Q: How many teenagers fall pregnant each year?
Each year around 40 out of every 1,000 15- to 17-year-old girls and around eight per 1,000 13- to 15-year-olds fall pregnant. Of these, 50 and 60 per cent respectively decide to have a termination. Of those who fall pregnant, young women from better-off backgrounds are more likely to choose a termination. Teen birth rates are highest among teenagers in deprived areas - particularly in seaside or rural locations.
Q: What should a youth worker do if they suspect a girl is pregnant?
It's important that a young mum-to-be gets access to health services as soon as possible for two reasons. First, seeing her GP or visiting the local sexual health clinic can verify whether or not there is indeed a pregnancy - false alarms can be distressing and delaying the decision can make matters worse. Second, they should be referred to a midwife as soon as possible to receive valuable information on antenatal care, grants and courses such as Young Mums To Be (YMTB) in their area.
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