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Schoolgirl pregnancy pact

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Pregnant woman

A school in Massachusetts, America, is investigating reports of a 'pregnancy pact' among its schoolgirls, after a surge in the number of teenage girls expecting babies.

A report from Time magazine has revealed that 17 girls at a school in the predominantly Catholic fishing town, Gloucester, with a population of just 30,000, are pregnant – four times as many as last year. All 17 of the girls at Gloucester High School are 16 or younger.

The headmaster of the school, Joseph Sullivan, spoke to the magazine saying last autumn officials spotted a number of girls at the school had been requesting pregnancy tests from the clinic. By May this year, the clinic's nurse had distributed 150 tests and some students were returning for more.

Mr Sullivan explained: 'Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were.'

After questioning the schoolgirls, almost half confessed to making a pact with their friends to get pregnant and raise their children together.

Some of the fathers were men in their twenties and Mr Sullivan explained: 'We found out one of the father is a 24-year-old homeless guy.'

Teenage pregnancy in the US has increased for the first time in 14 years. Some blame films like Juno and Knocked Up, claiming they are pro-pregnancy. Whilst celebrities like Jamie Lynn Spears are also being blamed, after the 17-year-old sister of Britney gave birth to a baby girl yesterday.

Friday 20 June 2008

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Juno's an awesome film if anything it teaches kids 2 take responsibility for their actions.
Comment by rose on June 23 00:42

Teenage sex shouldn't be the norm, yes a very small minority have always experimented but nothing like the third of fourteen year olds who are no longer virgins today. I blame sex education that doesn't teach them to wait until they are 16 (or even 18, why not, pretty certain I had no sex drive at all at that age) and lack of stigma, parenting where parents are parents not 'friends' and self respect. It's all very well pushing contraception at young people but most of the time they're sleeping around because they're drunk in the first place and most that age are too immature to use contraception or insist the boy they sleep with use a condom. There is also an element of getting pregnant deliberately, believe you me, had a friend in the Citizens Advice Bureau and she swears they come in BEFORE they get pregnant to investigate benefits and housing available.
Comment by Cate G on June 24 02:27

Teenage sex is the norm full stop, you can fight your way through it trying to blame films! How ridiculous is that? - but when it comes down to it it's in our nature to want sex. Get over it, just because a bunch of stupid girls got themselves pregnant doesn't mean every other teenage is as pathetic.
Comment by Laura on June 24 09:40

I blame parents because parents should always talk to their daughters about waiting or at least about condoms... I'm 18 and got pregnant at 16 but you cannot blame films... all teenagers who get pregnant shouldn't have abortion or give their babies for adoption.... I was going to have an abortion but my baby daddy told me he would be there so I didn't... 2 yrs later.... he is still with me.... our baby is all growing up.... a man who gets a girl pregnant should take responsibility...
Comment by juanita on August 16 20:10