To think all this talk of sex education is patronising to teenage mothers

[roseability]

A lot of teenagers want to start a family and know perfectly well how to use a condom

As a society we have actually created the problem by stigmatising teenage pregnancy. It doesn't conform to socioeconomic norms of educational and economic success thus it is wrong. By making it 'wrong' teenage mothers are marginalised and often receive poor antenatal care and fewer opportunities for themselves and their family.

There were actually more teenage mothers in the 1950s than in the 1990s. Of course in the 1950s it was acceptable to have a baby under the age of 20 (as long as you were married). I am not advocating forced marriage but the fact that society accepted it meant teenage mothers got a better deal (in terms of their image anyway)

Define teenager. There is a big difference between a 13 year old who does fall pregnant accidently through poor knowledge and a 19 year old who chooses to start a family young, but doesn't expect to be judged just because she isn't fulfilling society's expectations.

We are not going to stop teenage pregnancy. There are much wider socioeconomic, psychological and political issues surrounding young motherhood than sex education.

Personally I would be more worried about STDs and the damage to young people's health, this is where sex education should be aimed at.

I am sure teenage motherhood is tough and there are issues about the welfare of young mums and their babies but to conclude my point, it is society that has caused such issues. I am also sure that there are many great young mums doing a better job than older mothers.

The 'problem' with teenage pregnancies is it usually (not always) is equated with poverty of opportunity.

I think you are a bit. I agree a lot of teenagers want to get pregnant, but isn't that precisely the problem? Do they really understand exactly what they are getting themselves into?

good piece on Radio 4 this morning, talking about the Dutch experience. it does seem that Dutch children are taught more about relationships and respecting one another and their teenage pregnancy rate is much lower than ours; the UK's is the highest in Europe and second only to the US out of developing countries (I think).

If you are sixteen, comfortable in your own skin, prepared to take on all the challenges of parenthood while carrying on with your education, happy to forgoe socialising and paties, have family support, then yes, go for it, have a baby. But frankly how many teenage mothers fall into that category???

Poverty of opportunity is in some part caused by society's marginalisation of young mums

We should put some more effort and resources into supporting young mums, instead of making them the villians. Not all teenage pregnancies are unwanted

I don't agree at all.

UK is to politically correct to 'stigmatize' teenage pregnancy. If it were stigmatized, there would be much less of it.

Instead, UK has the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the Western world.

I agree with spero.

I don't know specifically what aspect of sex education you are alluding to, to be honest.

when I was in school we were taught about STD's and all kinds of stuff, how to have safe sex et etc.
that information is invaluable to everyone, regardless of whether they plan on becoming a teenage mum or not.

Don't you think we should be stigmatising teenage pregnancy?

I think it is just lazy media. They should say "unwanted pregnancies in young teenagers" or something like that. Of course lots of older teenagers have planned families.

Is the problem not with the term "teenage mother"? As you say, there's a huge difference between being a mother at 13 and at 19. It's a very tabloid type term which seems to have gained general useage, but isn't actually very useful.

I'm not sure how much more could be done to support young mothers - Sure Start, housing, support with education etc, its all out there. Very,very different to the 1960s and mother and baby homes etc.

Rather than supporting young girls to be mothers I think we should be following the dutch model and trying to help them respect themselves and their bodies and have some other aspiration than being some pillock's 'babymother'.

We all know what they mean.

Maybe schoolgirl pregnancy would be a better term.

We should put some more effort and resources into supporting young mums

But that's EXPENSIVE

Teenage pregnancy generally costs the Taxpayer MONEY, and usually results in poverty, which leads to more poverty

It is generally a very UNWISE choice

re "We should put some more effort and resources into supporting young mums"

Err... no.

Why exactly should those of us who postponed motherhood until we can support our babies be forced to pay for the irresponsible ones who decide to have babies before they can afford to?

Sorry, I do of course appreciate that there are some teenage mothers who are well placed to become parents and theirs is a well considered choice... but i think they are a tiny minority.

I would be very sad if my daughter wanted to become a mother in her teens. I would rather she explored all her educational/vocational opportunities first, which frankly is a lot easier without a baby in the equation.

We are already paying too much. Let their own families take care of them.

A lot do know what they are getting themselves into because their own mothers were young. Probably more than I knew, it was a complete shock and I was 27!

I suppose I believe in secondary health promotion e.g. support rather than prevent

It is unrealisitc to expect we will stop teenagers getting pregnant full stop.

They need to stop shagging the first thing that says "I love you, babe", and have some self-respect.

"Straw Man" is a logical fallacy.

Nobody said the intention was to "stop teenage pregnancy full stop".

i know quite a few that study in their late 20s and have time to dedicate to a career as their children are older

No, i agree we can't stop them all but it I think it is quite a sad reflection on our society that we top the list in Europe for numbers of teenage preganancies. Not a statistic to be proud of.

How about prevent rather than having to support for a lifetime afterwards?

yes, it is unrealistic, but look at it this way.

if there wasn't support for them out there (ie, free housing, benefits, sure start etc etc) then the risk of getting pregnant would be a huge one with huge implications and would be a pretty scary prospect.

what we have done, in trying to help those who do need it, is create a situation whereby if you accidentally get pregnant then it's really no big deal because you;'ll get everything handed to you on a plate.

i would imagine that the percentage of teenage mums whgo actually plan a child and have the resources to look after one is tiny.
no-one should have a child if they cannot house, clothe and feed it.

Many don't know the alternatives because they have no experience of life outside a cycle of pregnancy, babies and dependence

If they had more aspirations, things would be v different

I think a lot of the reason that our teenage pregnancy rate is so high is that the stigma has been removed. Acceptable isn't the right word, but it isn't shocking to hear of a thirteen year girl pregnant now like it would have been only 30 years ago.

There is so much help available to young mothers now and so many opportunities that there is almost no reason to NOT have a baby at a young age.

bah maybe it's natural selection

And it is not just the financial cost - you've got to think about the impact on the children of being bought up by a mother who may still emotionally be pretty child like herself.