Around one in 15 of all births are to young women under-20 – around 45,000 births in 2006.
Meeting the needs of these young women and their partners more effectively will improve the life chances of the young parents and their children, while also helping to meet the national and local targets on early access to maternity care; on reducing infant mortality, smoking and teenage conceptions; and on increasing breastfeeding.
This guide makes the case for increased attention to the planning, organisation and delivery of maternity services for teenagers and gives practical suggestions on how to achieve a high quality service that meets their needs.
