Pregnancies among New Zealand teenagers: trends, current status and international comparisons

Aims, To examine trends in birth and total pregnancy rates among teenage wo men in New Zealand, ethnic differences and international comparisons. Methods. Routinely collected data on births and abortions by age in New Zea land have been used to derive teenage birth rates and estimated total teena ge pregnancy rates. Results. The teenage birth rate rose from the end of the Second World War u ntil 1972, then dropped until 1986, since when it has risen slightly. An in crease in the proportion of teenage pregnancies aborted since 1986 has prev ented a more marked increase in the birth rate. In 1997, the teenage birth rate for Maori was nearly five times, and the Pacific rate over three times , that of European/Pakeha teenagers. Although the abortion rate was slightl y higher among Maori than European/Pakeha teenagers, Maori who became pregn ant were much less likely to have an abortion. Of the developed OECD countr ies, only the USA has a higher teenage birth rate than New Zealand. However , the teenage birth rate among European/Pakeha in New Zealand, while higher than in many Western European countries, is similar to the total rate in A ustralia, and less than that in the UK and Canada. Conclusions. This analysis shows that using routinely collected data, it is possible to monitor national teenage pregnancy rates. Improvements in moni toring could be made by collecting ethnicity data on abortions and births i n a consistent manner, together with the area of residence of women having abortions. The findings indicate the importance of understanding the impact on Maori women who become pregnant as teenagers and on their children.