St Albans has the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy in England and Wales, according to new research.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data show the under-18 conception rate is the city is 7.6 pregnancies per 1,000 under 18 women, significantly lower than the national average of 24.5 conceptions.

The ONS also said he conception rate among women over 35 has been rising.

Conceptions outside of marriage or civil partnerships continued to outstrip those within them, with 57.2 per cent of pregnancies for all ages occurring outside of marriage in 2013, the same as the year before.

Public Health England (PHE) said the number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales has fallen to the lowest level since 1969 when records began, but warned that it was still important to tackle the underlying social issues.

 

Places with the highest rate of teenage pregnancy:

1. Tamworth ( 44 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

2. Stoke-on-Trent urban area ( 43.9 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

3. North east Lincolnshire ( 43.3 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

4. Blackpool urban area ( 41.7 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

5. Wrexham ( 41.2 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

 

Places with the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy:

1. St Albans (7.6 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

2. Mole Valley ( 7.7 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

3. Derbyshire Dales ( 7.8 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

4. East Cambridgeshire ( 8.6 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)

5. Horsham ( 9.1 pregnancies per under-18 1000 women)