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| Teen pregnancies 'rise slightly' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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. | |
| However, despite the rise last year, the overall rate has still fallen over the past 10 years. | |
| Hilary Pannack, of the sex education charity Straight Talking, said: "We are failing a whole generation of young people." | 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. | "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." | "That means generations of child poverty, which we need desperately to tackle." |
| Juliet Hiller, 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. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| Beverly Hughes, the children's minister for England, said the government had made cutting teenage pregnancy rates a priority, and rates had come down over the last decade. | |
| However, she accepted that progress had not been as swift as has had been hoped. | However, she accepted that progress had not been as swift as has had been hoped. |
| Ms Hughes said it was important to give parents help and advice about how to tackle the issue of sex in an open fashion with their children. | Ms Hughes said it was important to give parents help and advice about how to tackle the issue of sex in an open fashion with their children. |
| She said high quality sex education in schools was also vital, and new guidance to make that compulsory would be issued to schools in the autumn. | She said high quality sex education in schools was also vital, and new guidance to make that compulsory would be issued to schools in the autumn. |
| "This is not just about the mechanics of sex, it is about relationships, moral values and about making clear what is right and wrong and what you expect from young people, but it is doing that in a way that enables them to take part in the dialogue." | "This is not just about the mechanics of sex, it is about relationships, moral values and about making clear what is right and wrong and what you expect from young people, but it is doing that in a way that enables them to take part in the dialogue." |
| Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below: | Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below: |