The number of pregnancies in the under 18s has almost halved in Kent over the the past six years, latest figures reveal.

Sexual health experts put the trend down to better access to contraceptives, and a shift in priorities among a younger generation more focused on their career.

New Office for National Statistics data shows 16 in every 1,000 women aged between 15 and 17 became pregnant in Kent in 2017, compared with 31 six years earlier.

In Medway, where the information is collated separately, the figure is 22 in every 1,000 - a drop from 39 six years before.

Katherine O’Brien, associate director of communications and campaigns at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: “There is no doubt that improved access to contraception, particularly highly-effective long-acting methods such as the contraceptive implant, has had a significant impact.

“This may be in part due to improvements in the information we are giving our young people, but wider societal shifts are also being reflected in the downward trend.

“We know that young people today are very much focused on their education, determined to succeed in a challenging economic environment, and feel that having a child at this stage will be disruptive to their life goals.”

In 2017, there were 423 pregnancies among women aged 15 to 17 in Kent - half of which ended with an abortion.

Medway saw 103 pregnancies in the same age bracket and a 59% abortion rate.

Ms O’Brien added: “Far from the stereotype of groups of teenagers binge drinking, young people are consuming alcohol at much lower levels, spending significant amounts of time socialising with friends online rather than face-to-face.”

Across England and Wales, there were 847,204 conceptions among women of all ages, of which 16,740 were aged between 15 to 17.

But Natika Halil, chief executive of sexual health charity FPA, warned the battle was not yet won.

She said: “It’s concerning to see the cuts to sexual health services across the country, which could so easily undermine this hard-won achievement.”

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