Adolescent sexual health

Recent data from the Health Protection Agency shows that the rates of sexually transmitted infections in young people continue to rise. UK figures also show that we continue to have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe.Sexual health is a serious public health concern with long-term implications on health and fertility. Improving the sexual health of our teenagers and preventing teenage pregnancy is a national priority with a current UK aim to halve conception rate of under 18s and set a downward trend in the rate for under 16s by 2010. If we are to achieve this ambitious target, paediatricians need to consider the sexual health needs of our teenage population and recognise times where we are able to offer advice, screening or signposting to local sexual health services.