Teenage birth rates at lowest level for 70 years

The number of teenagers having babies is at its lowest level in nearly 70 years, official figures have shown.

Britain has long had the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe.

But the number of babies born to teenage mothers in England and Wales last year is at its fewest since 1946, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The number of births by women under 20 years old has fallen from 29,136 in 2013 and a recent peak of 45,509 in 2006.

Almost half of all births in 2014 (47.5%) were to unmarried mothers - the highest figure since records began in 1938.

The average age of mothers giving birth last year - at 30.2 years old - was also the highest since records began.

Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said the decline in teenage births is noteworthy.

"This is due in part to the huge improvements we've seen in contraception advice and services for younger women, with straightforward access to abortion services when their chosen method lets them down.

"Women are often warned about the dangers of leaving it 'too late' to try for a family.

"This data confirms that far from facing a fertility cliff-edge at age 35, women still have a good chance of conceiving. We hope this provides some reassurance to them."