Fewer teen pregnancies recorded in Wigan
Fewer teenage pregnancies were recorded in Wigan in 2022, recent figures show.
Meanwhile the number rose for the second year in a row in England and Wales, after a long-term decline before the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting the Local Government Association to call for "renewed national action on prevention".
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show 103 pregnancies for women under 18 were recorded in Wigan in 2022 – the most recent statistics available.
It was down 15 per cent from 121 the previous year, and 13% from 119 in 2020.
And it means there were 19 teenage pregnancies per 1,000 women under 18 in the area – which was above the 14 per 1,000 average across England and Wales.
Teenage pregnancies across the two nations rose for the second year in a row in 2022, after eleven years of year-on-year decline before the pandemic.
Some 14,233 pregnancies for women under 18 were recorded in England and Wales in the recent year – up eight per cent from 13,131 in 2021 and a 13 per cent increase from 12,576 in 2020.
While it follows an upward trend in the overall number of pregnancies across the two countries since 2020, teen pregnancies have increased more sharply.
Around 834,260 pregnancies were recorded for women of all ages in 2022, which was only up one per cent from 824,983 the previous year, and two per cent from 817,515 in 2020.
Though the number of teenage pregnancies remains below levels seen pre-pandemic, the Local Government Association warned the rising trend "signals a risk of complacency" and called for "renewed national action on prevention".
Coun Dr Wendy Taylor, chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: "We must now build on the achievements of the past 25 years by tackling persistent inequalities, digital exclusion, school absence and pandemic legacies.
"Teenage pregnancy is not just a public health issue, it’s about safeguarding, education, and social justice.
"Supporting young parents is equally vital to improving outcomes and breaking cycles of disadvantage.
"We urge the Government to act now, restore national leadership for local delivery and invest in prevention and early help to stop any further rise in teenage pregnancies."
Karen Middleton, head of campaigns and policy at the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, said more focus should be paid to supporting the mental health of young mothers.
She said: "We know that young mums are at greater risk of experiencing perinatal mental illness, yet they often face stigma and additional barriers to accessing the right support.
"With recent figures showing a rise in teenage conceptions, it is vital that we ensure young parents receive timely, compassionate mental health care during and after pregnancy."
The ONS figures show 17 per cent (2,369) of the teenage pregnancies recorded in England and Wales in 2022 were for women aged under 16.
This included 15 pregnancies for women under 16 in Wigan.
A Government spokesperson said: "The Government supports local authorities and helps them address teenage pregnancy through education, advice and health services.
"Our new Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance also responds to the realities facing children today, making sure that all young people understand healthy relationships and how to access sexual health and family planning clinics."