FSRH Position Statement on Teenage Pregnancy

Our beliefs

Conception rates for girls under the age of 18 have more than halved since 2011, but there is still much to be done to bring rates down in line with the rest of Western Europe and tackle persistent regional inequalities. FSRH believes that it is crucial that young people are able to confidently access the full range of contraceptive methods available to them. Statutory relationships and sex education (RSE) is also essential to empower young people to take full control of their sexual and reproductive health and make informed decisions that would prevent unplanned pregnancies at a young age. 

Our Vision

We would like to see all SRH services meet the Department of Health’s ‘You’re Welcome’ quality criteria for young people friendly health services. We believe that all nations across the UK should actively pursue the implementation of evidence-based frameworks such as Public Health England’s Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Framework to ensure the success of teenage pregnancy prevention programmes at the local level. We also advocate a UK where age appropriate RSE is delivered effectively in all schools. Young people should be fully equipped with the knowledge and skills to confidently make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. With these mechanisms in place, we can significantly reduce teenage conception rates further.