Bermuda is aiming to reduce the number of teen mothers in the future with a new initiative to educate young girls, Health Minister Nelson Bascome said yesterday in the House of Assembly.

Speaking about Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month this May, he said a new initiative entitled `Safety Net' had been launched, which aimed to better educate young girls on the issues surrounding pregnancy, sex and motherhood, as well as the usual after-care programmes.

In 2000, there was a total of 104 teen deliveries, abortions and ectopic pregnancies, which Mr. Bascome said, putting it in perspective, meant that 5.4 percent of teenage girls had become pregnant in 2000.

Mr. Bascome said: "The message and goal of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month was straightforward - teens need to think about the importance of postponing pregnancy and parenthood until they are adults and they should make a plan to do so.

"There is no single approach to adolescent sexuality that is appropriate to all teen pregnancy issues, therefore, my Ministry will continue to work with both Governmental and private agencies to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies - by developing programmes that build self esteem in our young people and provide opportunities for self development through the continuum of interventions that target a wide range of high risk behaviours."

Safety Net has been introduced by the Ministries of Health and Education and hopes to catch teens before they become pregnant.

Safety Net offers lessons in health education and the opportunity for teen mothers to reach new goals.

"The Safety Net is also intended to provide teens that become pregnant the opportunity to develop their full potential and provide the same opportunity for their children," said Mr. Bascome.

"The highlights of the Safety Net are health initiatives, school health education, curriculum, counselling, childcare and residential services.

"The Ministry of Education has provided a health education curriculum to provide health education for primary, middle and senior school students, in which there are preventative strategies related to teen pregnancy."

The Minister said: "At the senior level the concepts introduced at the middle level are then developed through two compulsory health education courses - health and wellness and health issues."

He said the health and wellness course contains a module on human sexuality, addressing relationships, responsibility and birth control seen through the aspect of family planning.

The course on health issues applies the principles of risk reduction and health promotion to teen risk behaviour - it also encourages young people to practice abstinence as a way for reducing teen pregnancy.