Figures released by the department of health
un-der the freedom of information act (FOIA) show that contraceptive injections
were given to 750 girls aged 14 or under in England during a single year.
Contraceptive implants were given to another 150 girls in the same age group.
The data, for the year 2004-05, the latest available, shows that injections
were also given to 1,920 15-year-olds, and implants to 290 15-year-olds.
The treatments are being given on the NHS in an attempt to curb the
number of teenage pregnancies.
But the new figures are bound to worry parents who often feel helpless about
their daughters obtaining contraceptive treatments without their authority
– or even their knowledge.
It suggests that the government is losing the battle to encourage responsible
sexual behaviour amongst teenagers and raises a question about the potential
of side effects of such long-lasting treatments on so many young girls.
Injections of the hormone progestogen prevent conception for up to
12 weeks. Implants, which are inserted under the skin of the upper arm, stops
pregnancies for up to three years by releasing the same hormone in the body.
But there is concern that such powerful drugs can, for example, reduce bone
density
A survey of five hospitals showed last month that girls as young as
13 were receiving contraceptive injections and implants. These latest figures
reveal the extent of such treatments for young girls in England.
Although not broken down by younger age groups, they show that the
level of these contraceptive treatments were similar the previous year, although
they have risen over the last three years. In 2002-03, there were 60 girls
aged 14 or under and 100 15-year-olds who received contraceptive implants.
The latest year also saw 7,920 girls aged 14 or under being given the
“morning-after” pill in England during the year 2004-05.
Another 16,440 15-year-old girls were also given the pill in that time.
The total of 24,360 girls aged under 16 is slightly lower than the previous
two years.
However, the data only represents girls making first visits to family
planning clinics because it is not collected by the department of health for
GP surgeries.
Another version of this article first appeared in the Mail on
Sunday.
FOIA
Centre commentary
Campaigners reacted to these figures, released by the department of health
under FOIA, by warning that these treatments would encourage promiscuous behaviour
and fuel the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Norman Wells, director of family planning and youth concern, said:
“Offering contraceptive injections and implants to girls under 16 is
to give them a licence to engage in illegal sexual relationships. We cannot
think of any other area where the government facilitates law-breaking, or
at least sets out to mitigate the consequences of unlawful conduct.”
However, a spokesman for the family planning association said: “These
girls will have had consultations and advice from health professionals and
this would have been considered the best option for them.”
Which ever side of the debate is right, there is no doubt that it is
informed by having the facts in the public domain. This example demonstrates
how campaigners can unearth through FOIA basic, and even rather astonishing,
facts that highlight an issue.
Comment on this article
Headlines
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||