Teenage abortions in the UK hit all-time high

More teenagers are having abortions than ever before, fuelling a significant rise in the number of terminations in England and Wales. The abortion rate is continuing to rise with the biggest increase among under-18s. Despite huge Government spending on contraception education, 19-year-olds are now the most likely of any age group to have an abortion, with 35 in every 1,000 undergoing the procedure, according to official Department of Health figures. Previously the highest rate was among women aged 20-24 years. The number of girls aged under 16 and under 18 having abortions also increased last year, increasing concern that the procedure is now being seen as a form of contraception. The rise in the abortion rate comes just one week after a hard-hitting report - Sex, Drugs, Alcohol and Young People - from a Government-funded advisory group, warned British teenagers were in the grip of a sexual health crisis, fuelled by a "celebrity culture" that condoned alcohol abuse, drug addiction and promiscuity.