Western and non-Western countries have distinctly different rates of teenage pregnancy. In Western countries such as the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, teen parents tend to be unmarried, and adolescent pregnancy is seen as a social issue.
By contrast, teenage parents in non-Western countries such as Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands are often married, and their pregnancy may be welcomed by family and society. However, in these societies, early pregnancy may combine with malnutrition and poor health care to cause long-term medical problems for both the mother and child. A report by Save the Children found that, annually, 13 million children are born to women under age 20 worldwide. More than 90% of these births occur to women living in developing countries. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among women between the ages of 15 and 19 in such areas, as they are the leading cause of mortality among older women.
The age of the mother is determined by the easily verified date when the pregnancy ends, not by the estimated date of conception . [3] Consequently, the statistics do not include women who first became pregnant before their 20th birthdays, if those pregnancies did not end until on or after their 20th birthdays. [3]
The highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world—143 per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 years—is in sub-Saharan Africa. [4] Women in Africa, in general, get married at a much younger age than women elsewhere—leading to earlier pregnancies. In Nigeria in 1992, 47% of women aged 20–24 were married before 15, and 87% before 18. 53% of those surveyed had given birth to a child before the age of 18. [5] In 2002, African countries had the highest rates of teenage birth. [6]
In 2015, the highest incidence of births among 15- to 19-year-old girls was in Niger, Mali, Angola, Guinea, and Mozambique. [7] In Mozambique, in 2015, 46% of girls aged 15 to 19 years were already mothers or pregnant, an increase of 9% between results found on the National Demographic Health Survey in 2011 and National Survey on HIV, Malaria and Reproductive Health (IMASIDA) 2015. With the exception of Maputo, the capital city, all provinces presented an increase in the percentage of early pregnancies. The rates are particularly higher in the northern provinces, namely, Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa with 64.9%, 61.3% and 60%, respectively. [8] [9]
A 2004 Save the Children report identified 10 countries where motherhood carried the most risks for young women and their babies. Of these, 9 were in sub-Saharan Africa. Niger, Liberia, and Mali were the nations where girls were the most at-risk. In the 10 highest-risk nations, more than one in six teenage girls between 15 and 19 years old gave birth annually, and nearly one in seven babies born to these teenagers died before the age of one year. [10]
The rate of early marriage is higher in rural regions than in urbanized areas. Fertility rates in South Asia range from 71 to 119 births with a trend towards increasing age at marriage for both sexes. In South Korea and Singapore, although the occurrence of sexual intercourse before marriage has risen, rates of adolescent childbearing are low at 4 to 8 per 1,000. [ when? ] The rate of early marriage and pregnancy has decreased sharply in Indonesia. However, it remains high in comparison to the rest of Asia.[ citation needed ]
Surveys from Thailand have found that a significant minority of unmarried adolescents are sexually active. Although premarital sex is considered normal behavior for males, particularly with prostitutes, it is not always regarded as such for females. Most Thai youth reported that their first sexual experience, whether within or outside of marriage, was without contraception. The adolescent fertility rate in Thailand is relatively high at 60 per 1,000. 25% of women admitted to hospitals in Thailand for complications of induced abortion are students. The Thai government has undertaken measures to inform the nation's youth about the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy.
In 1998, in several Asian countries including Bangladesh and Indonesia, a large proportion (26–37%) of deaths among female adolescents were attributed to maternal causes. [11]
In 2015, the birth rate among teenage women in Australia was 11.9 births per 1,000 women. [12] The rate has fallen from 55.5 births per 1,000 women in 1971, probably due to ease of access to effective birth control, rather than any decrease in sexual activity. [13]
The overall trend in Europe since 1970 has been a decrease in the total fertility rate, an increase in the age at which women experience their first birth, and a decrease in the number of births among teenagers.
The rates of teenage pregnancy may vary widely within a country. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the rate of adolescent pregnancy in 2002 was as high as 100.4 per 1000 among young women living in the London Borough of Lambeth, and as low as 20.2 per 1000 among residents in the Midlands local authority area of Rutland.
