Pregnancy among young people

This section provides data on pregnancy statistics among young people in Scotland, often referred to as teenage pregnancies. Mothers are grouped into one of three age categories: under 16 years, under 18 years, and under 20 years, based on their age at conception. Data is derived from the annual update on teenage pregnancy statistics in Scotland by Public Health Scotland. The most recent data is for the year ending 31st December 2020. 

In Glasgow City Region there has been a continous downward trend in the rate of pregnancies among young people, in all three age groups, since 2009-11.

The biggest reduction in pregnancies is among under-16-year-olds, where the rate has halved from eight to four per 1,000 females between 2009-11 and 2018-20. The rate of pregnancies among under-18-year-olds reduced from 37 to 20 per 1,000 females, and the rate among under-20-year-olds reduced from 46 to 31 per 1,000.

Similar patterning was seen across other Scottish cities and reflects national rates. 

Across all local authorities, Argyll and Bute had the lowest rate of pregnancies among young people (13 per 1,000) and West Dunbartonshire had the highest rate (33 per 1,000) of pregnancies.

There are various factors which may account for the reduction in pregnancies among young people.  

First, there is a notable downward trend in risk-taking behaviours and alcohol consumption among younger people, and increased sexual health education and services in the community.

Secondly, the role of contraception in prevention of pregnancy also ought to be considered but data is either unavailable or contradictory to the reduction in teenage pregnancy data. For example, the overall rate of prescriptions for Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) among under 20-year-olds has reduced (from 55 to 49 per 1,000 women between 2013 and 2021) and there is no data available on contraceptive pill prescriptions.

Deprivation

The number of pregnancies among young people has reduced across all SIMD quintiles between 2011 and 2020, at a national level and in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, across all age groups. This data was not available at a local authority level. 

Under-18-year-olds 

In NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the biggest reduction in pregnancies among under-18-year olds was in SIMD 3 and 4 (74% and 73% decrease, respectively) and the smallest reduction in pregnancies in this age group was in SIMD 2 (-54%).

The absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 among this age group shows a reduction from 52 per 1,000 females in 2011 to 19 per 1,000 females in 2020. However examining the relative inequality in this age group tells a different story. 

Between 2011 and 2020 the relative inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 increased slightly from 5 to 5.8% demonstrating that pregnancies among under-18-year olds has remained five times higher in SIMD 1 compared to SIMD 5, and that the relative inequality gap has widened in the last decade. 

That said, the relative inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 was at a low of 3.9 in 2013 and peaked at 9.7 in 2017, but the greatest reduction in pregnancies among young people occured within SIMD 5 (-69% since 2011) compared to SIMD 1 (-65%).

Under-20-year-olds 

Between 2011-20, pregnancies among under-20-year olds in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde reduced in SIMD 3 (-28%), SIMD 4 (-7%), and SIMD 2 (-3%) meanwhile pregnancies increased in SIMD 1 (+7%) and SIMD 5 (+13%). 

In terms of inequalities, we see a different trend among under-20-year-olds compared to under-18-year-olds.

The absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 increased from 33 per 1,000 females in 2011 to 35 per 1,000 females in 2020. Meanwhile the relative inequality remained the same: pregnancies among under-20-year olds were five times higher in SIMD 1 compared to SIMD 5. There has also been less fluctuation in the relative inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 among this age group over the last decade, with a low of 4.2 per 1,000 in 2012 and a high of 6.5 per 1,000 in 2020. 

The key points when comparing data among both age groups is that SIMD 1 continues to have higher rates of pregnancies among young people compared to SIMD 5, but there are two key differences depending on the age of the mother.

First, there are higher rates of pregnancies among under-18-year-olds in SIMD 1 compared to under-20-year-olds in SIMD 1.

Secondly, the absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 has reduced among under-18-year-olds, while the absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 has increased among under 20-year-olds. 

That said, the relative inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 in both age groups remains the same: teenage pregnancies are five times higher in SIMD 1 compared to SIMD 5.

Data is not available at this level for under 16-year-olds so there could be further nuance and different trends which would skew these overall findings.

Notes

Rate of pregnancies is calculated using the female population aged 15-19 years.

This page was updated in May 2024.