in public opinion. The findings demonstrate that, although negative attitudes towards adolescent pregnancy predominate, public evaluations of support measures for pregnant minors are markedly more heterogeneous and polarised. These differences are interpreted in terms of unequal life trajectories, disparities in access to resources and differing perceptions of the legitimate boundaries of state intervention in the private sphere. The study shows that support for, or rejection of, these initiatives is shaped not only by value orientations, but also by respondents’ social position, educational background and geographical location. Overall, the results highlight the importance of public opinion in legitimising social and demographic policy. The article concludes that the effectiveness of measures aimed at supporting fertility depends largely on their alignment with prevailing social attitudes and expectations. Disregarding value differences, however, may exacerbate social tensions and undermine trust in state institutions. This article examines public opinion on adolescent pregnancy and statesupport measures for pregnant minors within the contemporary Russiancontext. The study’s relevance stems from the contradiction between thesustained decline in adolescent pregnancy rates and the growing public andpolitical focus on demographic policy initiatives that aim to expand supportfor early motherhood. Rather than focusing on adolescent pregnancy asa social phenomenon in itself, the study centres on public perceptions of thegovernment’s attempts to redefine its status through social policy instruments.The empirical basis of the research is provided by data from a nationwidesurvey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).The analysis addresses attitudes towards the acceptability of childbearingunder the age of eighteen, levels of awareness of one-off financial paymentsto pregnant schoolgirls and public opinion on this support measure. Particularattention is paid to socio-demographicdifferences in respondents’ answersaccording to gender, age, level of education and type of settlement. Theanalysis is descriptive and comparative in nature, aiming to identify normativeand value-baseddivisions in public opinion. The findings demonstratethat, although negative attitudes towards adolescent pregnancy predominate,public evaluations of support measures for pregnant minors are markedlymore heterogeneous and polarised. These differences are interpreted in termsof unequal life trajectories, disparities in access to resources and differingperceptions of the legitimate boundaries of state intervention in the privatesphere. The study shows that support for, or rejection of, these initiatives isshaped not only by value orientations, but also by respondents’ social position,educational background and geographical location. Overall, the resultshighlight the importance of public opinion in legitimising social and demographicpolicy. The article concludes that the effectiveness of measures aimedat supporting fertility depends largely on their alignment with prevailingsocial attitudes and expectations. Disregarding value differences, however,may exacerbate social tensions and undermine trust in state institutions.