Sex education 'only does so much'

It found pregnancy and abortion rates among girls taught with an enhanced sex education scheme were the same as among girls given conventional sex education. The authors say other sexual health strategies are urgently needed to cut the UK's teenage pregnancy rate.

Children as young as 10 should be taught about contraception in their final year at primary school, a leading think-tank says.

Of the 74 who said they had used a condom, 31% had put it on after penetration had already occurred, and 10% had taken a condom off too early on at least one occasion during that time.

The symptothermal method (STM) assesses fertility levels during the monthly cycle by measuring body temperature, and observing cervical secretions. The Human Reproduction study found using STM correctly led to a rate of 0.4 pregnancies per 100 women per year.

It says social problems such as alcohol abuse, unprotected sex and self harm may result from children receiving information on these topics too late. The study, from Liverpool John Moores University Centre for Public Health, says the age at which puberty begins has come down for the past 150 years.