Teenage Conceptions

For women in some communities teenage pregnancy can be a positive choice, particularly in those ethnic minorities where early motherhood is the norm. However, teenage parents tend to have poor ante-natal health, lower birthweight babies and higher infant mortality rates. Their health and their children's are worse than average. Teenage parents tend to remain poor and are more likely than their peers to end up without qualifications. They are disproportionately likely to suffer relationship breakdown. Their daughters are more likely to become teenage mothers themselves.

The Social Exclusion Unit's (SEU) Report on Teenage Pregnancy published in June 1999 set out two national targets:

To halve the under-18 conception rate by 2010 (and establish a firm downward trend in the under 16 rate). This is also a Public Service Agreement for the NHS and local government.
To increase the participation of teenage parents in education, training or work, to reduce their risk of long-term social exclusion.

The following information resources will be useful to anyone involved in the achievement of these targets.

Data
PHO Reports
Policy Documents/Evidence Base
Useful Links and Organistions

Data

Graphs

Graphs of latest national, regional and Yorkshire and Humber ward level teenage conception rates
http://www.yhpho.org.uk/teenageconceptions_graphs.aspx

Local authority data from the TPU

Conception and abortion statistics at <16 and <18 years for top and lower tier local authority districts
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/teenagepregnancy/dsp_content.cfm?pageid=246

TPU toolkits

Detailed analysis of local authority teenage pregnancy rates from Dilwyn Sheers (Information & Analysis Manager, TPU, DfES)
http://www.yhpho.org.uk/viewResource.aspx?id=9032&sUri=http%3a%2f%2fwww.empho.org.uk%2f

Interactive mapping of LA and ward conception data

Using Instantatlas from Geowise, the East Midlands PHO has created interactive maps of the latest teenage conception data for every LA district and ward in England organised by region. You will need to download and install Adobe SVG viewer 3.0 before accessing the maps. This software is free of charge but you may need assistance from your IT department to install this.
http://www.empho.org.uk/Themes/teenagepregnancy/teenagepregnancy.aspx

DH Abortion statistics

This bulletin summarises information from the abortion notification forms returned to the Chief Medical Officers of England and Wales in respect of abortions carried out in England and Wales in 2004
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/ PublicationsStatistics/PublicationsStatisticsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4116461&chk=6T9UTA

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PHO Reports

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Policy Documents/Evidence Base

Preventing sexually transmitted infections and reducing under-18 conceptions

NICE, in progress (expected November 2006)
An assessment of interventions (including screening) to reduce the transmission of Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and to reduce the rate of under-eighteen conceptions, especially among vulnerable and at risk groups.
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=SexualHealthMain

Young People, Pregnancy and Social Exclusion: A systematic synthesis of research evidence to identify effective, appropriate and promising approaches for prevention and support

EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 2005
http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/EPPIWebContent/hp/reports/TPPR/TPPR%20final.pdf

Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Evaluation Report

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2005
An evaluation of the first four years of the national teenage pregnancy strategy.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/teenagepregnancy/dsp_content.cfm?pageId=221

Teenage Pregnancy and Health Scrutiny: a briefing paper

HDA (now NICE), 2005
This publication focuses on local government scrutiny of teenage pregnancy. It is intended both as a means to inform local teenage pregnancy coordinators about the health scrutiny process, and to assist local authority health overview and scrutiny committees to understand why teenage pregnancy is an issue they need to address.
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502905

Teenage Pregnancy: An overview of the research evidence

HDA (now NICE) and TPU, 2004
This briefing presents headline findings from key research relating to teenage pregnancy and parenthood which has emerged (mainly) since the launch of the strategy. The topics covered include research on young people's sexual behaviour; sources of sex and relationships information; what works in preventing teenage pregnancy; who is at risk of becoming a teenage parent; how to support teenage parents, and many more.
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502705

Teenage pregnancy and sexual health interventions (Choosing Health? briefing)

HDA (now NICE), 2004
The UK has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in western Europe. Throughout most of the region birth rates to teenage mothers fell during the 1970s, but UK rates have been fairly consistent, staying relatively stable since 1969. Between 1998 and 2000 the under-18 and under-16 conception rates have fallen by over 6%.
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502769

Teenage pregnancy and parenthood: a review of reviews (Evidence briefing)

HDA (now NICE), 2003
This evidence briefing is a review of reviews about the prevention of teenage pregnancy, and the effectiveness of interventions to improve outcomes for teenage parents. The necessity for reviewing reviews, or tertiary-level research, stems from the proliferation of systematic and other types of review in medicine and public health over the last decade or more.
http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502529

A League Table of Teenage Births in Rich Nations

UNICEF, 2001
This third Innocenti Report Card presents the most up-to-date and comprehensive survey so far of teenage birth rates in the industrialized world. And it attempts at least a partial analysis of why some countries have teenage birth rates that are ten or even fifteen times higher than others.
http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/repcard3e.pdf

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Useful Links and Organistions

Teenage Pregnancy Unit

The Teenage Pregnancy Unit is a cross-Government Unit located within the Department for Education and Skills which was set up to implement the Social Exclusion Unit's report on Teenage Pregnancy. The website contains information about the Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, including guidance issued by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit as well as relevant publications from other Government Departments. There is also information about local implementation of the strategy and details about the Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/teenagepregnancy/dsp_Content.cfm?PageID=85

East Midlands PHO

EMPHO is the lead PHO for teenage pregnancy. The website includes an interactive mapping tool (users will need to download SVG viewer) of teenage pregnancy rates at local authority and ward levels.
http://www.empho.org.uk/Themes/teenagepregnancy/teenagepregnancy.aspx

Social Exclusion Unit

Topic section on health and teenage pregnancy. Includes links to the SEU Teenage Pregnancy Report and related sources of information.
http://www.socialexclusionunit.gov.uk/page.asp?id=374

Every Child Matters

Every Child Matters is based on the green paper of the same name published by the government in 2003. It encourages cross-Government working with local partners to achieve better outcomes for children and young people. There is a topic section on health and teenage pregnancy.
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/health/teenagepregnancy/

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