Teenage pregnancy and parenting

This overview report responds to a Ministerial request that the Families Commission undertake research on two distinct questions:

• What are the reasons behind high rates of teenage parenthood amongst young teenagers in specific regions of New Zealand?
• What would discourage second or repeat teenage pregnancies?

This overview answers these questions and draws on the key findings from our full reports on regional statistics on teenage parenthood; Māori teenage pregnancy and parenthood; and a literature review on repeat teenage pregnancy.

Our approach was to:

1. Conduct new research on the first question through a statistical analysis of teenage parenthood by region. This research also considers the impact of demographic and socio-economic variables on teenage parenthood.
2. Undertake hui, focus groups and interviews with service providers, teenage parents (16 years or older) and whānau to explore their experiences and the supports they use. This included exploring behaviours, influences and attitudes that affect decision-making.
3. Conduct a review of literature related to Māori teenage pregnancy.
4. Review the international literature on teenage pregnancy, including repeat pregnancy and indigenous issues.
5. Interview key stakeholders.

We took a mainstream and a whānau approach to the research. The family and whānau stream considered Māori knowledge and ways of being, with respect to the diversity of whānau.

This report is divided into two sections to answer the two questions above. The first section examines regional statistics in teenage childbirth and parenthood. The second section looks at what would prevent subsequent teenage births, by analysing the implications and motivations of first and subsequent pregnancies and by considering ways to strengthen support for teenage parents and prevent teenage pregnancies.