THERE is a cost, it seems, to everything.

Today this paper reports on the cost to the city of Southampton on the number of teenage pregnancies.

To the tax payer that amounts to £4m per year on average, or some £15,000 for each teenage mother.

There were 129 teenage pregnancies in the city during 2012, the latest year figures are available for. That is considerably improved, say those who monitor such figures, on previous times. But the fall in numbers has stalled and Southampton is lagging behind other comparable areas when it comes to pushing those figures down even further.

Of those teenage mums, 24 were aged under 16. That is 24 too many.

And it is here, surely, that the real efforts must continue to be made. Children so young becoming parents is something that cannot be considered desirable.

In today’s modern society any pregnancy for a woman under the age of 18 is considered a “problem”, although we should accept that not everyone will see this as such.

Lifestyle choices are made, even marriages at a young age, and to combat attitudes to pregnancy among some groups will take education and a focus that those who campaign against this issue say has been lacking of late from central Government.

Allowing the health service to lead the campaign and appointing local champions are strong steps. In the end, however, it will be peer and, more importantly, parent pressure that will provide solutions.