In 2012 only 18 girls under 15 years old gave birth. There is a strong downward trend.
| 1996 | 27 |
| 1997 | 48 |
| 1998 | 34 |
| 1999 | 30 |
| 2000 | 31 |
| 2001 | 28 |
| 2002 | 29 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2004 | 36 |
| 2005 | 37 |
| 2006 | 35 |
| 2007 | 52 |
| 2008 | 39 |
| 2009 | 29 |
| 2010 | 26 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 18 |
Neither is this downward trend caused by increased abortions. They are also falling rapidly, more than 50 percent since 2006:
| 1996 | 60 | ||
| 1997 | 56 | ||
| 1998 | 65 | ||
| 1999 | 56 | ||
| 2000 | 74 | ||
| 2001 | 66 | ||
| 2002 | 78 | ||
| 2003 | 89 | ||
| 2004 | 85 | ||
| 2005 | 92 | ||
| 2006 | 105 | ||
| 2007 | 104 | ||
| 2008 | 83 | ||
| 2009 | 79 | ||
| 2010 | 84 | ||
| 2011 | 68 | ||
| 2012 | 51 | ||
These patterns are also reflected in the 15-19 year-old population.
These stats do not prove that teenagers are having less sex. Or that they waiting till they are older to start having sex. But they do show that teenagers are behaving more responsibly in the area of birth control and pregnancy prevention.
10 comments:
Let's have a chart on rates of STI's just to keep the balance
Why don't you try and construct one from the abundance of data available here:
https://surv.esr.cri.nz/PDF_surveillance/STISurvRpt/2011/2011AnnualSTIRpt.pdf
I think the decline is probably due to long term contraceptive implants being given to young girls.
So what's your theory, Lindsay?
Do you endorse the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s Condom Card initiative?
Reed, if your theory is correct, the pregnancy rates and the STD rates ought to have diverged. Have they?
"Do you endorse the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s Condom Card initiative?"
For some kids, yes. It's a depressing reality. If they can't be discouraged from early sex then preventing pregnancy is vital.
I've stated my position. ("I don’t support the Hawke’s Bay DHB’s initiative.") But I'm not married to it!
Some libertarians need to pull their heads out of the clouds and face the depressing realities.
Hi Lindsay
For completeness could you also post the conviction rate for men having sex with underage girls.
We hear so little about the dozens of convictions the birth rate tounder 15 year olds must be generating, and I wonder if the rate of successful prosecution is going up or not.
Thanks
Mary
Mary, That would probably require an OIA request to the Police/Justice Ministry. The convictions you are interested in would be categorised under sexual offences. My experience when OIAing Police isn't one that augurs a productive result. You'll probably find that attempted sex is lumped in with actual sex. But also, some (possibly a small majority) of the fathers will be minors themselves which would determine the nature and outcome of any prosecution.
Richard
I hate statistics. I read through the STI statistics - as far as I can tell no conclusions can be drawn about anything.
In spite of any statistics I think there is a correlation between contraceptive implants and reduction of pregnancies. My wife (who is a midwife) tells me there has been a significant increase of contraceptive implants being given in the last few years in Rotorua. Presumably the implants are given to reduce unwanted pregnancies of which teen pregnancies would be a significant proportion.
Hi Lindsay
Thanks for your comments. I may be unduly cynical, but the revelations of the last week suggests that there are NO prosecutions for underage sex. The Police just turn a blind eye - as does the rest of society.
Mary
Post a Comment