QUOTE
Girls, 14, seek fertility treatment, doctor says
London
Girls as young as 14 are seeking fertility treatment on Britain’s National Health Service because they have been unable to become pregnant after up to two years of sexual activity without contraception.
As one clinic in Swindon, four girls aged 14 were so desperate to have babies that they asked whether they could get in vitro fertilisation.
The requests, all in the past year, were made to Jo Heaton, who runs a sexual health clinic for under-19s.
“I found it absolutely extraordinary,” she said.
It is illegal in Britain for children under 16 to have sex but authorities rarely take action provided the acts are consensual and the participants are of similar ages.
Dr Heaton is convinced that scores of girls must be making similar requests all over the country.
All the girls who approached her were from working-class backgrounds. Each was concerned that she might not be able to conceive naturally.
“I found it hard to know what position to take,” Dr Heaton said.
“All I did say was that the only person who could help would be a gynaecologist but the chances of them being willing to assist in these circumstances was next to nothing.”
“The impression I got was that they had a low self-esteem and low aspirations. It was almost as if they felt there was nothing in life they could achieve except to get pregnant. Then they would have a baby they could love and who would, in turn, love them.”
Dr Heaton said that she understood the four girls to have partners of similar ages.
She said that although Government campaigns aimed to prevent pregnancies, politicians had to recognise that many teenagers desperately wanted to become pregnant.
“I have sometimes got up at conferences and said: ‘But what about those children who want to get pregnant?’ and there has been a deathly silence. It’s something people don’t really want to admit to.”
London
Girls as young as 14 are seeking fertility treatment on Britain’s National Health Service because they have been unable to become pregnant after up to two years of sexual activity without contraception.
As one clinic in Swindon, four girls aged 14 were so desperate to have babies that they asked whether they could get in vitro fertilisation.
The requests, all in the past year, were made to Jo Heaton, who runs a sexual health clinic for under-19s.
“I found it absolutely extraordinary,” she said.
It is illegal in Britain for children under 16 to have sex but authorities rarely take action provided the acts are consensual and the participants are of similar ages.
Dr Heaton is convinced that scores of girls must be making similar requests all over the country.
All the girls who approached her were from working-class backgrounds. Each was concerned that she might not be able to conceive naturally.
“I found it hard to know what position to take,” Dr Heaton said.
“All I did say was that the only person who could help would be a gynaecologist but the chances of them being willing to assist in these circumstances was next to nothing.”
“The impression I got was that they had a low self-esteem and low aspirations. It was almost as if they felt there was nothing in life they could achieve except to get pregnant. Then they would have a baby they could love and who would, in turn, love them.”
Dr Heaton said that she understood the four girls to have partners of similar ages.
She said that although Government campaigns aimed to prevent pregnancies, politicians had to recognise that many teenagers desperately wanted to become pregnant.
“I have sometimes got up at conferences and said: ‘But what about those children who want to get pregnant?’ and there has been a deathly silence. It’s something people don’t really want to admit to.”
I dread to think what the parents of these girls are teaching them. I think it is incredibily sad that these girls have such low self-esteem that they feel a child is their only solution but by the same token surely allowing this to happen to tandamount to child abuse. Allowing a child that is still grow to grow another child - its just not right.
What is this world coming to.
Regards
Carla