Teenage birth is often associated with economic and social issues such as alcohol and drug misuse. In 2001, across 13 nations in the European Union, women who gave birth as teenagers were twice as likely to be living in poverty, compared with those who first gave birth when they were over 20. [14]
Romania and Bulgaria have some of the highest teenage birth rates in Europe. In 2015, Bulgaria had a birth rate of 37 per 1,000 women aged 15–19. Romania had a teen birth rate of 34 per 1,000 women aged 15–19. [15] Both countries also have very large Romani populations, who have an occurrence of teenage pregnancies well above the local average. [16] [17] [18]
In recent years, the number of teenage mothers is declining in Bulgaria.
Number of teenage mothers in Bulgaria in the period 1990–2016 [19] | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | ||||||||||||
All live births in Bulgaria | 105,180 | 71,967 | 73,679 | 69,886 | 75,513 | 65,950 | ||||||||||||
Mothers aged under twenty | 22,518 | 16,278 | 12,787 | 10,625 | 8,411 | 6,274 | ||||||||||||
Share of teenage mothers | 21.4% | 22.6% | 17.4% | 15.2% | 11.1% | 9.5% |
The Netherlands has a low rate of births and abortions among teenagers, with 5 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6] Compared with countries with higher teenage birth rates, the Dutch have a higher average age at first intercourse and increased levels of contraceptive use, including the "double Dutch" method of using both a hormonal contraception method and a condom.[ citation needed ]
Nordic countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, have low rates of teenage birth. Both had 7 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6] Norway's birth rate is slightly higher, at 11 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6] Iceland had a birth rate of 19 per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6] These countries have higher abortion rates than the Netherlands.[ citation needed ]
In Italy and Spain, the rate of adolescent pregnancy is low, at 6 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002 in both countries. [6] These two countries also have low abortion rates, lower than Sweden and the other Nordic countries, [20] and their teenage pregnancy rates are among the lowest in Europe. Greece had 10 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6] Portugal had 17 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. [6]
In 2018, conception rates for under 18-year-olds in England and Wales declined by 6.1%, to 16.8 conceptions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 17 years. [21] Since 1999, conception rates for women aged under 18 years have decreased by 62.7%.
In 2002, the Canadian teenage birth rate was 16 per 1,000. [6] The teenage pregnancy rate was 33.9 per 1,000. The Canadian teenage pregnancy rate declined for both younger (15–17) and older (18–19) teens between 1992 and 2002. [22] Canada's highest teen pregnancy rates occur in small towns located in rural parts of peninsular Ontario. Alberta and Quebec have high teen pregnancy rates as well.
In 2016, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Colombia, Alejandro Gaviria Uribe announced that "teenage pregnancy decreased by two percentage points breaking the growing tendency that had been seen since the nineties". [23]
In 2013, the teenage birth rate in the United States reached a historic low: 26.6 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. [24] More than three-quarters of these births are to adult women aged 18 or 19. [24] In 2005 in the U.S., 57% of teen pregnancies resulted in a live birth, 27% ended in an induced abortion, and 16% in a fetal loss. [25]
In 2002, the US teen birth rate was 53 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19, [6] the highest in the developed world. [14] If all pregnancies, including those that end in abortion or miscarriage, are taken into account, the total rate in 2000 was 75.4 pregnancies per 1,000 girls. In 2004, Nevada and the District of Columbia had the highest teen pregnancy rates in the US. In 2004, North Dakota had the lowest. [26]
In 2008, over 80% of teenage pregnancies in the U.S. were unintended. [27] In 2008, approximately one third ended in abortion, one third ended in spontaneous miscarriage, and one third continued their pregnancy and kept their baby. [28]
The trend is decreasing. In 1990, the birth rate was 61.8, and the pregnancy rate 116.9 per thousand. This decline has manifested across all races. Teenagers of African-American and Latino descent retain a higher rate, in comparison to that of European-Americans and Asian-Americans. In 2004, the Guttmacher Institute attributed about 25% of the decline to abstinence and 75% to the effective use of contraceptives. [26]
Within the United States teen pregnancy is often brought up in political discourse. The goal to limit teen pregnancy is shared by Republicans and Democrats, though avenues of reduction are usually different. Many Democrats cite teen pregnancy as proof of the continuing need for access to birth control and sexual education, while Republicans often cite a need for returning to conservative values, often including abstinence. [29]
An inverse correlation has been noted between teen pregnancy rates and the quality of education in a state. A positive correlation, albeit weak, appears between a city's teen pregnancy rate and its average summer night temperature, especially in the Southern U.S. (Savageau, compiler, 1993–1995).
