A surge in teen pregnancies around the globe

As of 2019, adolescents aged 15 to 19 in low and middle-income countries had an estimated 21 million pregnancies each year, of which approximately 50% were unintended and resulted in an estimated 12 million births.

Teen pregnancy is a global phenomenon with clearly known causes and serious health, social, and economic consequences. Teenage pregnancy tends to be higher among those who are less educated or of low economic status.

Child marriage and child sexual abuse place girls at increased risk of pregnancy, often unintended. In many places, barriers to obtaining and using contraceptives prevent teens from avoiding unintended pregnancies.

There is also a growing attention to quality medical care for pregnant and parenting adolescents.

Pregnancies in teens should be considered high-risk pregnancies. It is necessary to emphasise the need for comprehensive prenatal care for pregnant teenage girls because insufficient prenatal care can be harmful to both the mother and her baby.