Teen pregnancies not due to polygamy: lawyer

A lawyer arguing against Canada's polygamy law suggests the high instance of teen pregnancy in Bountiful, B.C., may be linked to religion and isolation rather than multiple marriage.

The landmark case in B.C. Supreme Court has heard evidence that as many as one in 10 births in Bountiful have been to teenage girls in recent decades, and mothers are often considerably younger than fathers.

The high instance of teen pregnancy may be linked to the community's practice of fundamental Mormonism, said Tim Dickson, a court-appointed lawyer arguing the anti-polygamy law is unconstitutional.

Dickson referred to a U.S. study that suggested more religious states tend to have higher rates of teen pregnancy.

Dickson also pointed to teen pregnancy data from B.C. that show other small isolated communities in the province also have high teen pregnancy rates.

Wednesday's testimony on birth rates marks the final evidence in the case, which will be on hold until the end of March, when closing arguments will begin.