May 11, 1999

HALF of Britain's pregnancies are outside marriage, it was revealed yesterday. The figure has soared from 37 per cent in just eleven years.
But the number of teenagers getting pregnant is DOWN, government figures show. And last night experts praised better sex advice for the cut.

In 1997, 62 girls out of 1,000 aged 15 to 19 conceived, a drop of one per cent on 1996. More than half miscarried or had abortions but 30 gave birth.

This was by far the highest rate in western Europe. Spain had eight births per 1,000 France seven and Holland four.

There were nine pregnancies among every 1,000 girls aged 13 to 15, a drop of five per cent. But there was a RISE in conceptions among older women. Pregnancies among every 1,000 aged 35 to 39 went up from 40.6 to 41.2.

And the figure among over-forties rose slightly to 8.7. Report author Karen Dunnell said this was due to better careers for women.

Sex adviser Alison Hadley said an "open attitude" had helped teenagers.

© MGN, Ltd, 1997, (0171-293-3000)

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