School sex education and the causes of unintended teenage pregnancies

Abstract

THE provision of sex education in British schools has improved both in quality and quantity in recent years. Evaluation sug gests that it has a favourable influence on knowledge and atti tudes, but little direct effect on sexual behaviour. Unintended teenage pregnancies are prob ably caused more by lack of anticipation than by simple ignorance. Promising strategies for a reduction in incidence in clude the use of specific teaching approaches, combined with the involvement of parents and school counsellors. Straightfor ward provision of factual infor mation is relatively unimportant, compared to the need to im prove motivation.