Advice will be offered to those wanting emergency contraception Free emergency contraception from pharmacies has been made available to teenage girls and women in Swansea to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Health bosses are warning that with the Christmas and New Year party season in full swing, the number of unplanned pregnancies is likely to be higher. The "morning-after pill", available from 18 pharmacies in the city, is also being offered to girls under 16. The aim is to make it easier to access emergency contraception. A spokesperson for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said: "At this time of the year when there are a lot of drinking and parties, the demand [for emergency contraception] is a little bit higher. "One of the main targets are girls under the age of 16. Because of their age, they are less likely to go to see their GP or to go to a health clinic." She added the emergency contraception would not be handed over without advice from a community pharmacist and an assessment of the suitability of the recipient. Sex education "There's a lot of work that needs to be done to try to tackle the issue of teenage pregnancies but if you have got a teenager and she's had unprotected sex or a problem with a condom splitting, we're trying to avoid a young person not having easy access to support," she said. The emergency contraception scheme will be permanent and not just operating over Christmas and the New Year. Figures show teenage pregnancies have been increasing in Wales and remained higher than in England. Studies have also shown Wales has a higher proportion of 15-year-olds who engage in sex than most other countries. PREGNANCY RATES PER 1,000 GIRLS AGED 13 - 15 IN WALES 2002 - 8.4 2003 - 8.1 2004 - 7.5 2005 - 7.9 2006 - 8.6 2007 - 8.5 Earlier this year, proposals to tackle teenage pregnancies in Wales were unveiled by the assembly government, including plans for better sex education. Steve Newbury, of Newbury's Pharmacy in Mumbles, said the pharmacists were providing a service which until recently was only available from sexual health clinics, GPS and accident and emergency departments. He said: "Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) can be used to stop you getting pregnant if your contraception has failed, or not been used. EHC is often referred to as the "morning-after pill". "EHC can be taken up to 72 hours (three days) after unprotected sex, however, the sooner you take it the more effective it is at preventing pregnancy. After 72 hours, EHC does not work." Emergency contraception can also be bought over the counter for £25 at other pharmacists who are not part of the 18 accredited Swansea pharmacists taking part, but cannot be sold to under 16s. The list of pharmacists taking place is available on the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board website.



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