Teen pregnancies up for the first time in 14 years

Dr Taylor said teenage pregnancy is "about safeguarding".

The government has been urged to do more after a recent spike in teenage pregnancies across the country.

Gosport was among the towns in England to see the largest increase in the most recent data with 28.8 conceptions per 1,000 women under-18.

The Local Government Association (LGA) - which represents local councils nationally - said the government must "act now" to "stop any further rise".

The government said it "supports local authorities and helps them address teenage pregnancy through education, advice and health services".

The most recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics are for 2022 and show conception rates rose both for girls aged 16 to 17 years and for girls under 16 years.

Despite these increases, rates remained below pre-pandemic levels.

'Working together locally'

Reflecting on the latest findings for Gosport which saw the fourth highest rise in England and Wales, Hampshire County Council said they remained focused on ensuring young people had access health services that helped them make informed choices about relationships and contraception.

They added: "Teenage pregnancy rates in Gosport continue to fall, in line with a wider downward trend across Hampshire. While there was a small rise in 2022, Gosport recorded just 38 under-18 conceptions, and the overall rate remains well below the national average, part of a 66% drop since 1998."

The first Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England was introduced in 1999 and since then there has been a more than 50% decrease in under-18 conception rates across the country.

In reaction to the recent increase the LGA has warned against complacency.

Councillor Dr Wendy Taylor, chair of the LGA's health and wellbeing committee said councils had led the way in reducing teenage pregnancies.

"We must now build on the achievements of the past 25 years by tackling persistent inequalities, digital exclusion, school absence and pandemic legacies.

"We urge the Government to act now, restore national leadership for local delivery and invest in prevention and early help to stop any further rise in teenage pregnancies," she said.

The Department for Health and Social Care said as well as supporting local authorities through education, advice and health services it's new Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance "responds to the realities facing children today, making sure that all young people understand healthy relationships and how to access sexual health and family planning clinics."