UK teenage pregnancy rate finally falls

Teenage pregnancy rates across the UK have decreased leaving them at the lowest level since the early 1980’s.

However, the number of teenage girls choosing to abort unwanted pregnancies has risen over the past decade. 

Julie Bentley, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, said: “The success brought about by today’s figures revealing we’re seeing the lowest teenage pregnancy in England and Wales for 30 years is down to a dedicated strategy in England with a tried and tested formula of sex and relationships education, contraception and information services and local services working together."

This strategy was helped by Labour's £280 million 10-year strategy that aimed to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies in the UK. This strategy was commssioned in response to the news that the UK has the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Western Europe. 

In Scotland the rate of under 18's falling pregnant has fallen by two per cent. In England and Wales rates fell by nearly six per cent.

The Children’s Minister Sarah Teather welcomed the news but emphasised the need to drive the rates down further as they are still higher than the government would like.

The Scottish government set a target that aimed to reduce the rate of girls under the age of 16 falling pregnant by 20 per cent by 2010. Athough rates were reduced, the target was not reached.

However, the recent statistics are seen as a step in the right direction for the sexual health programme which plans to achieve a “vision for a sexually healthy Scotland: a more open, equal and respectful society that values sex and sexual health”. 

Sarah Teather also pointed out the potential dangers of teenage pregnancy. She said: “Teenage parents and their children are more likely to suffer from poor health, unemployment and poor achievement at school than their peers.”