(For Research 10 project)
TEENAGE PREGNANCY
A Global Phenomenon
What is Teenage Pregnancy?
Teenage pregnancy occurs when a girl under the age of 20 becomes pregnant. It is a significant social and health issue worldwide, affecting young girls’ education, economic opportunities, and overall well-being.
Key facts:
As of 2019, adolescents aged 15–19 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) had an estimated 21 million pregnancies each year, of which approximately 50% were unintended and which resulted in an estimated 12 million births (1,2).
Based on 2019 data, 55% of unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years end in abortions, which are often unsafe in LMICs (1).
Adolescent mothers (aged 10–19 years) face higher risks of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20–24 years, and babies of adolescent mothers face higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and severe neonatal condition.
Data on childbirths among girls aged 10–14 are getting more widely available. Globally the adolescent birth rate for girls 10–14 years in 2023 was estimated at 1.5 per 1000 women with higher rates in sub-Saharan Africa (4.4) and Latin America and the Caribbean (2.3) (3).
Preventing pregnancy among adolescents and pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity are foundational to achieving positive health outcomes across the life course and imperative for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to maternal and newborn health.