In 2022, research organization Child Trends found that teen birth in the United States had vastly reduced in the prior 30 years. [30] [31]
The birth rate for women aged 15–19 is one of the World Bank's World Development Indicators. The data for most countries and a variety of groupings (e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa or OECD members) are published regularly, and can be viewed or downloaded from a United Nations website. [32]
Per 1,000 women 15–19 years old: [33]
Country | Teenage birth rate per 1000 women 15–19 | Year |
---|---|---|
South Korea | 1.8 | 2009 |
Hong Kong | 3.5 | 2009 |
Switzerland | 4.1 | 2009 |
Japan | 4.9 | 2009 |
Netherlands | 5.3 | 2009 |
Slovenia | 5.4 | 2009 |
Denmark | 5.5 | 2009 |
Sweden | 5.9 | 2009 |
Cyprus | 6.0 | 2009 |
Tunisia | 6.0 | 2007 |
Italy | 6.8 | 2005 |
Luxembourg | 7.1 | 2009 |
Singapore | 7.2 | 2009 |
Norway | 9.5 | 2009 |
Germany | 9.8 | 2008 |
France | 10.2 | 2008 |
Austria | 10.4 | 2009 |
Faeroe Islands | 10.5 | 2007 |
Greece | 11.6 | 2009 |
Czech Republic | 11.8 | 2009 |
Spain | 12.2 | 2009 |
Croatia | 13.0 | 2009 |
Israel | 13.4 | 2009 |
Bahrain | 13.7 | 2008 |
Malaysia | 13.9 | 2008 |
Canada | 14.2 | 2008 |
Kuwait | 14.4 | 2008 |
Albania | 14.5 | 2004 |
Iceland | 14.5 | 2009 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 14.9 | 2009 |
Portugal | 15.3 | 2009 |
Qatar | 15.9 | 2009 |
Poland | 16.2 | 2009 |
Ireland | 16.3 | 2009 |
Australia | 16.5 | 2009 |
Lithuania | 16.9 | 2009 |
Tonga | 17.5 | 2003 |
Bermuda | 17.7 | 2009 |
Maldives | 18.0 | 2009 |
Mongolia | 19.3 | 2008 |
Hungary | 19.5 | 2009 |
Martinique | 19.8 | 2007 |
North Macedonia | 19.9 | 2009 |
Malta | 20.2 | 2009 |
Pakistan | 20.3 | 2005 |
Estonia | 20.4 | 2009 |
Latvia | 20.8 | 2009 |
Uzbekistan | 21.1 | 2000 |
Sri Lanka | 21.2 | 2006 |
Serbia | 21.7 | 2009 |
Slovakia | 21.8 | 2009 |
Belarus | 21.9 | 2006 |
Montenegro | 22.5 | 2009 |
UK | 25.0 | 2009 |
Guadeloupe | 25.5 | 2003 |
Moldova | 27.0 | 2009 |
Armenia | 27.6 | 2009 |
Morocco | 28.3 | 2001 |
Ukraine | 29.3 | 2007 |
New Zealand | 29.4 | 2009 |
Fiji | 29.7 | 2004 |
Russia | 30.2 | 2009 |
Palau | 30.8 | 2005 |
Kazakhstan | 31.1 | 2008 |
Kyrgyzstan | 31.2 | 2009 |
Egypt | 31.2 | 2009 |
Netherlands Antilles | 31.7 | 2007 |
Mauritius | 31.9 | 2009 |
Cayman Islands | 34.1 | 2009 |
Bhutan | 36.5 | 2005 |
Georgia | 36.6 | 2006 |
Liberia | 37.4 | 2008 |
Aruba | 39.3 | 2009 |
Romania | 39.3 | 2009 |
Azerbaijan | 41.4 | 2009 |
United States | 41.5 | 2008 |
Timor-Leste | 42.2 | 2004 |
Saint Lucia | 43.9 | 2005 |
Réunion | 44.1 | 2007 |
Dominica | 45.8 | 2006 |
Bulgaria | 46.7 | 2009 |
Cuba | 50.5 | 2009 |
Namibia | 51.2 | 2001 |
Grenada | 53.1 | 2000 |
