Who launches new policies to combat teen pregnancy and related health complications

Who launches new policies to combat teen pregnancy and related health complications

To address the world's leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-old girls, the World Health Organization (WHO) today released new guidelines aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy and its significant health complications.

Among other things, the directive calls for rapid action to end child marriage, extend girls' education, and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and information.

Early pregnancy can have serious physical and psychological consequences for girls and young women and often reflects fundamental inequalities that affect their ability to manage their relationships and their lives. By tackling this problem, you can create conditions in which girls and young women can thrive - ensuring they stay in school, are protected from violence and coercion, have access to sexual and reproductive health services that uphold their rights, and have real choices about their future. “

Dr. Pascale Altey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO and the United Nations Special Program in Human Reproduction (HRP)

More than 21 million adolescent girls become pregnant each year in low- and middle-income countries, about half of which are unintended. Given its impact on girls' education, social connection and future employment prospects, early pregnancy can create cycles of intergenerational poverty that are difficult to break. It also brings with it serious health risks, including relatively higher rates of infection and premature births, as well as complications from unsafe abortions – coupled with certain challenges in accessing safe and respectful care.

Reasons for early pregnancy are varied and interrelated, including gender inequalities, poverty, lack of opportunities and inability to access sexual and reproductive health services. There is a strong correlation with child marriage: in low- and middle-income countries, 9 out of 10 adolescent births occur among girls who were married before the age of 18.

The policy recommends holistic efforts to provide viable alternatives to early marriage by strengthening girls' education, savings and employment prospects. If all girls completed their secondary education, it was estimated that children's homes could be reduced by up to two-thirds. For girls at highest risk, the policy recommends incentives to support secondary school completion, such as: B. targeted financial scholarships or scholarship programs. The policy also recommends laws to ban marriage under the age of 18, consistent with human rights standards and community commitment to preventing the practice.

“Early marriage denies girls their childhood and has serious consequences for their health,” said Dr. Sheri Bastien, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Scientist at Who. “Education is critical to transforming young girls’ futures, as youth – both boys and girls – understand consent to take charge of their health and challenge the key gender inequalities that continue to drive high rates of child marriage and early pregnancy in many parts of the world.”

The recommendations highlight the need to ensure that adolescents can access high-quality, responsive sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptive options. In some countries, adult consent is required to access services, which represents a significant barrier to its use. Young girls who become pregnant must be able to access high quality and respectful health care, free from stigma and discrimination, and safe abortion care, including during and after pregnancy and birth.

Finally, comprehensive sexuality education is essential for both boys and girls, ensuring where they can access such services and how to use different types of contraception. It has been shown to reduce early pregnancies, delay the onset of sexual activity, and improve adolescents' knowledge about their bodies and reproductive health.

This policy updates a previous edition of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Policy from 2011 and focuses specifically on preventing child marriage and improving adolescents' access to and use of contraception. It complements who has the guidance on adolescent health services, comprehensive sexuality education and gender-based violence.

Progress has been made worldwide in reducing adolescent pregnancies and births. In 2021, an estimated 1 in 25 girls were born before the age of 20, compared to 1 in 15 decades before. Significant differences remain. In some countries, nearly 1 in 10 adolescent girls (15 to 19 years old) give birth each year.

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