THE National Health Service has been giving girls as young as 13 contraceptive injections and implants that make them infertile for up to three years, in an attempt to cut teenage pregnancies.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that in a sample of five primary care trusts, seven 13- year-old girls have received either an implant or an injection in the past year.

If, as thought likely by experts, this pattern is mirrored across England’s 302 trusts, about 400 13-year-olds will have received long-lasting contraceptives.

The figures also show children as young as 12 have been given the morning-after pill. In the same five trusts, one 12- year-old girl and 40 13-year-old girls have been given the emergency contraception after unprotected sex in the past year.

The figures suggest that across England about 2,400 girls aged 13 received the morning-after pill in 2004.

Many parents are likely to be alarmed by the figures, particularly because medical staff do not routinely inform parents of the treatment without the child’s consent.

Tim Loughton, shadow minister for children, said: “This is further worrying evidence the government is losing the battle for responsible sexual behaviour in young people.

“The potential side effects of giving these contraceptive chemicals to such young girls is also worrying.” He pointed to evidence of side effects such as premature bone loss.

However, health professionals say providing contraception to girls is preferable to the alternative.

“It is not ideal for 13-year-olds to be having sex but it is important that services are there for them,” said Janet Barter, consultant in reproductive and sexual health for Enfield primary care trust, where 11 girls aged 13 received the morning-after pill last year.

“The real failure would be if someone had had unprotected sex and could not get hold of emergency hormonal contraception,” she added. Most of the girls were given the emergency contraceptive at a chemist’s shop.

National figures from the Department of Health show that in the most recent year for which data are available, 2,700 girls aged under 16 were given contraceptive injections and 300 were given contraceptive implants. These statistics are not broken down into year groups, however.

The Sunday Times requested the new statistics from 20 randomly chosen primary care trusts. So far only five — Bolton in Lancashire; Bromley, Croydon and Enfield in London; and Central Cheshire — have released full information.

Doctors say the injections and implants are the most effective method of preventing pregnancy and are popular among girls who do not want their parents to know they are having sex.

Dr Martyn Walling, a Lincolnshire GP who runs a special family planning clinic for teenagers, said the figures reflected the situation around the country and that other 12-year-olds across England would also be using emergency contraception.

“These figures would be representative of other areas. Unfortunately, we do occasionally see 12-year-olds to discuss contraception,” said Walling.

Additional reporting: Tom Baird

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