Plummeting Teen Pregnancy Rate

We must be doing something right.

Teen pregnancy rates have fallen more steeply in Canada over the last decade than in the United States, England or Sweden, a new study shows.

Between 1996 and 2006, the most recent year for which information is available for all four countries, Canada's teen pregnancy rate declined in each consecutive year, falling from 44.2 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 in 1996 to to 27.9 in 2006. That represents a 36.9% decline over the course of a decade, compared to a 25% decline in the U.S., a 4.75% dip in England (where statistics include Wales) and a 19.1% increase in Sweden.

"What's striking is that the magnitude of decline appears to be more significant in Canada," says Alex McKay, lead author of the study and research co-ordinator with the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN), which released the study Wednesday morning. "Declining teen pregnancy rates for the country in general are indicative of better sexual and reproductive health among young women."

In 2006, Canada's teen pregnancy rate was lower than any of the other three countries, he says, and Canada has seen a decline both in babies born to teenage mothers and pregnant teens seeking abortions.

The Canadian teen birthrate fell 38% over a decade and the teen abortion rate declined by 35.7%, compared to a 21.7% decrease in the teen birthrate in the U.S. and a 28.6% drop in the teen abortion rate. In England, by comparison, teen birthrates fell 13.2% and the abortion rate increased by 9.1%, while Sweden's teen birthrate dropped 22.1% and abortions rose by 30%.

Canadians teens are availing themselves of our sensible attitude towards abortion.

Over the last decade, just over half of Canadian teen pregnancies ended in abortion, with births accounting for 45 to 50% of teen pregnancies in any given year. In the U.S. over the same time period, births accounted for 65 to 70% of teen pregnancies, while in England, that figure hovered between 58 and 64%.

And using effective contraception.

"By and large, the Canadian teenager today is not more or less likely to be sexually active than the Canadian teenager from a decade ago," Dr. McKay says. "But what is different is that the sexually active teenager today is more likely to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections."

Pregnant for Charity

An article on Globe's Facts and Arguments page, My teenage daughter's pregnancy, has generated some heat in the 146 comments it has generated.

Bare bones of story: Dad learns that 19-year-old Daughter is pregnant. Dad hasn't spoken with Daughter about it but gets his chance when he's called to pick Daughter up. He figures he's got 10 minutes.

I waited until we were on the highway and travelling too fast for her to safely jump out before broaching the subject. "I know you are pregnant," I said, and she let out a long sigh. "I want you to know that I will support whatever decision you make. I just want to make sure that you know you have a choice."

I thought it was a pretty good opening salvo. It let her know that I'm liberal, open-minded and, above all, pro-keeping all the options open.

"Well I'm not going to keep it," she said, defensively.

"That's good," I said. "I wouldn't want you to have a baby right now. But there are other options."

She gave me a guarded, quizzical look and I knew my window of opportunity was closing. In about seven minutes we'd be hitting the driveway and our conversation would be over. I plowed ahead, telling her about how I had been faced with the same situation at her age, only — being the male in the equation — with a lot less decision-making power. My girlfriend and I had discussed our fragile relationship and material poverty, and decided to put the child up for adoption.

"It would be a huge sacrifice on your part," I said, "but it would be nothing compared to the joy you would bring to the lives of a couple unable to have a child of their own."

So, Daughter has some objections that Dad satisfies. Daughter wonders how she would find parents for the child. Dad tells her of several couples he knows desperate for a child, including a couple that Daughter knows well.

I pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. "Yeah. They're dying to have a child."

"Wow," she said, jumping out of the car. She grabbed her bag out of the back seat and flashed me a grin before disappearing into the house. I followed a few seconds later and found her in the kitchen chatting with my wife, her face now as radiant as I'd seen in a long time. "Okay," she said. "I'll do it. I'll give my baby to our friends."

Presto! In a few moments, Daughter has decided to carry on with pregnancy as a gift. But, alas, there is a 'spontaneous' miscarriage a little while later, so we don't get to find out how this went. Also, that childless couple who was going to get the gift are -- happy-happy -- preggers!

So, what do you think? Not very veiled anti-abortion story? Projection of recent film Juno? Weird-ass father manipulating 'child'? Total BS?

The commentors bring up a lot of good points. Like, where was the boyfriend? Like, adoption isn't always such a piece of cake. Like, WTF is Dad up to 'outing' his daughter's pregnancy?

This one is closest to my take on it:

Keile Keile from Toronto, Canada writes: Your daughter knows how to party!

A kid at 19 AND she's giving it to charity?

Like a birthday present, right?

She's 'giving it a better life'. I'm sure that's what she'll tell it when she realizes, a few years from now, she may not ever get to see her biological offspring.