Wales Underage pregnancies |
Key points
- In 2008, there were around 200 births to girls conceiving under age 16. A further 270 conceptions were aborted.
- The number of pregnancies to girls conceiving under age 16 is somewhat lower than a decade ago, although all the reduction occurred in the first part of the decade. All of the fall has been in the number of conceptions that subsequently led to births, with the number of abortions broadly unchanged.
- The conception rate for girls under the age of 16 is highest in Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Blaenau Gwent – around 12 per 1,000 – compared with 6 per 1,000 in Powys.
- The conception rate among girls who conceived between the ages of 13 and 15 in Wales is similar to the Great Britain average, higher than in some other parts of Great Britain but lower than in other parts.
Graph 1: Over time
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Graph 2: By local authority
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Map
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Graph 3: Compared to Great Britain
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Definitions and data sources
The first graph shows the number of conceptions per year to girls conceiving under the age of 16, with the data shown separately for delivered babies and for abortions.
The second graph shows how the conception rate for girls aged 13 to 15 varies by local authority, with the data shown separately for delivered babies and for abortions. To improve statistical reliability, the data is averaged for the seven years to 2006. The map shows the same data but for all conceptions (i.e. delivered babies and abortions combined).
The third graph shows how the conception rate for girls aged 13 to 15 in Wales compares with the rest of Great Britain, with the data shown separately for delivered babies and for abortions. To improve statistical reliability, the data is averaged for the latest three years.
The data source for all the graphs is the Office of National Statistics.
Overall adequacy of the indicator: medium. The collection of the conception and births statistics is an established process.