Melton’s teenage pregnancy rate is lowest in the county

Only 4.7 per 1,000 females in that age group conceived in Melton in the latest statistics, which relate to the year 2017, compared to a much higher rate of 17.5 per 1,000 females in north-west Leicestershire.

The news comes as it is revealed that teenage pregnancy figures for under 18s across the county are down for the 10th consecutive year.

The annual rate for 2017 decreased to 12.3 per 1,000 females aged 15 to 17 compared to a 12.9 per cent decrease when the 2016 figures were released.

The new figures also show that there has been a reduction of just over two-thirds in Leicestershire since 1998 - from 408 conceptions to 135 in 2017.

Across the county the teenage pregnancy rate has remained significantly lower than the annual rate in the East Midlands region and in England as a whole.

Five districts in Leicestershire witnessed a decrease compared to the previous year, with Oadby and Wigston seeing the greatest improvement.

Mike Sandys, director of public health at Leicestershire County Council, said: “We’re delighted that once again there’s been a decline in teenage pregnancy and shows that our approach, and that of our partners, is working.

“Our aim is to see a continued progress in the future.”

Among the initiatives carried out by County Hall officials has been a further roll-out of the C-Card condom distribution scheme, plus free, high-quality school training on relationship and sex education and also the provision of support for teenage parents through children’s centres and meeting groups for teenage parents.