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Teen mums hail caring Carolyn
Wigan Borough is leading the fight to reduce repeat teenage pregnancies.
The Government launched the National Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in 1999.
An important part of the plan is to reduce the number of teenage mothers
having a second pregnancy.
Of the teenagers who gave birth in Wigan during 2006, less than 10% were
subsequent teenage pregnancies, compared with England’s rate of around
20%.
The relatively low rate in Wigan is in no small part due to NHS
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teenage Pregnancy Midwife Carolyn
Harrison. Her work was recognised recently when she was invited to share
good practice with counterparts from across the country at national NHS
teenage pregnancy conferences in Birmingham and London.
Carolyn visits pregnant teenagers across the borough to review previous
contraception use, if any, and to discuss future birth control. She also
makes postnatal visits to younger teenagers and those deemed more
vulnerable to give them advice, condoms and information on local young
mum’s groups and services.
Kathy Wilding, 17, from Newtown, whose son Jayden is five months old,
says: “I fell pregnant when I was 16. I didn’t know what to expect and I
was scared about the future. Having Carolyn as my midwife really made a
difference. She puts her heart into the job and she really makes an
effort to get to know the people she helps. It can be difficult speaking
about things like contraception but Carolyn made me feel relaxed and it
was easy talking to her.”
Elizabeth Roberts, 19, from Ashton, whose daughter Mia is nine months
old, says: “Carolyn made me aware of the contraceptive implant and told
me all about it. If she hadn’t explained it I probably wouldn’t have
used any contraception after Mia was born. She is a good person to text
or ring if you have any questions or queries as she always gets back to
you.”
Inspired by Carolyn’s work, Elizabeth now wants to become a midwife
herself. Carolyn began practising midwifery in Wigan in 1988. Today she
occupies three separate part-time jobs as the Teenage Pregnancy midwife,
a family planning nurse and a midwife.
In 2007, she was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Sexual Reproduction Healthcare
from the University of Central Lancashire and she also successfully
completed a contraceptive implant insertion and removal course.
Carolyn says: “Most of the teenagers I meet are aware of what
contraception is but have taken a risk and not used it. The vast
majority are interested in what I have to say and just chatting about
contraception makes them think about it more carefully.
“Unfortunately, young mums are looked down upon in our society. I get a
lot of satisfaction from doing something to reduce health inequalities
and to improve services.”
Carolyn is now looking to reduce repeat teenage pregnancies further by
setting up a new teenage postnatal contraception ‘stepping-stone’
service, providing one-to-one advice and contraception initiation to all
mothers under 18 in the post natal period, including the insertion of
contraceptive implants if desired by the mother.
The Teenage Pregnancy Midwife post is part of the Young Parents’ Support
Team. The multi-agency virtual team includes representatives from all
the key agencies aiming to reduce teenage pregnancy locally including
the Wigan Teenage Pregnancy Reintegration Service, Connexions,
Surestart, Wigan Council, Ashton, Wigan and Leigh Primary Care Trust and
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust.
To find out more about the work of the Young Parents’ Support Team or
the Wigan Teenage Pregnancy Team telephone (01942) 828918.
-ends-
Further information
• For further information please contact Kennedy Stewart, Wigan Youth
Information Team Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on
(01942) 486927.
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