Preventing Pregnancy

This session discusses the issue of preventing teenage pregnancy in general and will identify the factors which have been shown to reduce levels of teenage pregnancy.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe at least four factors that are associated with high teenage pregnancy rates
• List the initiatives that are likely to be effective in reducing teenage pregnancy

In England, following the implementation of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy between 1999 and 2010, the under 18 conception rate has continued to decline significantly to the lowest level since comparable records began in 1969. However, the rate remains higher than comparable western European countries. Reductions vary significantly between local authorities and outcomes for young parents and their children remain disproportionately poor. As a result preventing teenage pregnancy remains a priority. Public Health England launched a 'Teenage Pregnancy Framework' in 2016 which can be downloaded from Resources/Downloads. Wales and Northern Ireland have not had specific teenage pregnancy strategies but have introduced many similar initiatives.