Trends in teen pregnancy in Canada with comparisons to U.S.A. and England/Wales.

This report provides an overview of trends in teen pregnancy in Canada since 1974. In Canada, teen pregnancy rates are calculated as the sum of recorded live births, induced abortions, and miscarriages per 1,000 of the population of females aged 15 to 19. Between 1974, the year Statistics Canada began collecting and disseminating data on teen pregnancy, and 2003, the most recent year for which data is available, the teen pregnancy rate declined from 53.9 to 32.1. The decline was more pronounced among younger teens (15-17) than older teens (18-19). There were considerable variations in rates of teen pregnancy among the Canadian provinces/territories with higher rates occurring in the prairie provinces and territories. Canada, the USA, and England and Wales all saw their combined birth/ abortion rates among women under age 20 decline since 1990 and Canada's rate remains less than half the rate of both the USA and England and Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]