Skip to main contentAccess keys help

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
News image
Last Updated: Friday, 25 November 2005, 21:38 GMT
Clinic set up to curb teen mums
Young mothers in Dartford
Teen pregnancy rates in Dartford are twice the national average
Health bosses have opened a sex education clinic in Dartford after figures revealed 10% of 15 to 17 year olds on one estate are pregnant.

The most recent findings from the Dartford Primary Care Trust (PCT) showed 217 girls fell pregnant over a two year period.

The special clinic every Wednesday offers advice on sex, relationships, and provides free condoms.

But the PCT said parents and schools also need to help curb the problem.

'Very frightening'

Quentin Williamson from the PCT said: "It needs parents to explain things to their children, it needs schools to offer effective sex and relationship education.

"We as a PCT want to prevent teenage pregnancies not least because children born to teenage mothers are 50% more likely to die than those born to older mothers."

Kelly Wilson, who was born when her mother was just 16, and who had the first of her four children at the same age, said she fears her eldest daughter may take the same path.

"It's very frightening, I'm worried they're going to make the same mistakes I did," she said.

"All they can do around here is come home, get drunk, hang around parks and do what you do when you're drunk."


RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites


PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

AmericasAfricaEuropeMiddle EastSouth AsiaAsia Pacific