Teenage pregnancies: a challenge for communities and governments

Adolescent pregnancies are a global problem but occur most often in poorer and marginalised communities. Many girls face considerable pressure to marry early and become mothers while they are still a child. Approximately 90% of births to girls aged 15-19 in low- and middle-income countries occur within early marriage where there is often an imbalance of power, no access to contraception and pressure on girls to prove their fertility. Although there are huge differences between countries and regions, since the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of teenage pregnancies has increased worldwide. The contributions in this bulletin discuss why the sexual and reproductive rights and needs of teenage girls need to be better protected and what measures are needed to prevent teenage pregnancies. (Photo by Chris Benson on Unsplash)