Brook statement on further reduction of teenage pregnancy rate (England and Wales)

Published: 9 March 2016

Today (9 March 2016) the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the annual figures for teenage conceptions in England and Wales. 

The ONS figures show that the under 18 conception rate in England and Wales for 2014 is the lowest since 1969, at 22.9 per 1,000.

Responding to statistics for Conceptions in England and Wales: 2014, the report from the ONS, Jules Hillier, Interim CEO of young people's sexual health and wellbeing charity Brook, said:

The further reduction in the teenage pregnancy rate is a welcome achievement that is the result of concerted national and local efforts. Now is not the time to take our eye off the ball: UK teenage pregnancy rates remain high and the rate of improvement varies across the country. Young people deserve the services, support and education that will enable them to thrive in healthy relationships and we have a duty to ensure they get them."

Key highlights from the ONS report are:

• The under 18 conception (pregnancy) rate for 2014 is the lowest since 1969 at 22.9 conceptions per thousand women aged 15 to 17
• Since 1998 there has been a reduction of more than 50% in the under 18 conception rate
• The estimated number of conceptions to women aged under 18 fell to 22,653 in 2014, compared with 24,306 in 2013, a decrease of 6.8%
• The estimated number of conceptions to women aged under 16 was 4,160 in 2014, compared with 4,648 in 2013, a fall of 10%
• In 2014 conceptions outside of a marriage/civil partnership accounted for 57% of all conceptions in England and Wales, compared with 55% in 2004 and 46% in 1994
• In 2014 the age group with the highest percentage of conceptions leading to abortion was under 16 with 63% of conceptions leading to abortion
• In 2014 there were an estimated 871,038 conceptions to women of all ages, compared with 872,849 in 2013, a slight decrease of 0.2%

For media enquiries please contact Brook's press office on 07789 682831 or email press@brook.org.uk

Notes to editors

Brook believes that young people should have access to great sexual health services and wellbeing support.

Brook provides free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and education programmes, reaching nearly 235,000 young people nationwide every year.
 
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