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SA teen pregnancy rates hit all-time low

May 07, 2015
Teenage pregnancy rates have fallen to the lowest level ever in SA. File photo

Teenage pregnancy rates have fallen to the lowest level ever in SA. File photo

South Australian teenage pregnancy rates have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded.

SA Health statistics released today show that teenage pregnancy and abortion rates have fallen by more than 30 per cent over the past decade.

The Pregnancy Outcomes in South Australia 2012 report shows that, since 2002, the number of teenage pregnancies has fallen from 43.9 per 1000 women to 29.1.

The rate of teenage abortions has fallen from 24.8 per 1000 women in 2002 to 13.7 in 2012.

There were a total of 4765 abortions in SA in 2012 – 245 fewer than in 2011.

This compares to 5467 a decade previously, with the rate of abortions dropping from 17.5 per 1000 women in 2002 to 14.7 in 2012.

Chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips attributed the fall in teenage pregnancy to better education and contraception.

“This reduction has been attributed to targeted sex education programs in schools, along with increased use of long-acting contraceptive devices, such as the Implanon,” Phillips said.

“Teenagers now account for just 3.9 per cent of all women who gave birth, which is the lowest rate ever recorded in South Australia.

“In fact the age of mothers continues to increase every year, with the average age of women giving birth now at 29.8 years, compared to 26.1 years in 1981.”

The statistics show that there were 20,666 births in South Australia in 2012, an increase of 322 over the previous year.

The fertility rate – 1.91 live births per woman – was the equal highest rate in the past decade.

The number of multiple births increased slightly, from 3.2 per cent of all births, compared to 2.9 per cent in 2011.

The number of women who smoke while pregnant has plummeted over time, falling from 25 per cent in 1998 to 12 per cent in 2012.

The stillbirth rate in South Australia was 6.7 per 1000 births – lower than the Australian rate of 7.2.

South Australia’s infant mortality rate – 2.8 per 1000 live births – was the lowest recorded in SA, and below the Australian rate of 3.3.

 

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