Improving access to effective health education and contraceptive
services is seen as the main way to reduce the incidence of
pregnancy among teenagers. Although this is not only anissue for health professionals, the primary care team, in particular,
have an important role to play in reducing unwanted teenage
pregnancy, both in a health care setting and in schools.
General practitioners (GPs) have been advised on how to provide
teenager-friendly care:emphasis has been placed on the
importance of being approachable, alleviating concerns about
confidentialityand being aware of the ‘hidden agenda’ of
wanting to discuss contraception during routine consultations.
Efforts have been made to provide specific clinics for
teenagers.However, the value and effectiveness of most
teenage sexual health interventions have not been adequately
evaluated, and little is known of the cost implications for health
care provision of the workload and resources involved in providing
such services.