One baby in every 10 born in England has a teenage mother, and almost 40,000 girls under 18 became pregnant in 2005. Almost half of these pregnancies ended in abortion, while the babies that are born to teenagers risk growing up in poverty with poor prospects for their health and education.
Although many of these pregnancies are unintentional, some girls do get pregnant deliberately, because they see motherhood as a better option than a dead-end job. While some of these young mums cope happily with their babies and have a stable relationship with the child's father, many others fare less well. Relationships often break down under the strain of parenthood or even before the baby is born. Young mothers can end up dependent on benefits, finding it hard to continue their education or training, or to get a good job in the future. It's also difficult for them to have much of a social life, and even harder to make new and lasting partnerships.
See Find out more for organisations offering help and advice to pregnant teenagers.
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