Teenage pregnancies and abortions in Finland in the 1990s

Aims: This study analyses trends and regional variation in teenage pregnancy, abortion, and fertility rates in Finland in the 1990s, by single-year age group. Methods: Individual-level data from Finnish abortion and birth registers maintained by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of public health 2002-01, Vol.30 (4), p.300-305
Main Authors: Kosunen, Elise A-L, Vikat, Andres, Gissler, Mika, Rimpelä, Matti K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortion
Abortion, Induced - statistics & numerical data
Abortion, Induced - trends
Adolescent
Adolescent girls
Adult
Age Distribution
Biological and medical sciences
Birth control
Female
Fertility
Finland
Finland - epidemiology
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Induced abortion. Therapeutic abortion
Maternal Age
Medical sciences
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in Adolescence - statistics & numerical data
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Summary:Aims: This study analyses trends and regional variation in teenage pregnancy, abortion, and fertility rates in Finland in the 1990s, by single-year age group. Methods: Individual-level data from Finnish abortion and birth registers maintained by the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) were used to calculate the rates and the abortion ratio. The abortion ratio was also calculated using conception as the time reference. Results: Teenage pregnancy rates and abortion rates reverted from decrease to increase in the mid-1990s. This was accompanied by an increase in the share of teenage pregnancies that ended in an abortion. The increase in abortions started first among older teenagers, and spread gradually to younger girls. Regional variation in the rates remained the same throughout the study period. Conclusions: The observed trends reflect a change towards less effective use of contraceptive methods among teenagers. There is also evidence of the earlier start of teenage sexual activity at the end of the 1990s. The possible explanations for less effective contraceptive use include cutbacks in healthcare and family planning services in the first half of the 1990s and the reduction of sex education in schools.
ISSN:1403-4948
1651-1905
DOI:10.1080/14034940210133942