Rates of teen pregnancy are steadily dropping in Nanaimo, but are still higher than other parts of the province and mid-island. (Shutterstock)

By Spencer Sterritt

baby bump

Youth pregnancy rates dropping in Nanaimo, still higher than B.C. average

Dec 12, 2019 | 8:15 AM

NANAIMO — The local teen pregnancy rate has steadily dropped in recent years but still far exceeds the provincial average.

Provincial data showed 7.3 teenagers in Nanaimo per 1,000 between the age of 15 and 19 gave birth in 2017.

Across B.C., the average is 4.9 teenagers per 1,000 in the age range giving birth in 2017.

The Nanaimo area has consistently been higher than other areas of the province when it comes to teen pregnancy.

The five-year average of Nanaimo teens 15 to 19 giving birth is 10.3 per 1,000, well above the 6.3 provincial average.

time served

Nanaimo man caught with over 30g of illicit drugs avoids additional jail time

10h ago

big return

Senior women's box lacrosse returns to Nanaimo after 10+ year absence

10h ago

environmental impacts

Accidental pump activation causes minor oil slick in Nanaimo marina

12h ago

Medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback told NanaimoNewsNOW there’s a relationship between the high rates of teen pregnancy and various social and economic factors in Nanaimo, such as poverty.

“We’re more likely to see first children in settings where mothers tend to be more economically-challenged,” he said. “We do have a slightly higher rate of single parenting as well, all of which tends to cluster around socio-economic status.”

A recent report from the Nanaimo Foundation found slightly more than 17 per cent of people in Nanaimo were considered low income.

“If we want to address this, we need to be addressing the inequitable disparities existing regarding distribution of wealth in the community.”

The number of Nanaimo teenagers giving birth has dropped steadily.

Hasselback attributed the decline to effective education about contraceptives and family planning.

“This is a topic that is no longer taboo. It’s something integrated into the education system. We should be talking about access to free contraceptives for young women so greater barriers are in place.”

To further reduce the number, Hasselback said a serious look at how the community is built and how people relate to one another needs to be examined.

He advocated for decisions being made which supported child and family-friendly communities, as well as pushing for more youth to vote and express their political will.

“We need to be thinking several generations out in terms of our social planning, which is not something I think we’ve been very successful at doing, but that’s not unique to Nanaimo.”

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit