Teenage pregnancy rates have fallen by almost 70% in Caerphilly County Borough, according to latest official figures.
The rate of teenage pregnancy fell by 67% in the borough over 15 years, leading to claims sex education is improving in schools, with sexual health awareness and better access to contraceptives allowing for healthier life choices among young women.
In 2013, the pregnancy rate for under-18s was 22.6 per 1,000 women compared to 70.3 per 1,000 in 1998.
There are now proportionally less teenage pregnancies in Caerphilly than in Wales and England and the rate has fallen consecutively since 2008, according to Office of National Statistics figures.
Plaid Cymru’s parliamentary candidate for Caerphilly, Beci Newton, said the figures show the hard work being done to “educate young people about safe sex and contraception methods that work for them”.
She said: “There have been leaps forward in the contraception available to young women, which they can access without needing a parent present.
“This is a great reflection of how Caerphilly’s young people are engaging in services and disproves the myth that young people here use pregnancy to get housing or benefits.”
Caerphilly MP Wayne David said: “Over the past few years we have seen an increase in sex and relationship education in our schools.
“We have also seen initiatives like the Aneurin Bevan Health Board C-card campaign, which has provided advice and free condoms to young people.”
The Welsh Government use teenage pregnancy figures to monitor progress in sexual health and to indicate health and inequality.
Its Sexual Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for Wales, 2011-2015 states: “It is important to note that for some young people, becoming a parent is a positive experience that can provide the impetus to do well and provide a good life for their children. However, teenage pregnancy is more often associated with poor health and social outcomes for both the mother and the child.
“Young mothers are more likely to suffer postnatal depression and less likely to complete their education.
“Children born to teenage parents are less likely to be breastfed, more likely to live in poverty and become a teenage parent.”
It cited factors that can lead to teenage pregnancy and vowed to lower rates.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We welcome these figures which show a significant reduction in teenage pregnancies in Caerphilly.
“This reflects our integrated approach, which promotes sexual health and healthy choices for women and girls, including relationships and sex education, safer sex and contraceptive services.”
This is, of course, good news as women’s optimum child bearing age is mid twenties. Whether the figure is a “record” is dubious, I would have thought teenage pregnancy rates have increased over recent decades and were much lower in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The figures are deceptive. In the 70’s women were seen as vehicles for bringing children. It was their responsibility to stay at home and raise children. Marriage was also more common among younger people.
Today we have a reversal where women encouraged to avoid marriage and undertake a career. While this is not wrong it does take up the average age of finding your own house, settling down, starting a family etc…
The number of young, single mums, with no income and nothing to support themselves with has sky rocketed. Even using the figures in this article, 22.6% per 1000 is sky high.
This is, of course, good news as women’s optimum child bearing age is mid twenties. Whether the figure is a “record” is dubious, I would have thought teenage pregnancy rates have increased over recent decades and were much lower in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The figures are deceptive. In the 70’s women were seen as vehicles for bringing children. It was their responsibility to stay at home and raise children. Marriage was also more common among younger people.
Today we have a reversal where women encouraged to avoid marriage and undertake a career. While this is not wrong it does take up the average age of finding your own house, settling down, starting a family etc…
The number of young, single mums, with no income and nothing to support themselves with has sky rocketed. Even using the figures in this article, 22.6% per 1000 is sky high.