Number of teenage births hit 20-year low in Singapore

The number of babies born to teenage girls in Singapore dropped to a record low in two decades in 2014, the Strait Times reported on Monday, citing a report from the country's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Last year, 404 babies were born to girls aged 19 and below, almost halved from the high of 953 in 2000. The declining trend is mainly because young people are using contraception such as taking pills, and have used alternative sex acts, the report said.

The number of abortions among girls below 20 also dropped significantly to 578 in 2013 from 1,483 a decade ago, it added.

"Compared to past generations of teens, what has changed now is that there is more awareness about contraception because community groups are running more outreach programs. In the past, sex education was left mostly to parents and schools," Carol Balhetchet, senior director for youth services at the Singapore Children's Society, said, quoted by the news paper.

Another reason that stopped youngsters from getting pregnant is the fear of reproach.

According to a recent survey among undergraduates conducted by the Nanyang Technological University, about half of the 591 respondents who are between 18 and 25 years old admitted that they would feel ashamed and embarrassed in their community if they get pregnant.

"Pregnant teens avoid talking about it because they will be the subject of gossip and ostracism," 23-year-old Leung Yan Wah, who is among the 591 surveyed, said. Endi