PREGNANT teenagers in the Epping Forest District are the most likely to turn to abortion in the UK, figures have revealed.

The surpising statistics show the district has a higher rate of teenage abortion than any London Borough, or UK city.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that from 2005-07, 188 girls under 18 fell pregnant in the district, of these nearly eight in 10, the highest rate in the UK, chose to terminate their pregnancy.

This is a 10 percent hike on the period 2002-2004 -when 164 teenage girls aged fell pregnant, but only 68 percent chose to end their pregnancy.

One young mum said she found thestatistics “shocking”

Nicola Philpot, now aged 25, fell pregnant with her first child Felicity aged just 16.

She had her second child, Tom, when she was 19 and admits that while being a teenage mum can be hard, she has no regrets.

She said: “I’ve never regretted having children young, as they get older i’ll still be quite young. It’s different in each case, if people are in a stable relationship then that’s fine.

“I wouldn’t advise anyone to get pregnant in their teens, I didn’t find it that hard because I had the support of my husband Joe.”

She added: “I don’t personally agree with abortion, unless there’s a really good reason. At the end of the day you’re penalising a child for something that isn’t their fault.

“I didn’t even think there was that much abortion going on around here."

Athena Daniels, NHS West Essex (primary care trust) health improvement specialist, said most teens were realising the implications of becoming a parent.

She said: “Higher aspirations may also be a factor. The challenge is to ensure teenagers delay sexual activity and use effective contraception when eventually entering into sexual relationships.

She added: "For those who choose to become parents, life as a teenage parent is hard, with outcomes for them and their children often very poor, which is why efforts are also being made to provide the right support to improve the welfare of both the teenage parents and child.”

NHS West Essex is working with the County Council to tackle the growing problem.

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy aims to give teens greater access to contraception, by handing out free condoms and emergency “morning-after” pills at various surgeries held for teens across the district.