Teenagers casual approach to contraception is increasing pregnancy and STI rates

PA


New research has shown that teenagers' casual approach to using contraception is sending rates of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases soaring.

A survey undertaken to mark World Contraception Day (today) found that a staggering 43% of teens admitted they did not use condoms - a worrying increase on the 36% who said the same in 2009.

When asked if they felt they were "very well informed" about how to avoid getting pregnant, only 55% of girls said they were.

A quarter of the youngsters polled admitted they had unprotected intercourse because their "partner does not like using contraception", whilst 15% admitted it was because they were drunk at the time of their sexual encounters.

Amazingly, 16% of teenagers thought the withdrawal method was a safe and effective form of contraception, whilst 6% thought having sex during a woman's period would be safe.

The World Contraception Day researchers spoke to 6,000 teens in 29 countries. They found that only 55% of young Europeans receive sex education, compared with 78% in Latin America, 76% in Asia and 74% in the US. The research concluded that an estimated 41% of the world's 208 million pregnancies every year are unplanned.

Denise Keller from World Contraception Day said: "Teenagers globally fail to get trustworthy information about sex and contraception so the myths flourish."

Wow. Staggering figures.
Can you believe teenagers' apparent ignorance when there is SO much information around?