Showing posts with label teenage pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teenage pregnancy. Show all posts

Friday, 26 February 2010

Teen pregnancies up since 2001

MORE teenage girls are getting pregnant in Solihull despite years of efforts to tackle the problem.

The number of conceptions in girls aged 15 to 17 rose from 121 in 2001 to 151 in 2008, latest figures show.

The rate of pregnancies per 1,000 rose from 30.9 in 2001 to 34.7 in 2008.

It comes after The Silhillian reported that borough NHS chiefs have admitted they are unlikely to hit a national target to slash conceptions by half by this year.

They said they do not know why pregnancies are rising, though the rate is lower than other parts of the West Midlands.

Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo said yesterday: “Teenage pregnancy is no longer a rising problem.”

She said: “Over the last ten years information, advice and support for young people about sex and contraception has significantly improved.

“Sex and relationship education is being reformed and access to free contraception is now easier than ever before.”

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