US Virgin Islands | 53.1 | 2007 |
Puerto Rico | 54.6 | 2008 |
Chile | 54.9 | 2008 |
Uruguay | 58.8 | 2007 |
Greenland | 63.0 | 2009 |
Costa Rica | 63.0 | 2009 |
Suriname | 65.5 | 2007 |
Argentina | 67.7 | 2009 |
Swaziland | 71.0 | 2007 |
El Salvador | 73.9 | 2007 |
French Guiana | 83.3 | 2007 |
Panama | 88.4 | 2009 |
Malawi | 101.5 | 2008 |
Venezuela | 101.8 | 2007 |
Senegal | 115.6 | 2002 |
Per 1,000 women 15–19 years old: [34]
Country | 1995–2000 | 2000–2005 | 2005–2010 |
---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 212.4 | 161.2 | 118.7 |
Albania | 11.8 | 17.4 | 17.9 |
Algeria | 11.8 | 8.5 | 7.3 |
Angola | 215.1 | 201.0 | 171.1 |
Argentina | 69.8 | 60.7 | 56.9 |
Armenia | 53.0 | 37.9 | 35.7 |
Aruba | 47.3 | 41.1 | 33.4 |
Australia | 19.2 | 16.7 | 16.5 |
Austria | 14.6 | 13.5 | 12.8 |
Azerbaijan | 41.0 | 33.6 | 33.8 |
Bahamas | 61.9 | 44.0 | 31.8 |
Bahrain | 17.9 | 15.7 | 14.9 |
Bangladesh | 130.5 | 105.9 | 78.9 |
Barbados | 56.2 | 42.1 | 42.6 |
Belarus | 33.2 | 23.9 | 22.1 |
Belgium | 22.7 | 16.1 | 14.2 |
Belize | 106.3 | 91.2 | 78.7 |
Benin | 123.3 | 117.4 | 111.7 |
Bhutan | 75.0 | 58.3 | 50.2 |
Bolivia | 86.9 | 84.4 | 78.2 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 27.0 | 18.2 | 16.4 |
Botswana | 73.3 | 61.2 | 52.1 |
Brazil | 89.7 | 86.0 | 75.6 |
Brunei Darussalam | 28.8 | 26.2 | 25.1 |
Bulgaria | 50.6 | 44.8 | 42.8 |
Burkina Faso | 136.2 | 130.4 | 124.8 |
Burundi | 40.1 | 29.0 | 18.6 |
Cambodia | 53.3 | 45.4 | 41.8 |
Cameroon | 142.8 | 136.2 | 127.8 |
Canada | 20.1 | 15.0 | 14.0 |
Cape Verde | 105.8 | 94.7 | 81.6 |
Central African Republic | 134.4 | 122.5 | 106.6 |
Chad | 193.4 | 189.6 | 164.5 |
Channel Islands | 13.8 | 11.9 | 9.9 |
Chile | 66.9 | 61.6 | 58.3 |
China | 6.8 | 8.2 | 8.4 |
Hong Kong | 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.2 |
Macao | 6.1 | 4.0 | 3.0 |
Colombia | 91.7 | 95.7 | 74.3 |
Comoros | 66.5 | 63.6 | 58.0 |
Republic of the Congo | 130.2 | 130.5 | 118.7 |
Costa Rica | 86.9 | 76.4 | 65.6 |
Côte d'Ivoire | 136.4 | 134.9 | 129.4 |
Croatia | 17.8 | 14.4 | 13.5 |
Cuba | 67.9 | 50.3 | 45.2 |
Cyprus | 13.1 | 7.2 | 6.6 |
Czech Republic | 16.7 | 11.4 | 11.1 |
North Korea | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 242.0 | 230.6 | 201.4 |
Denmark | 8.0 | 6.6 | 6.0 |
Djibouti | 31.1 | 28.8 | 22.9 |
Dominican Republic | 111.0 | 109.6 | 108.7 |
Ecuador | 85.4 | 84.5 | 82.8 |
Egypt | 58.8 | 52.5 | 46.6 |
El Salvador | 111.5 | 91.9 | 82.7 |
Equatorial Guinea | 133.9 | 128.8 | 122.9 |
Eritrea | 98.7 | 83.2 | 66.6 |
Estonia | 30.5 | 22.3 | 22.7 |
Ethiopia | 111.5 | 97.2 | 72.4 |
Fiji | 45.8 | 41.5 | 45.2 |
Finland | 9.6 | 13.1 | 9.3 |
France | 7.2 | 8.0 | 7.2 |
