Teen mum rise for part of county

The number of teenage pregnancies in parts of Shropshire has risen by three per cent, official figures reveal today.

A total of 168 women aged under 18 fell pregnant in Telford & Wrekin in 2008 - up from 162 in 2007.

Across the rest of the county, there was a four per cent drop from 183 to 176, during the same period.

The latest data was released by the Office for National Statistics. It showed a four per cent drop - down from 42,988 to 41,325 - across England and Wales. Of these young women, 49 per cent had an abortion, compared with 50 per cent in 2007.

The Government has pledged to halve teenage pregnancy rates among girls under 18 by this year, but is widely expected to miss that target. Schools Secretary Ed Balls defended the Government's record on teenage pregnancies. He said the statistics showed the rate was now the lowest it had been for well over a decade.

But he conceded that it was going to be "really hard" to achieve the pledged target of a 50 per cent decline on 1998 figures by 2010. Commenting on the latest figures, he added: "This has been really successful. But it is not enough."

Since 2002 the number of teenage girls falling pregnant in England and Wales has been steadily falling, despite a slight rise in 2007.

Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "Last year's increase was very disappointing so I am particularly pleased that today's statistics put us back on track."