Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:02:1
AHN Staff
London, England, United Kingdom (AHN) - Although a rise in teenage pregnancy rates is no longer a big issue in western society, a new trend is emerging in England and Wales regarding early conception that would still shock Britons.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, from 2000 to 2007, 15 ten-year-olds and 39 11-year-olds in England and Wales became pregnant. Previously, the record holder for early pregnancy was a Scottish girl who conceived at 11 and gave birth at 12.
Going one year higher, the number of British girls who became pregnant at 13 or younger was about 300 for the same seven-year period. The figure rose to 14,777 for 14 year-olds and 17,626 for 15 year-olds.
The official data could just be the tip of the iceberg because of unreported illegal abortions and miscarriages. According to statistics, 60 percent of underage pregnant British girl had an abortion.
Experts said most of the girls felt obliged to have sex to please their older boyfriends. They blamed official school policy that mandates teaching of puberty and sexual intercourse, in sex education courses, when the children are as young as 7.
Because of the increasing number of pre-teen pregnancies, there are plans for pregnancy test kits to be made available at school health clinics to girls as young as 11.
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