Teenage pregnancy decreases in NNY

While national reports show that teen pregnancies are on the rise in the U.S. for the first time in more than a decade, fewer north country teenagers are becoming pregnant.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006, 435,427 infants were born to mothers ages 15 to 19. Birth rates increased from 40.5 per 1,000 women in that age group in 2005 to 41.9 per 1,000 in 2006.

The CDC Web site says, "It is too early to tell whether this increase is a trend or a one-time fluctuation in teen birth rates."

The data also show that U.S. teen pregnancy and teen birth rates are the second highest among 46 countries in the developed world.

Within Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, however, the number decreased by 2.8 percent, or 11 pregnancies, from 2005.

In 2005, there were a total of 392 teen pregnancies, with 205 in Jefferson County, 31 in Lewis County and 156 in St. Lawrence County. Preliminary 2006 data show a total of 381 teen pregnancies, with 188 in Jefferson County, 36 in Lewis County and 157 in St. Lawrence County.

Although data show a decline in teen pregnancies, Tina M. Cobb, youth services director for the North Country Prenatal/Perinatal Council, said that number may fluctuate around Fort Drum, Calcium and Evans Mills.

Many teenage mothers from those areas, she said, are married to Fort Drum soldiers.

"As far as upward trends, our big trend has been Fort Drum, and that 13616 zip code of Calcium," she said. "A lot of those are married young families, which is different from other teens. While they're all teens, they're distinct populations."

Mrs. Cobb said the 2007 preliminary public health birth certificate data show five 15-year-olds gave birth last year, with one in Jefferson County, and four in St. Lawrence County.

As more younger teens are becoming mothers, she said, their families and communities look at how they can be kept engaged in school for the next several years.

"You're looking at a much different situation at 18 or 19 years old," Mrs. Cobb said.

The number of induced abortions, however, is on the rise throughout Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. There were 75 induced abortions reported in 2005, compared with 85 in 2006.

The statistics show a decrease in the number of spontaneous fetal deaths. There were 21 among the three counties in 2005, and 10 in 2006.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New York uses information such as the increase/decrease in pregnancy rates from the North Country Prenatal/Perinatal Council for its educational programs, said Theresa S. "Tess" Barker, Planned Parenthood spokeswoman.

Mrs. Barker said the agency promotes comprehensive sex education, where not only abstinence is discussed, but also birth control and safer sex techniques.

"We know that abstinence-only education doesn't work," she said. "Instead of abstinence-only, we believe in abstinence-based education. There's only one way teens won't get an STD (sexually transmitted disease) or become pregnant."