• Overview
• Definition
• Incidence, prevalence and trends
• Risk factors
• Health consequences
• Costs
• Contributors

Overview

Teenage parenthood is not new. Throughout history and in all societies, women have started having children during their teens and early twenties. In more developed societies, however, education and training for adult life is long and ideally completed before parenthood.

Experts do not agree over what should be done about teenage pregnancy. Many of its problems are due to how it is regarded by society. Social disapproval may mean that young women avoid health care and may not complete their education while pregnant, or return to education after the birth of their child.

Not all teenage pregnancies are unplanned, but the problems faced by many imply there is ample scope for preventive efforts. Teenage mothers are more likely to face poverty and for their own children to become teenage parents. Preventing teenage pregnancy is an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.

Tackling teenage pregnancy is central to the Government’s work to prevent health inequalities, child poverty and social exclusion. In 1999, the Government published a report on teenage pregnancy from its social exclusion unit, ¹ and set up the teenage pregnancy unit to implement its recommendations. The aim is to cut pregnancy rates among 15-17 year olds in England by half by 2010, and to reduce social exclusion among young parents. The teenage pregnancy unit is a cross-departmental unit located within the Department for Education and Skills. Initiatives have been launched at national and local level. A media campaign was run in teenage magazines, schools have been given new guidance on sex and relationships education, and better health service standards have been set for giving advice on contraceptives.