Pregnant 14-year-old says it's 'fashionable' as four friends are also expecting
By TOM KELLY and LUKE SALKELD - 23rd February 2007
Pregnant at 14: Kizzy Neal
A pregnant 14-year-old has told how having a baby is now regarded as "fashionable" among schoolgirls.
Kizzy Neal has been asked to give advice to four of her classmates who have also fallen pregnant since Christmas.
The teen, from Torbay in Devon, said: "When my friends see my bump they say they wish they could have a baby, then three weeks later they're pregnant and don't know what to do.
"Teenage girls think babies are cute, but they forget the physical side of being pregnant, then having to give up your own childhood to look after a baby.
"It seems to be fashionable to get pregnant."
Family campaigners said her comments showed how the Government's sex education policy had left teens with the "ridiculous but extremely worrying" misconception that having a child was no different to getting a new handbag.
Her revelations come as official figures show England and Wales have the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe - with the biggest increase among girls under 16.
Kizzy became pregnant the first time she had sex with her 13-year-old boyfriend.
She is due to give birth in May and aims to take three months off her studies at Paignton Community College in Devon, before resuming her GCSE lessons next September.
The teenager, who wants to become a social worker, said: "I'm lucky because my parents have stood by me. "Others think their parents will do the same, but that's not necessarily the case."
Her father Kevin, 43, blamed the rise in underage pregnancies on growing "gang culture" where teenagers hang around drinking, taking drugs and having sex.
He said: "There's a mentality that wearing a condom is 'uncool' whereas having sex is glamorised on the television and in music videos every day.
"As a parent it's quite horrifying to hear about all the young girls falling pregnant.
"The fact that Kizzy has had to help four pregnant girls just goes to show we're all failing somewhere.
"And it's not just the parents, the school and the local authority - it's a social problem."
His wife, Kerry, 41, insisted she 'couldn't have done more' to educate her daughter about the risks of under age sex.
She said: "No-one was to blame for her getting pregnant apart from herself. She was defiant.
"There's nothing for children to do in Paignton. I honestly think they get bored and think it's a fashionable thing to get pregnant."
Of the four other girls at aged 14 and 15 at Paignton Community College have also fallen pregnant, two have already had abortions, one is keeping her baby and the fourth is undecided what to do.
Dr Adrian Rogers, of pressure group Family Focus, said: "It is absolutely vital that we start to teach teenagers that having a baby is nothing like having a fashion accessory like a new handbag.
"Falling pregnant so young will damage their child's chances of wealth, health and happiness. In many cases it will also change the girl's body forever and make her anything but fashionable."
Norman Wells, from the pressure group Family and Youth Concern, said the sex education in schools had cheapened it and reduced it to a "casual recreational activity."
On Thursday, Labour announced it would conduct a major review of its sex education policy after figures from Office for National Statistics revealed that the number of pregnancies among under-18s in 2005 was 39,683, up from the 35,400 recorded a decade ago.
These included 7,917 pregnancies recorded among girls under 16. The bleak figures mean the Government is less than a quarter of the way to meeting its promise to halve pregnancy rates among under-18s in England by 2010.
By TOM KELLY and LUKE SALKELD - 23rd February 2007
Pregnant at 14: Kizzy NealA pregnant 14-year-old has told how having a baby is now regarded as "fashionable" among schoolgirls.
Kizzy Neal has been asked to give advice to four of her classmates who have also fallen pregnant since Christmas.
The teen, from Torbay in Devon, said: "When my friends see my bump they say they wish they could have a baby, then three weeks later they're pregnant and don't know what to do.
"Teenage girls think babies are cute, but they forget the physical side of being pregnant, then having to give up your own childhood to look after a baby.
"It seems to be fashionable to get pregnant."
Family campaigners said her comments showed how the Government's sex education policy had left teens with the "ridiculous but extremely worrying" misconception that having a child was no different to getting a new handbag.
Her revelations come as official figures show England and Wales have the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe - with the biggest increase among girls under 16.
Kizzy became pregnant the first time she had sex with her 13-year-old boyfriend.
She is due to give birth in May and aims to take three months off her studies at Paignton Community College in Devon, before resuming her GCSE lessons next September.
The teenager, who wants to become a social worker, said: "I'm lucky because my parents have stood by me. "Others think their parents will do the same, but that's not necessarily the case."
Her father Kevin, 43, blamed the rise in underage pregnancies on growing "gang culture" where teenagers hang around drinking, taking drugs and having sex.
He said: "There's a mentality that wearing a condom is 'uncool' whereas having sex is glamorised on the television and in music videos every day.
"As a parent it's quite horrifying to hear about all the young girls falling pregnant.
"The fact that Kizzy has had to help four pregnant girls just goes to show we're all failing somewhere.
"And it's not just the parents, the school and the local authority - it's a social problem."
His wife, Kerry, 41, insisted she 'couldn't have done more' to educate her daughter about the risks of under age sex.
She said: "No-one was to blame for her getting pregnant apart from herself. She was defiant.
"There's nothing for children to do in Paignton. I honestly think they get bored and think it's a fashionable thing to get pregnant."
Of the four other girls at aged 14 and 15 at Paignton Community College have also fallen pregnant, two have already had abortions, one is keeping her baby and the fourth is undecided what to do.
Dr Adrian Rogers, of pressure group Family Focus, said: "It is absolutely vital that we start to teach teenagers that having a baby is nothing like having a fashion accessory like a new handbag.
"Falling pregnant so young will damage their child's chances of wealth, health and happiness. In many cases it will also change the girl's body forever and make her anything but fashionable."
Norman Wells, from the pressure group Family and Youth Concern, said the sex education in schools had cheapened it and reduced it to a "casual recreational activity."
On Thursday, Labour announced it would conduct a major review of its sex education policy after figures from Office for National Statistics revealed that the number of pregnancies among under-18s in 2005 was 39,683, up from the 35,400 recorded a decade ago.
These included 7,917 pregnancies recorded among girls under 16. The bleak figures mean the Government is less than a quarter of the way to meeting its promise to halve pregnancy rates among under-18s in England by 2010.
uhhhh I really dont know what to say...
