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Teen pregnancy rates go back up

Posted by BABYINFORMATION • 10/13/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: family, teen pregnancy, teens

The number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales has risen slightly, figures show.

The Office for National Statistics data showed there were 41.9 conceptions per 1,000 15 to 17 year olds in 2007 - up from 40.9 the year before.

It is the first increase since 2002 and means the government will almost certainly miss its target to halve rates by 2010.

The news follows a series of high-profile teenage pregnancy cases.
In total, there were estimated to be just over 42,900 conceptions in under 18s.

The under 16 conception rates also increased from 7.8 per 1,000 to 8.3, meaning there were nearly 8,200 pregnancies.

The levels in Scotland are almost exactly the same as England and Wales, with the drive to reduce them also struggling.

Teenage girls in the North East were the most likely in England to become pregnant, with 52.9 pregnancies per thousand girls aged 15-17.

Hartlepool and Middlesbrough were the towns with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the North East, with 66.8 per 1,000 and 66.7 per 1,000 respectively.

Of the 2,598 pregnancies in the North East, 42% led to an abortion - almost 10% lower than the national average.

Pregnancy rates were also high in Yorkshire and Humberside, the West Midlands and the North West, with all recording more than 47 pregnancies per 1,000 girls.

Failing a generation

Hilary Pannack, of the sex education charity Straight Talking, said: "We are failing a whole generation of young people."

"Teenage parents statistically are much more likely to become parents of children who themselves become teenage parents.

"That means generations of child poverty, which we need desperately to tackle."

Juliet Hillier, of Brook, a sexual health charity for young people, added: "It's disappointing, but not surprising to see an increase.

"It is essential that funding finds its way to local areas where the need is greatest and this is simply not happening consistently."

She also said sex education needed to be improved, adding it was too biological

This is now getting to the point where it is not news as this is happening a lot know, who do you think is the blame, i have more advice on my web site

User Comments

10/14/09

LolitaV

because sex feels good

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1. 10/14/09
  
  BABYINFORMATION
  
  so i take it you do not mind kids getting pregnant, kids should be doing kids stuff and not the adult side of things,
2. 10/14/09
  
  LolitaV
  
  frankly, what other people and their kids do i couldn't care less about. NOW MY kids, I am raising right, the best I know how and am striving to put the same value instilled in me growing up that stopped me from having sex at an early age, getting knocked up and dumped.
  Teen pregnancy will keep going up as long as parents forget to parent first before striving to be their children's friends. I am not my children's friend- well not for another 18 years at least.
10/14/09

ThinkingUhuru

Kids.. Close legs, Open brain.

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10/14/09

sorcerer

We are almost..gettin there!!

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10/14/09

sjtavo

When I was about 25, I volunteered for a Shower Project through our Junior League - we basically held a baby shower for about 50 pregnant teenagers in our community, giving them gift baskets with baby essentials, raffles for larger items and tons of information for support.

I was talking with one young woman who was sitting with her mother. The (older) mother asked me if I had any children. I said No. She asked how old I was. I said 25. She asked if I was married. I said Yes. She asked "how'd you get to be 25, married and no kids??" and I didn't even pause to think about the PC of my next statement - I just replied "Because when I was 16 and started having sex and my Mom refused to put me on birth control, I marched my ass down to Planned Parenthood and got it my own damn self so I wouldn't get knocked up until I could take of a kid myself." LOL Options are out there folks - take advantage of them.

My community is the one that made national headline news a couple years ago for the most girls pregnant in one highschool at one time. we are so proud - NOT!

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10/14/09

trailofpen

My home county used to have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the US. It's dropped significantly though, but not because of sexual education, but because most of the kids here have turned either gay or bi-sexual. I'm not even lying when I say that.

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10/14/09

FredSr2009

The increase in pregnancies is a culture thing. I guarantee you if abortions were outlawed and a girl had to crawl on her knees scrubbing floors to take care of a baby the rate would drop like a rock.

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10/14/09

Agit8r

it's the economy, DUH. If you have a baby you are guaranteed room and board, right?

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10/14/09

BABYINFORMATION

I am 36 and i have been married twice and had no kids, i di start early, by early i mean well before i was 16, i was never learned about the adult life, i am self taught and i think i have done well not to have any kids at my age and by choice, it is a lot to do with the younger kids, when i was in my teens and finished school i had heard so many young girls say to their friends get pregnant and you get your own place and paid of the dole (social security) to live and you have know rent or council tax bills, now this is ashame because what is going to happen to the poor kid they bring into this world, if that is why a good hand full have had kids.
True some listen to friends and they come out with all the stuff that you can't get pregnant 1st time and all the others, as an adult we know this is not true, so how could we get through to kids that are getting pregnantand what do we do about it.

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