THE number of teenage pregnancies in Swindon has not changed for five years

despite a massive sex education drive.

Figures released yesterday showed there were 167 teenage pregnancies in 2003 exactly the same number as in 1998 when the Government launched its National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.

Between 1998 and 2001 the number actually increased to 189 before falling back to 167, according to the Office Of National Statistics.

Swindon's Primary Care Trust said a rising teenage population in the town meant the teenage pregnancy rate had fallen by 9.2 per cent.

But Swindon appears to be a long way from hitting a Government target to halve teenage pregnancies by 2010.

Swindon MP Julia Drown said: "This is disappointing, although we can be comforted by the fact the overall population of teenagers is increasing.

"I do not think the money spent on campaigns has been wasted. There would have been a lot more pregnancies if this work had not taken place."

Swindon PCT teenage pregnancy co-ordinator, Fran Birch, said: "These figures

are encouraging and make us more determined to keep the focus on tackling issues surrounding teenage pregnancy.

"We will continue to focus our activity in those areas with the highest rates, working with young people to ensure that those most at risk can access the services they need."

Nationally, 42,200 girls under 18 conceived in England and Wales in 2003, a rise of 200 on 2002. However, the rate of teenage pregnancies fell from 42.8 per thousand of women under 18 in 2002 to 42.3 per thousand in 2003.

The teenage pregnancy strategy, launched by Tony Blair in 1999, allocated £138m to March this year to cut the number of conceptions among under-18s.

It set twin targets: To halve that conception rate by 2010 and to increase by 60 per cent the teenage mothers in education, training or work.

A spokeswoman said the Department For Education And Skills was training more teachers to give sex education lessons and recruiting more school nurses. Efforts to persuade teenagers to stay at school had also been increased.

The DFES spokeswoman said: "Teenage pregnancies are on a downward trend. But we know more needs to be done to meet our target in 2010."

Mother-of-two Kim Seymour, 22, from Penhill, believes the sex education programme does not do enough to stop teenage pregnancy.

Mrs Seymour, who has two daughters, Megan-Rose, four and Ella, who is going to be two next week, became pregnant while still a teenager.

"Teenagers are only taught sex education in Year 7 and it only covers the dangers of having sex and not the effects of having a baby," she said.

"People are not given the whole picture about pregnancy and not told the real dangers of childbirth.

"Pregnancy is not easy and I would advise any girl thinking of it to really, really know what they are doing. It turns your whole life upside down."

Mark Hookham