Concern sees call for action as more Scots under-14s get pregnant

Published on Tuesday 29 June 2010 17:58

SCOTLAND has seen a rise in the number of girls aged 14 and under who become pregnant, prompting calls for more action to tackle the problem.

The number of pregnant 14-year-olds rose from 159 in 2007 to 165 in 2008, while the number of girls under the age of 14 to become pregnant increased from 21 to 26.

When the figures for under 16s were taken as a whole, 713 Scottish girls under the age of consent became pregnant in 2008.

The total for under 16s was down from the 751 recorded in 2007, but higher than the 659 total that was reported in 2003.

The fall from 2007 to 2008 could be explained by a decrease in the number of 15-year-olds, who became pregnant. In 2007, there were 571 pregnant 15-year-olds compared with the 2008 figure of 522.

The rise in younger girls becoming pregnant led to Richard Simpson, a former GP and Lab-our's public health spokesman, calling for the Scottish Government to look at the problem.

"I am very concerned by the rising trend in the number of very young girls who are becoming pregnant," he said. "We need to see the Scottish Government taking action to address this.

"This can't just be about sex education: the overwhelming majority of teenage girls who become pregnant are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our education system needs to do much more to raise their aspirations and encourage them to believe that they can achieve more from life than motherhood at such a young age."

Of the under-16s, who became pregnant, 420 had an abortion and 293 had a baby. For under-20s, more chose to give birth, with 5,318 babies delivered compared with 3,572 abortions.

The highest rate of under-16s pregnancy was in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, with an average 10.8 per 1,000.

NHS Tayside had the highest rate of pregnancies in under-18s and under-20s, at 51.8 per 1,000 and 65 per 1,000 respectively.

Meanwhile, Borders health board area had the lowest rate of pregnancies for all three age groups: 4.9 per 1,000 for under-16s, 30 per 1,000 for under-18s and 44.6 per 1,000 for under-20s.

The figures also showed higher pregnancy rates in deprived areas (3,352) compared with the most affluent areas (769). In the wealthier areas, most teenage girls who became pregnant had an abortion. A total of 535 pregnancies were terminated compared with 234 births.

But in the poorest areas most pregnant teenagers chose to have a baby, with 2,333 deliveries compared with 1,109 abortions.

The overall reduction in under 16s becoming pregnant was welcomed by Shona Robison, the public health minister.

"I am pleased to see a reduction in the teenage pregnancy rate, including in the under-16s.

POOR AND SAD

Motherhood may be promoted as one of the most fulfilling roles a woman can achieve but it is less likely to make poorer women happy.

Those with an income of 10,000 or less are more than twice as likely to say that "having children isn't all it's cracked up to be" than mothers earning 51,000-60,000.

According to a poll by parenting website Netmums the levels of happiness a woman enjoys from having a child is directly linked to her household income.

Just over four in ten mothers with an income of less than 10,000 said they feel happier since becoming a parent, compared with nearly six in ten of the wealthiest mums questioned. This, combined with the recent decrease in the abortion rate, is encouraging," Ms Robison said.

Ms Robison said reducing unintended pregnancies in under-16s was a key aim of the government's Respect and Responsibility strategy, which "promotes the values of mature loving relationships, founded on self-respect and respect for others".

She added: "Education has a key role to play in reducing unintended pregnancies. With the full introduction of Curriculum for Excellence from August 2010, children and young people will learn, as part of a broad health and wellbeing curriculum strand, about relationships, sexual health and parenthood."