What does this measure?

The number of pregnancies among females ages 15 to 17, per 1,000 females in that age group.

Why is this important?

Pregnancy can derail a young woman’s life, preventing her from furthering her education or growing up to be self-sufficient. Babies born to teen mothers are at higher risk of having a low birth weight and of infant mortality compared to babies born to older mothers. They are also at risk of lower cognitive development, poor educational outcomes and living in poverty.

How is the Greater Capital Region performing?

In 2007, the teen pregnancy rate in the Greater Capital Region was 22, well below the state rate of 35. Except for Schenectady, all counties in the region have had consistently lower rates than the state rate throughout this decade. Schenectady County continues to have the highest teen pregnancy rate in the region with a rate that is more than double the rates for three of the region’s five counties. From 2000 to 2007, the Greater Capital Region experienced a 32% decline in the teen pregnancy rate, greater than the 21% decline at the state level.

Notes about the data

Schoharie County’s rates are considered unstable by the Health Department because they are based upon small numbers, which makes it difficult to distinguish random fluctuation from true changes.