Half teenage mothers were taking the Pill

The majority of teenage girls who become pregnant have been responsible and sought contraceptive advice from their doctor but half of them still conceive despite being on the pill.

The majority of teenage girls who become pregnant have been responsible and sought contraceptive advice from their doctor but half of them still conceive despite being on the pill.

A study published in the British Medical Journal shows that Britain's high teenage pregnancy rate is not, as previously assumed, caused by ignorance about contraception or young girls being too embarrassed to visit their doctor.

Nearly three-quarters of teenagers who became pregnant had sought contraceptive advice from their doctor in the previous year and 50 per cent had been prescribed regular oral contraception, the research shows.

Britain still has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in western Europe, despite government initiatives to tacklethe problem. In 1998, 101,500 women under 20 conceived; about two-thirds went on to become mothers.

The study of 240 teenage girls showed that one in five of those who became pregnant opted for an abortion. Many had taken the morning after pill, but didn't use it effectively.