French Guiana | 120.8 | 103.1 | 82.7 |
French Polynesia | 61.3 | 55.6 | 51.1 |
Gabon | 130.1 | 107.1 | 89.9 |
Gambia | 130.9 | 102.8 | 76.6 |
Georgia | 60.5 | 48.5 | 44.7 |
Germany | 12.8 | 10.4 | 7.9 |
Ghana | 90.1 | 79.9 | 71.1 |
Greece | 11.7 | 10.7 | 11.6 |
Grenada | 61.5 | 51.2 | 42.4 |
Guadeloupe | 21.8 | 20.1 | 19.5 |
Guam | 78.2 | 54.5 | 51.5 |
Guatemala | 121.1 | 115.4 | 107.2 |
Guinea | 174.4 | 165.7 | 157.4 |
Guinea-Bissau | 147.3 | 130.6 | 111.1 |
Guyana | 73.9 | 82.4 | 68.3 |
Haiti | 61.8 | 52.5 | 46.4 |
Honduras | 114.6 | 102.5 | 93.1 |
Hungary | 27.0 | 18.5 | 16.5 |
Iceland | 23.5 | 17.3 | 14.6 |
India | 116.1 | 98.6 | 86.3 |
Indonesia | 47.8 | 49.1 | 45.1 |
Iran | 48.4 | 33.5 | 29.5 |
Iraq | 57.1 | 71.2 | 98.0 |
Ireland | 19.0 | 19.0 | 17.5 |
Israel | 17.7 | 16.0 | 14.0 |
Italy | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.7 |
Jamaica | 93.5 | 85.4 | 77.3 |
Japan | 4.4 | 5.8 | 5.0 |
Jordan | 40.6 | 31.0 | 26.5 |
Kazakhstan | 40.0 | 28.4 | 30.0 |
Kenya | 105.7 | 104.2 | 100.2 |
Kuwait | 26.9 | 16.1 | 13.8 |
Kyrgyzstan | 37.6 | 31.5 | 34.1 |
Laos | 55.5 | 52.0 | 39.0 |
Latvia | 21.9 | 16.6 | 18.0 |
Lebanon | 32.0 | 19.8 | 16.2 |
Lesotho | 94.0 | 89.6 | 73.5 |
Liberia | 152.2 | 146.1 | 142.6 |
Libya | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
Lithuania | 32.2 | 20.6 | 19.7 |
Luxembourg | 10.1 | 11.8 | 10.1 |
Madagascar | 155.1 | 149.5 | 134.3 |
Malawi | 160.9 | 159.1 | 119.2 |
Malaysia | 15.0 | 15.2 | 14.2 |
Maldives | 46.6 | 23.0 | 12.2 |
Mali | 190.9 | 189.5 | 186.3 |
Malta | 16.5 | 16.2 | 17.3 |
Martinique | 26.0 | 25.1 | 22.5 |
Mauritania | 96.5 | 88.0 | 79.2 |
Mauritius | 36.3 | 36.5 | 35.4 |
Mayotte | 86.0 | 106.0 | 102.5 |
Mexico | 77.8 | 74.4 | 70.6 |
Federated States of Micronesia | 44.8 | 34.3 | 25.4 |
Mongolia | 32.8 | 21.8 | 20.8 |
Montenegro | 23.4 | 20.9 | 18.2 |
Morocco | 27.1 | 19.5 | 15.1 |
Mozambique | 117.0 | 176.4 | 149.2 |
Myanmar | 23.7 | 19.3 | 16.3 |
Namibia | 90.4 | 81.7 | 74.4 |
Nepal | 129.1 | 119.9 | 103.4 |
Netherlands | 6.2 | 7.1 | 5.1 |
Netherlands Antilles | 43.5 | 36.7 | 31.7 |
New Caledonia | 16.3 | 19.0 | 20.0 |
New Zealand | 31.5 | 27.1 | 30.9 |
Nicaragua | 132.6 | 119.4 | 112.7 |
Niger | 220.6 | 213.5 | 207.1 |
Nigeria | 135.2 | 127.2 | 118.3 |
Norway | 12.6 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
Occupied Palestinian Territory | 96.5 | 71.4 | 53.5 |
Oman | 43.2 | 18.1 | 9.2 |
Pakistan | 60.0 | 41.3 | 31.6 |
Panama | 93.2 | 89.0 | 82.6 |
Papua New Guinea | 75.6 | 71.0 | 66.9 |
Paraguay | 91.9 | 82.3 | 72.3 |
Peru | 70.5 | 61.5 | 54.7 |
Philippines | 49.1 | 53.9 | 54.1 |
Poland | 20.4 | 14.9 | 14.8 |
Portugal | 20.7 | 20.2 | 16.8 |
Puerto Rico | 72.4 | 65.0 | 53.8 |
