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HEALTH: Fewer teenage mums due to 'better advice'
THE number of Peterborough teenagers getting pregnant has dropped by almost seven per cent in the last eight years.
THE number of Peterborough teenagers getting pregnant has dropped by almost seven per cent in the last eight years.New figures released today show the city is winning its battle to curb teenage pregnancy, although more girls under 18 still fall pregnant here than elsewhere in the East of England.
Today, health officials say these latest figures are a good indication that new measures designed to boost young people's self-esteem and employment opportunities, coupled with comprehensive sexual education and access to free contraception, are working.
In 1998, the Government launched its National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in response to a worrying rise in young mums and pregnancy rates in the UK.
The strategy called for all local authorities to create a comprehensive action plan targeting youngsters to increase their confidence when making decisions related to sex, and to provide them with a more informed sex education and better access to contraceptives and advice.
Before this was implemented, an average of 57 teenage girls in every 1,000 in Peterborough were falling pregnant.
The latest figures, announced by the Office for National Statistics, using birth registration and abortion notification data, shows this number has dropped to 53.
Assistant director of public health for the Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership Sue Mitchell says she is delighted by the falling rates and hopes that one day the city will lose its title as the teenage pregnancy hot-spot of the East of England.
She said: "I think this demonstrates the result of agencies working together to successfully co-ordinated an approach to the problem with teenage pregnancy in the 1990s.
"The way we have collectively combatted this is to improve access for young people to sexual health services. We have changed the traditional family planning service to contraception and sexual health (CASH) drop-in centres, with young people specifically in mind, and employed specific teenage pregnancy co-ordinators to help young people make an informed choice about sexual health matters.
"Also the C-Card has been introduced in the city, which gives under-19s the chance to get hold of free contraceptives and advice on sexual health.
"Overall in the city, attainment levels at GCSE are improving, and more young people have greater prospects than they did before. This all helps to build their self-esteem and helps them focus on the future, therefore making them less likely to take risks with their sexual health."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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