PIP: Sexual experience is increasingly common among teenagers. Evidence suggests that while many teenage pregnancies are unintended, teenagers remain less than totally effective users of contraception. This study examines a sample of 102 teenage mothers (under age 20 at delivery) presented at antenatal booking clinics in Bristol Health District England. Of these, 25% were married at time of conception; 31 of them had been pregnant previously; 2/3 had used contraception previously. Contraceptive users were older than nonusers, more likely to be married, and more likely to be white. Most of the older users had been using the pill, and gave varied accounts of why they stopped. Just over 25% of the pregnancies were considered "planned" and about 1/2 the teenagers were upset on hearing the news of the pregnancy. 9 of the study pregnancies failed due to miscarriage (3), stillbirth (4), and neonatal death (2). Most of the girls who lost their babies came from parts of Bristol where infant mortality is high. 28.4% of the sample had previously used contraception but became pregnant without desiring to and were upset at the news. Many had given up a reliable technique (such as the pill) without substituting any alternative. This group presents a challenge for those providing contraceptive services, especially in view of the restricted opportunities available to working class girls.