THE number of teenagers giving birth in the North-East declined by 10.5 per cent last year, according to new official figures.
Last year a total of 3,233 teenagers aged between 13 and 19 gave birth in the region, compared with 3,574 in 2010-11.
But the region continues to have the highest proportion of births by teenagers in England.
NHS hospitals in England recorded just over 33,600 deliveries to this age group last year, a 21.9 per cent (9,450) fall on the number recorded in 2006-07.
Statistic provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) showed that 7.7 per cent of all deliveries in the North-East were to teenagers - the highest percentage of any region.
The greatest actual number of deliveries for this age group occurred in the North-West.
Around the North-East, most areas saw a fall in the number of teenager mothers giving birth.
But some areas saw a slight rise, including Darlington where the number of births to teenage mothers increased from 110 to 118.
In North Yorkshire and York the number of teenage mothers giving birth fell from 408 to 367.
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