Teenage Pregnancies Rise in England and Wales Amid Calls for Renewed National Action

Strategic Insights -

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that teenage pregnancies have increased for the second year in a row in England and Wales, reversing a long-term decline before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Forest of Dean, a specific region, 22 pregnancies for women under 18 were recorded in 2022, an increase from 15 the previous year and 27 in 2020. The local government association has called for renewed national action on prevention, citing the rising trend as a risk of complacency.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales rose for the second year in a row in 2022, after eleven years of year-on-year decline before the pandemic, with 14,233 pregnancies recorded.
  • The increase in teenage pregnancies is sharper than the overall number of pregnancies across the two countries, which rose by 1% in 2022 compared to the previous year.
  • The Local Government Association warned of a risk of complacency and called for renewed national action on prevention, citing persistent inequalities, digital exclusion, school absence, and pandemic legacies.
  • The percentage of teenage pregnancies recorded in England and Wales in 2022 that were for women under 16 was 17%, or 2,369 pregnancies.
  • The Government spokesperson acknowledged the rise in teenage pregnancies and stated that they support local authorities in addressing the issue through education, advice, and health services.

Statistics:

  • 22 pregnancies for women under 18 were recorded in the Forest of Dean in 2022.
  • The rate of teenage pregnancies in the Forest of Dean was 15 per 1,000 women under 18, above the 14 per 1,000 average across England and Wales.
  • The number of pregnancies for women under 18 in England and Wales increased by 8% in 2021 and 13% in 2020 compared to the previous year, respectively.
  • The overall number of pregnancies in England and Wales in 2022 was 834,260, a 1% increase from the previous year.
  • The Government's new Relationships, Sex, and Health Education guidance aims to ensure that young people understand healthy relationships and how to access sexual health and family planning clinics.

Sources:

  • "Teen pregnancies rise by nearly half in Gloucestershire -- as number starts increasing again in England and Wales" (https://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news/teen-pregnancies-rise-by-nearly-half-in-gloucestershire-as-number-starts-increasing-again-in-england-and-wales-834465)
  • "Road closures: more than a dozen for the Forest of Dean drivers over the next fortnight" (https://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news/road-closures-more-than-a-dozen-for-the-forest-of-dean-drivers-over-the-next-fortnight-834332)
  • "Forest of Dean's rental revenue revealed" (https://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news/forest-of-deans-holiday-rental-revenue-unveiled-in-new-study-833688)
  • "Forest man's new menu promotes local produce and healthy living at Chepstow business" (https://www.theforestreview.co.uk/news/forest-of-deans-scott-edwards-debuts-new-menu-promoting-local-produce-and-healthy-living-at-chepstow-business-833630)