More contraceptive injections for city teens

Health officials in Nottingham have been told to give out more contraceptive injections in a bid to tackle high teen pregnancy rates.

The city is reported to be one of 21 areas singled out by the Government where the number of teens becoming pregnant has not dropped.

A letter was sent to the city council and its primary care trust calling for an increase in 'long-acting reversible contraception'.

The Government also wants the city to establish more contraception clinics in schools.

A Department of Health spokesperson denied a national newspaper report that 13-year-old girls would be forced to have contraceptive injections.

She said: "The vast majority of 13 year olds are not sexually active.

"Our teenage pregnancy strategy is about providing effective sex and relationships education to ensure young people have the skills to delay sex until they are ready."

The Post reported earlier this year that clinics would be set up in Nottingham secondary schools to provide pupils with contraception and the morning-after pill.

A study found teenage pregnancy rates in Nottingham were largely unchanged despite millions of pounds spent on the problem.