SCHOOLGIRL pregnancies across Southampton are continuing to rise despite a massive campaign to reduce teenage parenthood.

Figures show 239 girls aged between 15 and 17 fell pregnant during 2002/03 - compared to 194 in 1999.

The increase comes as a blow to health and education officials who have spent the past three years trying to rid Southampton of its unwanted title as the south's teenage pregnancy hot spot.

Nationally, government statistics show a 9.4 per cent reduction in the under-18 conception rate.

In Southampton, the teenage pregnancy rate has risen to 64.6 pregnancies per 1,000 females under 18 - compared with a national average of about 42. The city remains one of only seven areas where teenage conception rates have gone up by ten per cent or more.

Among under-18s there was an 11.5 per cent rise in pregnancies while, for under-16s the figure rose by 35 per cent.

Teenage pregnancies leading to abortion increased from 31.5 per cent to 38.8 per cent.

Health and education workers have the tough task of halving the number of teenage pregnancies by 2010.

Armed with a £190,000 government grant, they are also aiming to get more young parents into training, education and employment.

Achievements so far have included new clinics, a sexual health nurse for children, and work with boys, young men and ethnic minority young people.

Eight pharmacists and 22 practice nurses are being trained in a bid to improve access to emergency contraception, and a sex and relationship education video focusing on young men is also planned.

A teenage pregnancy inclusion worker was appointed in September with the aim of supporting pregnant schoolgirls or those who are already mums.

Thabang Thacker, Southampton's teenage pregnancy co-ordinator, said: "We have made considerable progress but more needs to be done. Although a number of agencies and voluntary organisations provide excellent services for young people, there is a need to tackle the wider issues correlated to high rates of teenage pregnancies.

"It is through collective efforts that we can achieve sustained reductions in conception rates." Why the city teenage conception rate is so much higher than other areas, remains unclear.

Evidence points to a strong correlation between teenage pregnancy and poverty, low educational achievement, truancy, expulsion from school and crime.

Research has also shown sexually abused children, young people in care and children of young parents are more likely to become teenage parents. Councillors expressed concern about the latest figures.

Cllr Susan Blatchford, Labour member for Sholing, said: "Is it the girls that are seeing nothing wrong with it or is it the boys who want to put another notch on their bedpost?"

June Bridle, a councillor for Sholing, added: "Trying to identify the reasons behind this is very difficult.

"We do have some of the most deprived wards in the south of England but why that should translate in these statistics is difficult to know."