Fewer young women risk pregnancy

The number of young women risking unwanted pregnancies has fallen dramatically as more are taking the Pill and fewer are having sex, figures have revealed.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 75 per cent fewer 16- to 29-year-old women risked unprotected sex because they "do not like" using contraception.

It is one of the first signs that the Government's £9 million bid to halve the number of teenage pregnancies may be working.

The ONS surveyed more than 6,000 girls and women about their sexual behaviour and found that the proportion of 16- and 17-year-old girls who said they had not had sex in the previous 12 months rose from 30 per cent in 1999 to 39 per cent in 2000. The survey also found that teenage girls were having fewer sexual partners. The number admitting to two or more partners in the last year fell from 28 per cent in 1999 to 22 per cent in 2000.

In 1999, nearly one in five 16- to 29-yearolds who were having unprotected sex but did not want to become pregnant said they were taking a risk simply because they didn't like using contraception. By 2000 the figure had fallen to one in 20.

Much of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is focused on this group of girls and women because they are risking pregnancy out of ignorance and lack of access to advice.

Other reasons for having sex without protection were because the woman was pregnant, wanted to become pregnant or because either she or her partner were sterile.

Meanwhile, use of the Pill among 16- to 17-year-olds rose from 14 per cent in 1999 to 19 per cent in 2000. Awareness of the "morning after pill" increased among teenagers, 90 per cent of whom knew of its availability by 2000.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Wider use of contraception is central to the Government's strategy to reduce teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. These figures are a very encouraging indication that improved sex and relationship education, alongside better access to information and services, are increasing women's knowledge and confidence in using contraception."

The UK has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the world, 31 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19. The Government has pledged to halve that by 2010.

A spokeswoman for the Family Planning Association said: "This is really positive and encouraging news and may be the first sign of the positive impact the Government's strategy is having."