Teen birth rate hits record low, yet young mothers face worse stigma
Just six babies are born per 1,000 women aged 15-19. This is the lowest rate in more than 100 years.
Australia's teen birth rate has fallen to a record low. Only six babies are born for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 19.
Stigma facing young mothers may be growing as teen pregnancy becomes rarer, experts say. A 2017 survey found 57 per cent of teen mothers said they'd been treated differently because of their age.
They faced prejudice from service providers, family, friends and strangers. Experts say stigma may grow because teen parenthood now stands out as unusual.
Young mothers often struggle with poverty, insecure housing and barriers to work. But research shows many display remarkable resilience and use parenthood as a reason to build stable lives.
- 6 per 1,000 women aged 15-19
- Teen birth rate
- in more than 100 years
- Lowest recorded
- 57 per cent
- Teen mothers experiencing stigma
Why it mattersAs teen pregnancy becomes rarer, outdated stigma makes it harder for young parents. They struggle to reach out for support or pursue their goals.
AustraliaThousands of Australian teen mothers face unnecessary judgment and isolation, even as their numbers fall to historic lows.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
