Burnley tops England’s teen pregnancy league

The town has the highest conception rate for girls under 16 from 2010 to 2012 – 13.8 per 1,000 girls in this age group.

Nationally, the three-year period between 2008-2010 saw 21,418 conceptions. This fell to 18,097 for the latest recorded three-year period from 2010 to 2012.

Steps are being taken to address the problem in Burnley, though, according to council chiefs.

County Coun. Azhar Ali, Cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We will be putting together a sexual health needs assessment in the next few months so we can focus our activities on areas that need most help to reduce the numbers of under-16s falling pregnant.

“In Burnley, a new youth zone is due to open where youth workers and other professionals will be on-hand to offer help and advice to young people, irrespective of their personal circumstances.

“Furthermore, the county council runs an advice service for young people called ‘The Line’. It offers guidance and support to young people by text, phone and online.”

Across Lancashire there has been a reduction in overall pregnancy figures for under-16s from 155 in 2011, to 118 in 2012. The conception rate per 1,000 women in this age group has fallen from 7.5 in 2011 to 5.8 in 2012.