by Anna White

awhite@thekmgroup.co.uk

Maidstone has seen a rise in girls under-18 giving birth - bucking the national trend.

New figures have revealed a 23.4% increase in the number of the teens falling pregnant, making the town Kent's second worst affected area.

Thanet topped the list with 148 conceptions between 2009 and 2010, while Maidstone saw 108. Kent failed to reflect the 7.3% reduction across England and instead had a 1.7% hike.

Tonbridge and Malling had a 13% increase and Tunbridge Wells had the lowest conception rate in Kent with just 38 young girls expecting.

Members of Maidstone communities overview and scrutiny committee have recommended the council approves a draft community plan for the next five years, which includes a suggestion to introduce a system where GPs can refer patients to community health organisations.

Ruth Herron, head of sexual health services for Kent Community Health NHS Trust, said: "Reducing teenage pregnancy in Maidstone is an ongoing challenge.

"The provision of confidential sexual health services plays a key part in addressing teenage pregnancy but one of the most important factors is engagement in education.

"Young people need to feel they have choices, they need to have aspirations and they need to feel they can access training or employment."

Latest figures for each of the town's individual wards are yet to be released but historically Park Wood and Shepway have the highest rate of teenage pregnancies.

In 2005, Parkwood was revealed as the community with the highest number of pregnant teens in the whole country.

n For more advice about teenage pregnancy www.westkentpct.nhs.uk