title: Teenage pregnancy and sexual health.
abstract: The under-18 conception rate in England is at a 40-year low but a further reduction is needed to reach levels in comparable western European countries. Sexually transmitted infections are common among young people, with chlamydia the most prevalent STI in the UK. To challenge this, a multi-agency approach is needed, with high-quality sex and relationships education, easy access to contraception and sexual health services and an open culture around relationships and sexual health. Nurses play a crucial role in supporting young people within both contraception and sexual health services and as trusted practitioners in a range of settings.
authors.affiliation: Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange, University of Bedfordshire. Alison.hadley@beds.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.affiliation: Sexual Health, University of Greenwich.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology