Teenage pregnancy rates increase

The government has ordered Torbay to halve teenage pregnancy rates

The number of teenage girls getting pregnant in Torbay has risen to its highest level since 1998, despite a campaign to reduce the figure.

The government had ordered the trust to bring the figure down to 22 per 1,000 in 2010.

But the numbers of pregnancies among girls under 18 in 2007 was 57 per 1,000 of the population, up from 44 in 1998.

There were 138 conceptions in 2007, up 16 on the number for 2006, according to Torbay NHS Care Trust.

The trust said it had set up a number of initiatives to bring down teenage pregnancy rates and was taking advice on "best practice" from other areas of the country.

Education call

Kim Fleming, from the trust, told BBC News: "We have been looking at young-people-friendly services so that young people feel OK about accessing these services."

There was increased access to contraception and the message to delay pregnancy was being spread in schools.

The highest rates of teenage pregnancies were in Torbay's more deprived areas.

Of the 138 conceptions in Torbay in 2007, more than half were terminated.

Torbay mother Natalie Hayes, 17, who gave birth to son Logan three weeks ago, said: "I didn't believe in abortion so I didn't get rid of him.

"I'm glad I didn't, but that's the choice some people make."

She said there was not enough sex education in schools.

"When I went to school they had no real sex education," she said.

"They should do a least a few lessons a week on it.

"You see kids getting pregnant in year nine."