Andy Love MP encouraged by Enfield teenage pregnancy statistics

Edmonton MP Andy Love was encouraged by figures released yesterday by the Department for Children, Schools and Families showing that Enfield teenage pregnancy rates for 2008 were down to 4.2 percent from 4.8 percent in 2007.

This means that, year on year, six fewer teenagers in every 1,000 are getting pregnant across the borough, which is an actual decrease of 26 pregnancies from 261 in 2007 to 235 in 2008, and the lowest figure in Enfield for over a decade.

Enfield is not far off the national under-18 conception rate for England which, in 2008, was 4 percent, and which has also seen a considerable reduction thanks to the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. Last year alone an additional £26.8 million was invested in promoting contraception.

The Office of National Statistics figures come after false accusations published in a document by Conservative leader David Cameron last week claiming that over half of teenage girls in the poorest areas fell pregnant. Even in the ten poorest areas the pregnancy rate is 5.1 percent – nowhere near 50 percent!

Welcoming the figures, Andy said…

“I’m encouraged by the newly-released figures showing that teenage pregnancy in Enfield is down to its lowest rate in over a decade. I’m well aware that there is more still to be done and that’s why I’m pleased that the Government is redoubling its efforts to reduce teenage pregnancies further still through the renewed Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.”