In 2004, 39,545 girls in England became pregnant before they were 18. Of these, 7,179 were under 16. This represents an under 18 conception rate of 41.5 (per thousand females aged 15-17).1

In Scotland, the statistics were similar, with 9,322 conceptions in girls under 20 (706 of them under 16), an under 20 rate of 42.4 per thousand.2

The figures for Wales for 2003 show a slightly higher rate, with 45.7 conceptions per thousand girls under 18, 8.2 per 1000 girls under 16.3

Figures for Northern Ireland are compiled rather differently but, during 2004, 6.7% of all live births were to girls under 20.4 The total number of conceptions can only be estimated because, since abortions cannot legally be performed in Northern Ireland, the only data available for the number of pregnancies which are terminated relate to abortions performed legally in England.4 Estimated on this basis, 22,464 Northern Ireland teenagers became pregnant in 2004 (22,318 live births, 146 terminated).4