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Teenage pregnancies, 1974 to 1994
1Health Statistics Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa.
Health Reports
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Teenage pregnancies in Canada increased from 1987 to 1994. More of these pregnancies ended in abortion, reflecting changing reproductive health trends among adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Demographic Trends
- Public Health Statistics
Background:
- Adolescent pregnancy is a significant public health concern with long-term implications.
- Understanding historical trends in teenage pregnancy is crucial for effective health policy and interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in pregnancies among women aged 15 to 19 in Canada from 1974 to 1994.
- To examine changes in pregnancy outcomes, including live births, abortions, and stillbirths/miscarriages.
Main Methods:
- Utilized vital statistics, abortion data, and hospital morbidity files from Statistics Canada.
- Calculated rates of pregnancy, live birth, abortion, and stillbirth/miscarriage based on the female population aged 15 to 19.
Main Results:
- Estimated 46,800 teenage pregnancies in 1994, continuing a rise from 39,300 in 1987.
- Observed an increasing proportion of teenage pregnancies ending in abortion over the study period.
- Data indicates shifts in reproductive behaviors and outcomes among Canadian adolescents.
Conclusions:
- Teenage pregnancy rates showed an upward trend in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- The rise in abortions among teenage pregnancies suggests evolving reproductive choices and access to services.
- These demographic shifts necessitate ongoing monitoring and targeted public health strategies for adolescent reproductive health.