Teenage pregnancy in the UK: Where are we going wrong?
Allen J., Hippisley-Cox J.
Young people in the United Kingdom (UK) are experiencing sex at an earlier age than ever before and many of these are putting themselves at risk of pregnancy and or sexually transmitted diseases. United Kingdom has a rate of teenage pregnancy at present at 9 per 1,000 for women under 16 years, which is double that of some countries in Europe. This review provides background information on teenage pregnancy in the UK, characteristics of the young women who become pregnant, health and social outcomes, options, the legal aspects, contraception, service aspects, interventions and educational aspects. There is a need for further studies into the differences between the attitudes and sexual behaviour in the UK and other European countries in order to learn, where and how intervention and prevention should take place.