Qatar | 24.2 | 18.6 | 16.2 |
South Korea | 3.0 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
Republic of Moldova | 58.1 | 37.4 | 33.8 |
Réunion | 23.4 | 36.0 | 44.7 |
Romania | 41.9 | 35.0 | 32.0 |
Russian Federation | 35.7 | 27.9 | 30.0 |
Rwanda | 53.5 | 44.7 | 38.7 |
Saint Lucia | 69.8 | 62.0 | 61.7 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 76.1 | 64.6 | 58.9 |
Samoa | 45.4 | 36.8 | 28.3 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 94.6 | 80.0 | 66.1 |
Saudi Arabia | 37.3 | 20.6 | 11.6 |
Senegal | 112.4 | 107.7 | 105.9 |
Serbia | 28.0 | 25.8 | 22.1 |
Sierra Leone | 150.9 | 143.4 | 143.7 |
Singapore | 8.0 | 7.0 | 4.8 |
Slovakia | 27.4 | 20.7 | 20.2 |
Slovenia | 12.8 | 8.5 | 5.0 |
Solomon Islands | 71.1 | 70.1 | 70.3 |
Somalia | 72.5 | 71.9 | 70.1 |
South Africa | 80.6 | 70.7 | 59.2 |
Spain | 8.1 | 10.3 | 12.7 |
Sri Lanka | 28.0 | 27.9 | 23.6 |
Sudan | 87.1 | 73.6 | 61.9 |
Suriname | 50.8 | 44.8 | 39.5 |
Swaziland | 109.4 | 102.4 | 83.9 |
Sweden | 8.9 | 8.1 | 6.0 |
Switzerland | 5.7 | 5.3 | 4.6 |
Syrian Arab Republic | 51.9 | 45.5 | 42.8 |
Tajikistan | 35.8 | 31.5 | 28.4 |
North Macedonia | 33.4 | 26.3 | 22.0 |
Thailand | 45.8 | 43.6 | 43.3 |
Timor-Leste | 71.9 | 70.1 | 65.8 |
Togo | 93.9 | 78.9 | 65.3 |
Tonga | 22.5 | 21.3 | 22.3 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 42.1 | 35.4 | 34.7 |
Tunisia | 8.4 | 6.5 | 5.7 |
Turkey | 52.0 | 42.8 | 39.2 |
Turkmenistan | 17.8 | 23.0 | 19.5 |
Uganda | 191.0 | 172.5 | 149.9 |
Ukraine | 43.0 | 29.5 | 30.8 |
United Arab Emirates | 27.6 | 24.9 | 26.7 |
United Kingdom | 31.0 | 27.0 | 29.6 |
Tanzania | 133.3 | 132.0 | 130.4 |
United States of America | 50.5 | 43.1 | 41.2 |
United States Virgin Islands | 51.9 | 37.6 | 29.2 |
Uruguay | 67.3 | 63.5 | 61.1 |
Uzbekistan | 41.5 | 14.3 | 13.8 |
Vanuatu | 62.0 | 58.1 | 54.0 |
Venezuela | 94.1 | 92.1 | 89.9 |
Vietnam | 27.1 | 25.8 | 26.8 |
Western Sahara | 56.5 | 32.7 | 21.4 |
Yemen | 109.1 | 91.2 | 78.8 |
Zambia | 143.1 | 159.6 | 146.8 |
Zimbabwe | 106.3 | 75.2 | 64.6 |
World | 66.8 | 60.4 | 55.7 |
Per 1,000 women 15–19 (% aborted = % of teenage pregnancies ending in abortion): [20] [35] [36] [37] [38]
Country | birth rate | abortion rate | combined rate | % aborted |
---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | 7.7 | 3.9 | 11.6 | 33.6 |
Spain | 7.5 | 4.9 | 12.4 | 39.5 |
Italy | 6.9 | 6.7 | 13.3 | 50.4 |
Greece | 12.2 | 1.3 | 13.5 | 9.6 |
Belgium | 9.9 | 5.2 | 15.1 | 34.4 |
Germany | 13.0 | 5.3 | 18.3 | 28.9 |
Finland | 9.8 | 9.6 | 19.4 | 49.5 |
Ireland | 16.7 | 4.6 | 21.3 | 21.6 |
France | 9.4 | 13.2 | 22.6 | 58.4 |
Denmark | 8.2 | 15.4 | 23.6 | 65.3 |
Sweden | 7.7 | 17.7 | 25.4 | 69.7 |
