FIGURES released earlier this week (February 24) show that Redditch's teenage pregnancy figures dropped dramatically over the ten years leading to 2008.

The rate of pregnancies per 1,000 girls dropped by 9.5 per cent between 1998 and 2008, meaning that out of all seven authorities in the county only Worcester showed a greater decrease.

Over 4.3 per cent of 15 to 17-year-olds in Redditch became pregnant between 1998 and the end of 2000, with a total of 213 pregnancies.
But by the period of 2006 to 2008, this figure had dropped to 188 girls, meaning that only 39.4 per 1,000 had become pregnant.
However, abortion rates seem to be on the rise, with 51 per cent of girls choosing to terminate their pregnancy in the latter period, compared to only 37 per cent of pregnant teens having an abortion between 1998 and 2000.

The trend for fewer teen pregnancies is spread across Worcestershire, with only Bromsgrove and Wychavon districts showing a rise over the past ten years.

Across the county, there was a drop from 33 per 1,000 girls becoming pregnant in 2007 to 31.2 per 1,000 the year later - the last year for which figures are available.

Members of Worcestershire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership believe this is down to the access young people now have to information and advice.

Becky Dwight, teenage pregnancy and parenting manager for the county, said: "The statistics released today are good news for the county and show the collaboration between all agencies and partners is effective in supporting our young people.
"We look forward to seeing teenage pregnancy rates drop even further when figures are released for 2009."

redditchstandard.co.uk