The United Kingdom has the highest number of teenage pregnancies per year in Western Europe, according to figures by ONS.
It stands at number six on the list with the highest rates among Europe's poorest countries, despite a gradual decline from 2010 – 2015. The figures show that in 2014, for every 1000 women aged 15 – 17, there were 6.8 conceptions that resulted in birth.
However, this number pales in comparison to Bulgaria which had 35.5 births for every thousand women in this age category, putting it at number one.
Alison Hadley, Director of the Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange led the 10-year government programme to drive down UK teenage birth rates.
She said: "There is still inequality and that is associated with poverty, with young people not achieving well at school, with poor school attendance."
With the correlation of poverty, it does raise the question of why the UK is so high up on the list when it comes to the number of teenage pregnancies compared to its Western European neighbours which have the lowest rates.
The chart below shows the richest EU countries according to their gross domestic product.
"I think the interesting thing is in the 1970s, countries like the Netherlands, Sweden and as far as Germany – they all had similar teenage pregnancy rates to us.
“And they brought their rates down very successfully over the next three decades," added Ms Hadley.
Alison Hadley explains the reasons why teenage pregnancy rates in the UK rocketed over the last few decades.
Through the strategy of providing support and sex education in schools, numbers have been decreasing steadily since 2010.
However, there are arguments that providing sex education and contraception to young people only encourages them to have sex, backfiring the process. It came after research of schools in the United States that found that schools who handed out free condoms saw a 10% rise in teen births.
Ms Hadley opposed the research findings.
Katherine O'Brien, from British Pregnancy Advisory Service suggested that changes in behavior of social interaction between young people thanks to modern technology can only mean lesser chances of teenage sex.
"Young people are simply living very different lives in 2016 and these lifestyle shifts may in part, be responsible for the decline."
"Alcohol consumption is down dramatically, for example, and heavy drinking is linked to unplanned and unprotected sex. Teenagers are also increasingly socializing online, and for all its faults, it is safe to say that no one has ever fallen pregnant over Snapchat," she said.
Laura Russell from the Family Planning Association said that like the countries with the lowest rates of teenage births, the UK needs to strive towards lowering its own numbers through being even more open in regards to sex education.
She said: “A lot of people point to the differences in education between the UK and countries which have much lower rates of teenage pregnancy.
“They tend to have much better sex and relationships education and it begins earlier. Young people are more informed and empowered in their choices growing up, and we see much better health outcomes.”
Contrary to arguments that schools providing contraception is a backfire method to reducing the number of teenage births, Ms Russell said that it's important for young people to have easy access to contraception, including in schools to "to help prevent unplanned pregnancy and, when using condoms, to also help protect against sexually transmitted infections."
She added: “It is also important to acknowledge that not all teenage pregnancies are unplanned or unwanted, and just because someone is a teenager does not mean they can’t be a great parent.”
However, the reality for teenage mothers can be harsh.
In a speech to Parliament in April 2016, Sharon Hodgson MP, the Shadow Minister for Public highlighted the struggle and consequences for many teenage mothers.
She said: "The fact that 21% of women aged between 16 and 18 who are not in education, employment or training are teenage mothers shows that teenage pregnancy is not only a cause but a consequence of the educational and health inequalities in our society."
"Although it was welcome news that England last month achieved the long-held target of a 50% reduction—it actually achieved 51%—in the under-18 conception rate between 1998 and 2014, this is no time to be complacent," she said.
Kevin Fenton, director for Health and Wellbeing, Public Health England, said: "It is encouraging to see that the pregnancy rate for under 18s has declined by 11 per cent over the last year in England.
“The health of teenage parents and their children tends to be poorer, so we will aim to continue to maintain the downward trend by ensuring all young people are equipped to make informed choices, and young parents are supported to keep themselves and their children healthy."
