WARRINGTON has the third highest reduction in teenage pregnancies in the country – and the highest reduction in the North West.
The figures are revealed by the Office of National Statistics which show that, nationally, the number of babies born to 15-17 year-olds has risen slightly, despite the Government’s drive to half the number of teenage pregnancies by next
year.
Nationally, the latest figure is 41.9 per 1,000 births, compared to 40.9 the previous year.
This works out at
42,900 conceptions among under-18s.
Britain, in fact, has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe.
But in Warrington, the rate has fallen from 48.9 pregnancies per thousand to 31.8 percent. This is a reduction of 35 per cent.
Warrington has the third highest reduction in the country and is leading the North West.
Since the ambitious reduction target was set, the Warrington Borough Council’s children’s services department has worked closely with local schools and colleges as well as NHS Warrington, support teams and youth workers to raise awareness of sexual health issues and teenage pregnancy consequences.