Pregnancy outcomes among young people

This section provides data on pregnancy outcomes among young people in Scotland. Two pregnancy outcomes are measured: pregnancies which result in a birth, and pregnancies which result in a termination. There is no data on pregnancies which result in a miscarriage. Young people who are pregnant are grouped into one of three age categories: under-16-years, under-18-years, and under-20-years, based on their age at conception. 

Acrosss Scotland, the outcome of pregnancies among young people has changed in the last three decades. 

In 2009, there were more pregnancies resulting in a termination among under 16-year-olds compared to pregnancies among this age group resulting in a delivery. At the same time, the opposite was true among under-18-year and under-20-year- olds: there were more pregnancies resulting in a delivery compared to terminations. In 2020, data shows there were more pregnancies resulting in a termination compared to delivery, across all of the age groups. 

Glasgow

Similar patterning was seen in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. In 2011, under 16-year-olds who were pregnant were more likely to have a termination, and under-18 and under-20-year-olds who were pregnant were more likely to have a delivery.

In 2020, pregnancies across of all the age groups were more likely to result in a termination than a delivery. 

While these figures may suggest that rates of terminations among young people are increasing, it is not neccesarily the case, because at the same time the rate of pregnancies among young people is also falling. Therefore, while the proportion of pregnancies which result in a termination in 2020 is higher than in 2011, the actual number of terminations in 2020 was lower because there were fewer pregnancies. 

Deprivation and delivery 

The data presented is only available at a national level, but there are notable trends which could be extrapolated to a health board level, particularly in areas of high inequalities.

Across Scotland, between 2011 and 2020, there was a reduction in the number of pregnancies among young people which resulted in delivery across all SIMD deciles. The biggest reduction was seen in SIMD 5 (-71%) and the smallest reduction was in SIMD 1 (-61%). 

In this period, the absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 reduced from 2,268 pregnancies delivered to 903 pregnancies delivered. However, the relative inequality between SIMD 1 and 5 has seen an overall increase from ten pregnancies delivered in 2011 to 13 pregnancies delivered in 2020. 

Deprivation and termination

Across Scotland, between 2011 and 2020, there has been an overall reduction in the number of pregnancies resulting in termination across all SIMD deciles. The biggest reduction was in SIMD 5 (-59%) and the smallest reduction was in SIMD 1 and 2 (-39%, respectively).

In this period, the absolute inequality between SIMD 1 and SIMD 5 reduced from 574 pregnancies terminated to 488 pregnancies terminated. Although the relative inequality has shown a small increase from two to three between 2011 and 2020, throughout this time this figure has remained stable.

Overall, it appears that young people from deprived areas who are pregnant are more likely to deliver, and young people from the least deprived areas who are pregnancy are more likely to have a termination.

These findings are significant because of the link between pregnancy and poorer outcomes for young parents and their children. Research shows that for parents, there is a higher risk of poor educational attainment, social isolation, and poorer mental and physical health. While children are more likely to be born preterm or with low birthweight. There is also the increased risk of mother and child living in poverty.

Notes

This page was updated in May 2024.