THE Borders has the lowest rates of teenage pregnancy in the whole of mainland Scotland.

And for the teenagers who do go on to have babies, the region also has some of the best support packages available.

New figures show that the number of under 20s in the Scottish Borders who become pregnant is at an all time low.

Government campaigns over the past decade have led to a steady decrease in under-20s pregnancies across the country.

But it is in the Scottish Borders where biggest declines have been recorded with only 77 pregnancies recorded in teenagers throughout the whole of 2015 - less than half the 157 pregnancies recorded in 2010.

The national average for teenage pregnancies in Scotland has fallen from 57.7 per 1000 in 2007 to 32.4 per 1000 for 2015.

And the Borders it is now just 25.1 per 1000.

Allyson McCollam, associate director of public health at NHS Borders, told us: "The rates of pregnancy in young people across Scotland have been reducing consistently over the past ten years - a trend which is reflected in the Borders.

"Of greatest importance to us is that young people from all backgrounds feel supported in the choices that they make."

One national preventative programme which has been a success locally is the Family Nurse Partnership.

The project also aims to provide full support for any first-time young mothers.

As well as providing education, the FNP aims to improve pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, as well as parents' economic self-sufficiency.

Trained nurses offer intensive and structured home visiting from early pregnancy.

Ms McCollam, who is also the child health commissioner at NHS Borders, added: "The Family Nurse Partnership and the Early Years Centres are just two examples of how health, education and community services are working in partnership across the Scottish Borders to give young people choice, support and advice and to improve the outcomes for babies born to young mums.

“Our local Family Nurse Partnership programme supports young families intensively from pregnancy until the child reaches the age of two.

"There is a lot of evidence from elsewhere that this can greatly improve the outcomes for parents and children in terms of social development, health, education and employment. ”

Of the 77 teenage pregnancies recorded in the Scottish Borders during 2015, 31 were in girls aged 17 or less.