Reducing pregnancy among adolescents

Policy issue
Despite a decline in fertility rates over the last few decades, pregnancy and childbirth during adolescence (defined as ages 10 through 19) remains a widespread concern with pervasive negative health, social, and economic outcomes for young mothers and their children. In 2018, 21 million girls and young women aged 15 to 19 in developing regions were expected to become pregnant.A significant share of pregnancies in countries with a high adolescent birth rate are unplanned.The outcomes associated with adolescent pregnancy carry relevance for policymakers working in public health, social protection, and development more broadly. In many contexts, pregnant adolescents face poorer access to health care than adult women, which can contribute to worse health outcomes. In particular, many adolescents receive less antenatal care.

This means they may not learn about preventive health measures or receive treatment for conditions associated with pregnancy complications. At time of birth, pregnant adolescents are less likely than their older counterparts to have the support of a skilled birth attendant or deliver in a health facility. The cumulative effect of these health care deficits among adolescents during and after pregnancy represents an important public health issue. Adolescents face a higher risk of maternal mortality than women in their twenties and pregnancy-related complications rank among the leading causes of death in developing countries for adolescent females aged 15–19. Pregnancy is also associated with higher rates of miscarriage for younger adolescents,and when adolescents successfully deliver, their babies are more often born premature, are smaller, weigh less, and are more susceptible to neonatal and infant death, in part due to lower rates of postnatal care.

The higher risk of malnourishment among adolescent mothers and their children compounds these public health issues.On average, adolescent mothers also experience poorer social and economic outcomes. In many contexts, adolescent mothers are more likely to drop out of school and their lower level of educational attainment is associated with worse employment and earnings outcomes than their counterparts. Descriptive evidence shows they are more likely to face social isolation and experience intimate partner violence than older mothers. Consequently, policymakers must consider the broad welfare and development impacts of adolescent pregnancy. Helping adolescent girls and women delay childbirth can provide benefits to mothers, children, and the communities in which they live