An international study has ranked Britain among the worst industrialised countries for the welfare of teenagers, citing a high level of sexual activity. The report, published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), compared data from 30 industrialised countries on children's welfare. Britain scored worse than many countries in areas such as teenage pregnancy, single-parent households and teenage drunkenness. [Daily Mail, 2 September] Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "Teenagers have been left vulnerable by, among other things, government policies which effectively facilitate sexual activity. The family bonds which protect teenagers are undermined by policies such as the arranging of secret abortions for schoolgirls without parental knowledge or consent. It is worrying that the government has yet to rethink its failed policies."

A boy has been conceived and born following a new technique which tests eggs for the correct number of chromosomes before use in IVF. The boy's mother, 41, conceived following a number of lost pregnancies and failed courses of IVF using unselected eggs. The research team is now trying the new technique using embryos. [Daily Mail, 2 September] John Smeaton of SPUC commented: "While medical techniques which increase the chances for women to have children are greatly to be promoted, IVF exposes embryonic children to death and abuse."

A Catholic bishop has called upon Catholics to defend life and overcome the culture of death. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, told pilgrims that the culture of death "always leads to failure". The archbishop made his comments at shrine of St Ramon the Unborn. [Catholic News Agency, 1 September]