abortion teenage girl

Teenage girls are using abortions as contraception (File Photo)

Teenagers are using repeat abortions as a form of birth control, with some girls having four or more terminations by the age of 18, it has been claimed.

Nearly 1,500 of the 19,000 girls under 18 who had a termination last year had previously undergone one earlier abortion for an unwanted pregnancy – and in at least one case a teenage girl had her eighth abortion.

Department of Health data for 2008 reveals 74 teenagers had their third abortion and a further 15 girls under the age of 18 had previously had between three and six earlier abortions.

But the exact details remain hidden from public scrutiny because of Government secrecy on abortion figures owing to fears that patients could be identified.

Campaigners say the figures raise the possibility that for some girls abortion is not seen as a traumatic life event, but a routine way of dispensing with an unwanted pregnancy, even though it carries health risks that can harm fertility later in life.

It also points to the failure of contraception services for young people, as rather than going on the Pill, girls are choosing to take risks and have unprotected sex knowing they could get pregnant or expose themselves to sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia.

Pro-life campaigners argue that increasing availability of early medical abortion, by allowing it to take place in GPs’ surgeries, has served only to further promiscuity among teenagers who are ignorant of the health and emotional risks that may ensue.

Julia Millington of the Pro-Life Alliance said: ‘When girls of 18 are having three, four or more abortions we seriously need to question what is going on. It would seem abortion is being used as a form of contraception.

‘These girls are coming back again and again. Who is looking after their physical and emotional wellbeing? Surely it would be better for them not to get pregnant in the first place, but no one seems to want to question this use of repeat abortion on girls.’

Dr Kate Guthrie, consultant in sexual health and spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said she was shocked and saddened to learn about the repeat abortion figures.

But she added: ‘These girls are not the majority of under-18s. Women undergoing abortion do not find it pleasant and most make sure it does not happen again.’

A spokeswoman for the Family Planning Association said: ‘These figures represent a fragile group of young women, who may have other problems going on in their lives. We need to provide them with a better access to contraception to help reach them.’

really sad.

iice:

Why go through the pain of abortion when you can prevent that situation in the first place. . .like really common sense??

exactly! i wonder who gave them such useless idea of abortion being used as a BC

I don't know what happened to the SEVERAL methods of contraceptives and common sense. Abortion should never be a method of contraception.

Murderers.

These baby-killers get away with it because they have the law on their side.

HIO4:

These baby-killers get away with it because they have the law on their side.

even those who doesnt have the law on their side still gets away with it. so what gives?

Akinagirl:

I don't know what happened to the SEVERAL methods of contraceptives and common sense. Abortion should never be a method of contraception.

my dear, i tire ooo

one day, it might be their turn

~Sissy~:

even those who doesnt have the law on their side still gets away with it. so what gives?

my dear, i tire ooo

one day, it might be their turn

but with the law in their back pockets it's even more rampant.

There will always be those who will misuse the law. But just because a few thousands are stu.pid the remaining millions should not suffer from their stupidity.

How come they just cant prevent it?