Explaining trends in teenage childbearing in Sweden

Abstract

The teenage fertility rate fell precipitately in Sweden after 1966 and is now one of the lowest in Europe. This decline can be seen in the context of major reforms enacted in 1975 whereby the school sex-education curriculum was revised, contraceptive services were improved, and abortion was provided free and on demand. By means of microsimulation, the possible roles of contraception and induced abortion in causing teenage fertility to fall are examined. Before 1975, the decline appears to have been caused primarily by an increase in the number of induced abortions. After that date, however, an increase in the use of highly efficient methods of contraception led to a decline in the pregnancy rate in such a way that, even though the proportion of teenagers who sought abortion increased, the abortion rate declined. Parallels are drawn with the experience of other European countries, and contrasts with that of the United States, where no such developments have occurred, are noted.

PIP: This study examines the role of contraception and induced abortion in causing teenage fertility to fall in Sweden. The data used were drawn from the 1992 Swedish Family Survey, which sought event-history data from more than 3000 women born variously in 1949, 1954, 1956, 1964, and 1969. From these studies, it was found out that in the middle of 1970s, three interrelated changes occurred. First, the school sex education curriculum was revised in 1975; it no longer recommended abstinence among the youth, nor did it emphasize that sexual activity should take place only within marriage. Second, the abortion law was revised in 1975 to allow abortion on demand without charge. The pervasive fear was that relaxation of the law would lead to abortion's being used as a substitute for contraception. Third, the revision of the school sex-education curriculum, therefore, was accompanied by explicit contraceptive education, and special youth clinics were instituted to provide free contraceptives to young people. Due to the major reforms enacted in 1975, pregnancy rate declined primarily by an increase in the number of induced abortion. But after 1975, the decline was due to increased use of highly efficient contraceptive methods, which also caused the decline in the abortion rate.