Teen Mums

 Scotland’s teenage pregnancy rate has reached a record low, dropping 60 per cent since 2007, figures reveal.

The number of women under 20 who became pregnant fell for the 12th year in a row to 3,814 in 2019, down from 9,362 in the recent peak of 2007.

Public Health Scotland said: “The teenage pregnancy rate in Scotland is at its lowest level since reporting began in 1994. 

 NHS Fife had the highest rate at 35 per 1,000 women.

While teenage pregnancy rates have fallen across all levels of deprivation over the last decade, “rates in the most deprived areas have fallen more rapidly”. But, despite this, the teen pregnancy rate was still more than four times higher in the most deprived parts of the country than it was in the least deprived, at 52.6 per 1,000 compared to 11.8 per 1,000.

For the first time, more than half of teenagers who conceived in 2019 opted not to continue with the pregnancy, as 50.3 per cent went for a termination.

Public Health Scotland noted: “Teenage women from the most deprived areas are more likely to deliver than to terminate their pregnancy. In contrast, those from the least deprived areas are more likely to terminate than to deliver.”