TResults issued at Press Conference in the Dugald Baird Centre, Maternity Hospital, Foresterhill 11am today [Thursday 19 March]
Statistics on teenage pregnancies released by the Scottish Office earlier this year showed no decline in the rate of teenage pregnancy nationally. Since then, a new study - conducted by a research team at the University of Aberdeen’s Dugald Baird Centre for Research on Women’s Health - has been piecing together statistical information to build up a profile of teenage pregnancy in the Grampian area.
With funding from Tenovus Scotland, the multi-disciplinary research team have examined trends over time in the delivery and termination rates for teenagers. They have identified patterns in the socio-economic characteristics of pregnant teenagers and explored the health problems teenagers experience during pregnancy, labour and delivery.
However, Dr Wendy Graham, Director of the Dugald Baird Centre, cautions:
“Building an accurate picture from these statistics is as a much an art as a science since perfect data simply do not exist. However, in Grampian we are fortunate in having a unique resource - the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank - which provides insights on teenage pregnancies directly relevant to local service provision.”
The research team comprising of: Dr Doris Campbell, Dr Gillian Flett, Louise Galashan, Ann Fitzmaurice, and Melissa Williams - hope the results from this descriptive study will stimulate further research as well as inform multi-agency initiatives addressing the differing needs of teenagers with wanted and unwanted pregnancies.
TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN GRAMPIAN: PRESS SUMMARY 19.3.98
Investigators:
Dr Wendy Graham (Director, Dugald Baird Centre, University of Aberdeen), Dr Doris Campbell (Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Physiology, University of Aberdeen), Ms Louise Galashan (Research Fellow, DBC),Mrs Ann Fitzmaurice (Medical Statistician, DBC),Dr Gillian Flett (Consultant in Family Planning &Reproductive Health Medicine, Grampian HealthCare), Ms Melissa Williams (Databank Facilitator, DBC).
Main findings:
There has been a downward trend in pregnancy, delivery and termination rates for teenagers between 1991 and 1995.
Rates are higher among teenagers living in Aberdeen City compared with teenagers resident in rural Grampian.
Teenagers are more likely to have an uncomplicated labour and delivery than older women (25-29 years), but have more problems antenatally, such as anaemia. Teenagers are also more likely to have babies born early (ie. before 37 weeks gestation).
Teenage pregnancy, delivery and termination rates show a clear upward trend between the least and most deprived areas.
The highest percentage of the teenage deliveries occur to those resident in the most deprived areas, but the highest percentage of the terminations occur to those resident in the least deprived areas.
The findings of the study will be published in a full report by the Dugald Baird Centre in May 1998. For further details contact: Unit Secretary at the Centre (01224 681818 ext. 53621).