Women's Issues: 13 year olds to be supplied morning after pill without parental consent

In a controversial move health officials in Portsmouth, UK will allow schoolgirls as young as 13 are to be supplied with the morning-after pill in an attempt to cut teen pregnancies.

Under the plan pharmacies will hand out the pills free to youngsters who fear they might be pregnant, without the consent of their parents. Girls will not need parental consent for the pill but will need to prove their age.

Health chiefs say the move is necessary to combat the number of teenage pregnancies in their area. Pregnancies among girls aged 15 to 17 in the city are around 26 per cent above the national average.

Health officials have said pharmacists taking part in the scheme will check whether the girls understand "the pros and cons".

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