Six times more teenage girls being given contraceptive implants

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDFeb 9 2012

According to new figures the number of girls aged 15 or younger having contraceptive implants has risen six-fold in only five years. Some 4,900 teenagers below the age of consent were given the devices last year, up from 800 in 2005/6.

The figures reveal that girls as young as 13, are having the implants fitted at school without their parents’ knowledge. As part of a scheme to reduce teenage pregnancy, nurses are visiting nine Southampton secondary schools and two sixth form colleges to offer the implants, which are inserted in the arm and release hormones into the blood.

Parents are angered by this knowledge and have accused schools of ‘going behind their backs’ and claimed the scheme is an ‘assault on their authority’. Although the Government claims it does not know how many local authorities run similar schemes, official figures reveal twice as many underage girls are having contraceptive implants or injections across England compared with five years ago.

According to the NHS Information Centre, 7,400 girls aged 15 or under had implants or injections last year, up from 2,900 in 2005/6. This included 2,500 who had injections last year, up from 2,100.

But Professor Anna Glasier, from the Department of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at Edinburgh University, said, “Parents react with horror when they find out their daughter is sexually active and their immediate reaction is “Who is this person giving them this contraception?” But if I had a 13-year-old who was sexually active, I would be a lot happier for her to have an implant than not having anything at all.”

Susan Trigger, headmistress of Bitterne Park School, one of the nine secondary schools in Southampton running the scheme, said it was a ‘very popular service’. She added, “Our open and honest approach means that it has been very successful and has taken teen pregnancy to zero. Parents don’t give children permission to have sex. Schools are no different to medical advice; it has to be completely confidential.”

Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said, “Parents send their children to school to receive a good education, not to be undermined by health workers who give their children contraceptives behind their backs. The last thing health authorities should be doing is fuelling the flames of promiscuity.”

A spokeswoman for Solent NHS Trust and NHS Southampton said, “We are committed to ensuring local young people are able to access clinically appropriate sexual health support.” There are now growing demands for a reassessment of the service – with Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead vowing to look into the surgical procedure being carried out on schools grounds.

Jeremy Moulton, Cabinet member for children’s services at Southampton City Council, said, “The council works in partnership with NHS Southampton to reduce the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies and ensure young people can access appropriate advice and support around sexual health. This can be a sensitive subject so it’s important that procedures are closely followed.”