Teen pregnancy higher than normal

The teen pregnancy rate in Nanaimo is in decline, but still higher than the provincial and national averages, a possible indicator that health care, social services and education for young women are lagging, according to a researcher.

In 2003, the most recent data available, a rate of 44 pregnancies for every 1,000 girls between ages 15 and 19 was reported.

While that’s down from 76 in 1994, it’s still higher than the 2003 national rate of 32 or the B.C. rate of 30 per 1,000.

Alexander McKay, research coordinator at the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada in Toronto, has studied teen pregnancy rates across the country.

He said research shows that higher teen pregnancy rates generally occur in communities where girls lack a sense of empowerment over their health and future.

“What it really boils down to is that young women who have hope and confidence for their own futures are much more likely to take conscious actions to control their own sexual and reproductive health,” he said.

But, he noted, the factors that influence teens can also be highly individual, and cultural factors can play a role.

Younger pregnancies are considered normal, and even healthy, in some aboriginal communities, where parenting is shared by the extended family, he said.

Noella Rickaby, clinic supervisor at Options for Sexual Health Nanaimo (formerly known as Planned Parenthood), said that while sex educators are in Nanaimo public schools from Grade 5, the curriculum only covers the basics.

“When I would go in to do one class, like one session for a Grade 8 class, it’s not enough. It’s just not enough. Because there’s so much more to sexual health education than knowing about birth control methods and STIs and STDs,” she said.

“That’s definitely a part of it, but there’s also knowing what a healthy relationship looks like, knowing about how to evaluate your own values and beliefs, knowing how to communicate, knowing how to think these things through.

“There’s so much that surrounds it, because really it’s all about healthy relationships.”

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