Number of teen mothers 'same as 30 years ago'

THE number of teenage mothers is no greater than it was 30 years ago, a campaign group for single parents said yesterday.

Frances Byrne, director of the One Parent Exchange Network (OPEN), said the number of teenagers having children had remained at around 5% of all births.

In 2002 when there were 60,521 births, 3,041 were to teenagers. In 1973 when there were 68,713 births, 3,048 were to women under 20 years.