When I was
16 years old, I had one week of sex education required by my American high
school. However, my state’s curriculum revolved around abstinence as the
preferred means of birth control, along with fear as the method to encourage
restraint until marriage. In my class, at least one girl, aged 15, already had
an abortion before taking the course, and one boy, also aged 15, was a father.
The course provided too little, too late. YES, abstinence has a 100% success
rate. YES, it is the best way to avoid catching a sexually transmitted
infection. NO, I’m not surprised that the US ranks second to last among
the rich countries for number of teen births: 36 per 1,000 births among 15-19
year old girls (read more in this blog).
Rich countries vs. the US in teen births (per 1,000 15-19 years old)
*Legend: In the lefthand graph, the UNICEF
colors represent the first, second and third
 |
| Data from UNICEF's 11th Report Card and KIDS COUNT Data Book. |
tiers of countries' ranking. In the graph on the right, the colors match states with the country tiers. In this case, the darkest blue indicates the 21 states which have a higher rate of teen births than the lowest ranking country (i.e. Bulgaria).
This year’s
UN World Population Day focused on adolescent pregnancies, a persistent occurrence
in both developing and developed countries. Around 16 million adolescent girls
aged 15 to 19 give birth each year, according to the WHO. While
there may be varying opinions on this issue, the fact is that adolescent
pregnancies gravely affect the teen mother, the child and the rest of society
(i.e. you and me). Despite misleading perceptions, these consequences can occur
among married and unmarried adolescents in developed and developing countries
for both intended and unintended pregnancies.
How does it affect the well-being of the
child?
The
immediate health of children born to adolescent mothers is at risk, and the
younger the mother, the higher the risk. This WHO Report
states that “in low- and middle-income countries, stillbirths and death in the
first week and first month of life are 50% higher among babies born to mothers
younger than 20 years than those born to mothers aged 20–29 years.” Also,
babies born to adolescent mothers are more likely to be pre-term, have a lower
birth weight and have asphyxia, which all increase the baby’s chance of death
or future health problems. Substance abuse during pregnancy is higher among
adolescent girls, which contributes to a higher percentage of low birth-weight
babies and infant mortality, along with other health issues.
How does it affect the well-being of the
young mother?
First of
all, the health of young mothers is severely compromised, as pregnant teenagers face double
the risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications relative to women in
their 20s.* This UNFA report summary states that “across developing countries, complications from
pregnancy and unsafe abortion are the leading cause of death for girls aged
15-19.” The younger the mother, the more she is at risk of maternal
complications, death and disability, including obstetric fistula. Up to 65% of
women with obstetric fistula developed this during adolescence, says this WHO Report.
Additionally, adolescent pregnancies are at higher risk for sexually
transmitted diseases. Younger girls are less likely to practice safe sex and make up 64% of all new infections among young people worldwide, states this
UNFPA factsheet.
Additionally, adolescent pregnancy contends with
secondary education. In developed countries, motherhood during adolescent years
increases girls’ chances of dropping out of school. In the United States, teen
mothers are 10% less likely to obtain a high school diploma, as shown in this UNFPA report summary. Whereas in developing countries, the longer girls remain in school,
the less likely they are to become pregnant in their teens. In Timor-Leste, for example, total fertility
rates vary from 6 to1 ratio births per woman with no education to only 2 to 9 ratio births for
women with secondary schooling or above, as indicated in this Women Deliver background paper. Delaying childbearing also increases chances of
obtaining a higher income and better careers, among with other aspects of
well-being, such as mental and psychological.
How does it affect the overall well-being of
society?
Adolescent
pregnancies concern us all as they negatively impact the development of a
society. This UNFPA report summary states that “investing in family planning helps reduce
poverty, improve health, promote gender equality, enable adolescents to finish
their schooling and increase labour force participation.” In the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for this year’s World Population Day, he stated
that “when we devote attention and resources to the education, health and
well-being of adolescent girls, they will become an even greater force for
positive change in society that will have an impact for generations to come.”
I’m grateful
that the World Population Day addressed adolescent pregrancy. While we often
talk about maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as low birth-weight
babies, we overlook at times this major proponent. I hope that there can be more open conversations with teens in order to overcome some of the obstacles to preventing teen pregnancies. And believe me, teaching abstinence just doesn't do the trick.
Melinda Deleuze
Melinda Deleuze
* Gennari,
Pamela, J. 2013. “Adolescent Pregnancy in Developing Countries.”
International Journal of Childbirth Education 28:57
This is great!
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