New ten year low in births to teenagers
The HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) today commented on the latest birth statistics released by the CSO, which show that the number of births to teenagers decreased from 2,223 in 2009 to 2,019 in 2010. This represents a new ten year low in the rate of births to teenagers.
Since the establishment of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency in 2001, the number of births to teenagers has declined from 3,087 to 2,019 in 2010. The birth rate for females aged under 20 years, had declined substantially from 20 births (per 1,000 females 15 – 19 years) in 2010 to 15 births (per 1,000 females 15 – 19 years) in the last ten years.
No. of births to teenagers (women under 20)
2001: 3,087
2002: 2,948
2003: 2,828
2004: 2,493
2005: 2,406
2006: 2,335
2007: 2,464
2008: 2,426
2009: 2,223
2010: 2,019
No. of births to teenagers (women under 20)
2001: 3,087
2010: 2, 019
% Decrease -35%
Speaking about the figures, Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, Acting Director of the Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme said: “The rate of births to teenagers has decreased yet again in 2010. This sustained decrease in the level of teenage births is a very welcome trend and is impressive compared to international standards.
The Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme has implemented a wide range of relationships and sexuality education initiatives, while also providing support and assistance to young parents”
Dr O’Keeffe added “To sustain these decreases we must ensure that parents, in particular, communicate with their children about relationships and sex. Good communication between children and parents has been linked with better levels of contraceptive use at first sexual intercourse and a lower likelihood that the young person will have sex before 17 years (the legal age of consent). We need to redouble our efforts to ensure young people receive sex education in the home, in addition to school and other community based settings”
We strive to improve knowledge about relationships and sexuality among adolescents through home, school and community based education. In particular the Programme developed a new education initiative in 2009, B4udecide.ie that aims to encourage young people (aged 14 to 16) to make healthy, responsible decisions about relationships and sexual health. In 2010, over 80,000 people visited the b4udecide.ie website. We are currently developing lesson plans for post-primary school teachers and youth workers to accompany this initiative will be for the coming school year.
The Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme has worked with a number of experts to create resources for parents to help them talk to their children about relationships and sex. More information is available at http://www.crisispregnancy.ie/parentresource.html
