Big rise in abortions among under-age girls

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON (Reuters) - The number of abortions among under 14s rose by more than a fifth last year, one of the biggest increases in terminations across all age groups, the government said on Thursday.

There were 135 abortions carried out among under 14s in England and Wales in 2006, rising to 163 in 2007, according to Department of Health figures. But it was less than a peak of 168 in 2002.

The Family Planning Association (FPA) charity said the figures showed the need for more sex education in schools.

"Now must be the time to make sex and relationships education compulsory and taught in every school in the country," Chief Executive Julie Bentley said.

"Younger women are making different choices about their lives and choosing abortion over motherhood, but education and contraceptive services will stop them becoming pregnant in the first place."

Abortions among 14-year-olds also rose, by 11 percent to 1,008. The number among under 15s rose 12 percent to 1,171.

The total number of abortions carried out on girls too young to legally have sex rose 10 percent to 4,376.

Concerns about teenage sex and unwanted pregnancies were fuelled by figures which showed 19-year-olds having the highest rate of abortions for the second year in a row, at 36 per 1,000 women, compared with 35 in 2006.