In England, the declining rates of teenage pregnancies are linked to local areas experiencing less youth unemployment, growing Black or South Asian teenage populations, more educational attainment, unaffordable housing, and a lack of available social housing, found a new study.
.
Inner London had much higher initial conception rates but has seen a faster decline. Areas with more youth unemployment still have higher rates of teenage conception than less deprived regions.
Child Neglect may Lead to Teen Pregnancy and Delinquency
Children who experience neglect and emotional abuse are worse off than sexually or physically abused children.
Advertisement
‘All English regions have seen a decline in under-18 conception rates, but there are significant geographical differences in the levels and rates of decline. Northern regions have higher conception rates than southern regions.’
Tweet it Now
The study was led by Southampton PhD student Katie Heap with Professor Ann Berrington from the ESRC Centre for Population Change and Roger Ingham, Professor of Health and Community Psychology at the University of Southampton. They used England's Local Authority Districts to explore possible geographical reasons for declining teenage conception rates between 1998 and 2017.
Birth rates among under-18s fell by around a quarter between 1998 and 2008 but then halved in the following eight years. This decline was mostly driven by reduced conception rates and, to a lesser extent, higher proportions of conceptions ending in abortion.
![Baby Robot Scheme to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Had a Reverse Effect]( "Baby Robot Scheme to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Had a Reverse Effect")
Teen girls who were given a baby robot to look after were more likely to become pregnant early in life than those who had simple sex education.
Both education and employment for young people changed dramatically during the period studied. There were rising numbers of teenagers entering higher education, as well as the 2008 economic recession. There has also been growing second- and third-generation teenage ethnic minority populations.
Areas with greater proportions of South Asian pupils had lower conception rates throughout 1998-2017. This may be due to later sexual experiences, or that they may have more reasons to avoid pregnancy, being more likely to aspire to higher education.
Indeed, young people from ethnic minority groups are now more likely to attend university than in the past. Added to this, in 2003 both Black African and Caribbean teenagers had lower GCSE attainment than their White British counterparts, but by 2013 had closed this gap.
Housing became less affordable throughout the 2000/2010s. At the same time, the age of leaving education rose and other transitions into adulthood happened later. The study found that there were lower conception rates in areas with less affordable housing or a lack of social housing, and increasingly unaffordable housing was associated with a larger fall in teenage pregnancies.
Katie Heap said, "This study found that some of the changes in teenage pregnancy rates at the local level are explained by the characteristics of teenagers living in the area and the wider society changing, so policy-makers need to keep in mind the contextual changes of their area and areas they aim to emulate alongside behavioural changes.
"Overall, the key concern is to improve outcomes for teenagers and children, especially the most vulnerable, and reduce long-term demand on services. It will therefore be vital for policy-makers to consider these geographical and population-level changes, helping local areas to continually adapt their approach to maintaining and reducing under-18 conception rates."
Source: Eurekalert
Baby Robot Scheme to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Had a Reverse Effect
Teen girls who were given a baby robot to look after were more likely to become pregnant early in life than those who had simple sex education.
Advertisement
Both education and employment for young people changed dramatically during the period studied. There were rising numbers of teenagers entering higher education, as well as the 2008 economic recession. There has also been growing second- and third-generation teenage ethnic minority populations.
Areas with greater proportions of South Asian pupils had lower conception rates throughout 1998-2017. This may be due to later sexual experiences, or that they may have more reasons to avoid pregnancy, being more likely to aspire to higher education.
Indeed, young people from ethnic minority groups are now more likely to attend university than in the past. Added to this, in 2003 both Black African and Caribbean teenagers had lower GCSE attainment than their White British counterparts, but by 2013 had closed this gap.
Housing became less affordable throughout the 2000/2010s. At the same time, the age of leaving education rose and other transitions into adulthood happened later. The study found that there were lower conception rates in areas with less affordable housing or a lack of social housing, and increasingly unaffordable housing was associated with a larger fall in teenage pregnancies.
Katie Heap said, "This study found that some of the changes in teenage pregnancy rates at the local level are explained by the characteristics of teenagers living in the area and the wider society changing, so policy-makers need to keep in mind the contextual changes of their area and areas they aim to emulate alongside behavioural changes.
"Overall, the key concern is to improve outcomes for teenagers and children, especially the most vulnerable, and reduce long-term demand on services. It will therefore be vital for policy-makers to consider these geographical and population-level changes, helping local areas to continually adapt their approach to maintaining and reducing under-18 conception rates."
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on Multiple Pregnancy
Twins? Triplets? So, you now know you are having a multiple pregnancy. How do you prepare for a multiple birth? What risks are involved? Take this quiz to find out.
Advertisement
 Learn About Pregnancy - AnimationPregnancy Labor is caused by series of progressive expulsive contractions by the uterus and results in delivery of the baby from the mothers womb to the outside world. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Latest Women Health News
The Army Hospital (R and R) Delhi Cantt hosted 'Mahawari Mein Swachchta,' a menstrual health awareness program.
Cannabis is marketed to women for managing menopause symptoms, and this shows midlife women are using it for menopause and related issues.
A higher risk of preterm birth was found to be associated with inadequate sleep and lower physical activity during pregnancy.
During the 7 pill-free days in contraception, women experience anxiety and mental issues similar to menstrual mood swings.
In the new study, it remains uncertain if the increased expression of the IGF1 gene in PCOS plays a role in elevating the risk of endometrial cancer.
