Society frowns upon the promiscuous behaviour of teenage girls, as it results in pregnancy without parental responsibility by fathers. I have contact with several teenagers who are sexually promiscuous. One at 19 now has cervical cancer; others deliberately became pregnant to try to keep the father as a lover. However teenage boys are less committed to a sexual partner. Hence the young mum is abandoned to welfare and parents.

Attitudes have changed. Most people have a less judgemental approach to life and deal with the issues as presented. The old church based shame at unmarried mothers (as adulterers) no longer carries any weight.

However, with education becoming more and more important and teens not adopting out their offspring, a youthful pregnancy usually has serious economic consequences for the girl for the rest of their lives.

In poor families where this tends to occur more frequently, this simply reinforces the cycle of poverty.

This is why I support free contraception being offered at school without needing the parents permission as early as 14.

Several teens I know ceased taking the pill as they wanted to become pregnabt thinking it would secure their relationship with the boy.