Forums Forums Local News Massive rise in teenage mothers in Merseyside

Massive rise in teenage mothers in Merseyside



TEENAGE pregnancy has exploded across Merseyside and Cheshire, leaving a decade-long government drive to cut conceptions in tatters, new figures revealed yesterday.

The conception rate among under-18 girls soared in Liverpool (up 9.5%), in Knowsley (12.4%), in Sefton (5.8%), in St Helens (6.5%) and, most alarmingly, in Halton (21.5%) in just 12 months.

The increases were far higher than the 1% rise across England and Wales – a figure that, by itself, caused alarm because it followed years of falling teenage pregnancies.

Liverpool PCT described the rise as “disappointing”, and said more work needs to be done to prevent young people engaging in “risky behaviour.”

Dr Paula Grey, director of public health for Liverpool, said: “While there is a great deal of work under way in Liverpool to support the sexual health and teenage pregnancy agenda, it is clear that more work needs to be done to help young people look after their sexual health and prevent early pregnancy.”

It now appears certain the Government will badly miss its target to halve conception rates by 2010, despite millions thrown at trying to ditch Britain’s record as Europe’s teenage pregnancy capital.

The Conservatives blamed the rise on an obsession with sex-education in schools, instead of efforts to give every teenager a “supportive and responsible family”.

But campaigners for better sex education insisted ministers had dragged their heels – pointing out that schools will not be required by law to provide lessons until next year.

Meanwhile, children’s minister Beverley Hughes appeared to blame local health services, insisting: “There is no doubt that rates have come down where local areas have implemented the strategy properly, even in deprived areas.”

The detailed statistics, for 2007, revealed that the number of under-18 girls becoming pregnant rose in every area except Wirral and Warrington, compared to 2006.

Because the numbers of girls fluctuates year-by-year, the most reliable figure is the conception rate per 1,000 15 to 17-year-olds in each area.

It shows that, in Liverpool, 51.6 girls per 1,000 became pregnant (up from 42.1), 52.7 in Knowsley (up from 40.3), 38.2 in Sefton (up from 32.4), 49.2 in St Helens (up from 42.7) and 70.3 in Halton (up from 48.8).

The figures also show more under-18s choosing to have an abortion, particularly in Liverpool (57% of conceptions, up from 50%), Knowsley (56%, up from 45%), St Helens (43%, up from 34%) and Wirral (53%, up from 48%).

Liverpool PCT says that, despite the rise, the figure is a 10.8% reduction on the city’s 1998 figures and Knowsley’s 2007 figures are 1.9% less than in 1998.

A spokesperson for the borough said: “Knowsley is committed to reducing the number of teenage conceptions. New sexual health clinics aimed specifically at young people are being opened across the borough. £40,000 of additional funding is being used to increase the provision of contraceptive services, community outreach and education.”

Dr Dympna Edwards, deputy director of public health at Halton and St Helens PCT, added: “Whilst these figures . . . are particularly disappointing, we have evidence to show that the figure for live births for quarter one 2008 has seen a reduction.”

Juliet Hiller, of the sexual advice organisation Brook, said the figures came as no surprise, because funding was still not reaching the areas that needed it most.

In addition, sex education will not be compulsory in all schools, as part of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons, until the 2010-11 school year.

THE POST

stop giving them housing paid for by the state......

IQ tests and compulsory sterilisation

Someone should invent a pill

For instant sterilisation?

Then again - I have a conspiracy theory - chlamydia - a little infection that left to its own devices can bugger up your fallopian tubes and possibly render you infertile - could this have been introduced to reduce fertility? it is supposed to mainly affect 16-25 year-olds...is there a link?

or am I potty?

I have to say, there is no need for the rates to be so high! Surely these girls and boys can't be THAT stupid that they don't know the risks

It's one of my pet peeves I have to admit, but that is for personal reasons.

no - not stupid at all - if you discover an easy way of making money and getting a roof over your head - you'll go for it won't you...

Fit them all wiv them contraceptive implants on their 13th birthday. They last 5years so sorted until their 18ths, wen hopefully they grown a brain!

Failing that Rudebox, fit all the boys with metal chastity devices - you can buy them on ebay for pennies

When i was in school sex education was so crap so i dunno what i'll be like know politcally corrrect ? Teachers scared to teach it cause of todays what nots or kids are getting told to much and dont care and its like breaking out of there bedroom when there grounded and they couldnt care less about the consequences so i recon it should go back to nothing untill they are 16 and then teach but its catch 22 isnt it

I was lucky - my parents taught me all I needed to know, and it was taught to us at school from the 1st year of my Grammar school. Thankfully, we didn't have to contend with the boys giggling in the back of class as some of my friends had at Beb Sec (as it was then).

I think education on the social/emotional side of sex is sadly lacking, always has been. Animations of people doing it, followed by a video of a woman giving birth, didn't put off at least 3 girls in my final year of school from getting up the duff.
They need to give them all a go of one of those sim babies - y'know a model one that cries and all that - each kid could have it for 48 hours. You can programme them too respond to only their voice so they can't palm the baby off on their mum or their mates.

Ha cynical but you do wonder don't you, especially when they've probably seen their parents do exactly the same thing...bring back the workhouse.

Along with National Service, Corporal Punishment, Hanging, the Birch and Borstal!!!

Now look what you've started Riki

I completly agree with the sim dolls. Good deterrent