One of the many commonly held myths surrounding teenage mothers is that there has been a large growth in births to teenagers in recent years.

Teenage Pregnancy Rates ^[1]

Pregnancy Rate for 13-15 year olds

The pregnancy rate for younger women peaked in 1996-7 at 9.8 per 1,000 and has since declined to 7.5 per 1,000 in 2003-04

Pregnancy Rate for 16-19 year olds

The pregnancy rate for this age group peaked in 10991-92 at 77.4 per 1,000 and has now declined to 68.2 per 1,000 in 2003-04.

Numbers & Rates of Teenage Pregnancies in Scotland by age of mother at conception (rate is per 1,000 population)

	1998-99	99-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
13-15 year olds
Number	841	715	784	692	703	706
Rate	9.0	7.6	8.2	7.3	7.5	7.5
16-19 year olds
Number	9,191	9,162	8,925	8,787	8,521	8,616
Rate	72.6	72.3	71.4	70.6	68.3	68.2
13-19 year olds
Number	10,032	9,877	9,709	9,479	9,224	9,322
Rate	45.7	44.7	44	43.1	42.1	42.4

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Geographical Distribution of teenage pregnancy ^[2]

Rates of preganancy

13-15 year olds: In 2003-04 Tayside, Dumfries and Galloway and Fife NHS Boards had the highest rates (10.3,9.3 and 9 per 1,000 respectively) and Borders had the lowest (3.6 per 1,000).

16-19 year olds: In 2003-04 Tayside, Fife and Highland had the highest rates (78.6,76.3 and 75.9 per 1,000 respectively) and Forth Valley had the lowest rate (62.2 per 1,000)

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Delivery Rate and Abortions ^[1]

13-15 year olds: Between 1991-92 and 2003-04 the delivery rate was 3.1 per 1,000 and the abortion and miscarriage rate was 4.4 per 1,000.

16-19 year olds:The abortion rate remained stable at 26-29 per 1,000 and the delivery rate in 2003-04 was the lowest recorded at 39.4 per 1,000.

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Sources

1. Teenage Preganancy 1991/2 to 2003/04 , ISD Scotland, 15 December 2005
   www.isdscotland.org
    
2. Scottish Executive contribution to the 2007 UK Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Scottish Executive, 19 December 2006
   www.scottishexecutive.gov.uk