Norway | 13.6 | 18.3 | 31.9 | 57.4 |
Czech Republic | 20.1 | 12.4 | 32.5 | 38.2 |
Iceland | 21.5 | 20.6 | 42.1 | 48.9 |
Slovakia | 30.5 | 13.1 | 43.6 | 30 |
Australia | 20.1 | 23.9 | 44 | 54.3 |
Canada | 22.3 | 22.1 | 44.4 | 49.8 |
Israel | 32.0 | 14.3 | 46.3 | 30.9 |
United Kingdom | 29.6 | 21.3 | 50.9 | 41.8 |
New Zealand | 33.4 | 22.5 | 55.9 | 40.3 |
Hungary | 29.9 | 30.2 | 60.1 | 50.2 |
Romania | 40.0 | 37.9 | 77.9 | 48.7 |
United States | 55.6 | 30.2 | 85.8 | 35.2 |
Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female under the age of 20.
Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marital situation, career or work considerations, financial situations. If sexually active, family planning may involve the use of contraception and other techniques to control the timing of reproduction.
Birth rate, also known as natality, is the total number of live human births per 1,000 population for a given period divided by the length of the period in years. The number of live births is normally taken from a universal registration system for births; population counts from a census, and estimation through specialized demographic techniques. The birth rate is used to calculate population growth. The estimated average population may be taken as the mid-year population.
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a field of research, health care, and social activism that explores the health of an individual's reproductive system and sexual well-being during all stages of their life. Sexual and reproductive health is more commonly defined as sexual and reproductive health and rights, to encompass individual agency to make choices about their sexual and reproductive lives.
Abstinence-only sex education is a form of sex education that teaches not having sex outside of marriage. It often excludes other types of sexual and reproductive health education, such as birth control and safe sex. In contrast, comprehensive sex education covers the use of birth control and sexual abstinence.
Adolescent sexuality is a stage of human development in which adolescents experience and explore sexual feelings. Interest in sexuality intensifies during the onset of puberty, and sexuality is often a vital aspect of teenagers' lives. Sexual interest may be expressed in a number of ways, such as flirting, kissing, masturbation, or having sex with a partner. Sexual interest among adolescents, as among adults, can vary greatly, and is influenced by cultural norms and mores, sex education, as well as comprehensive sexuality education provided, sexual orientation, and social controls such as age-of-consent laws.
The sexuality of US adolescents includes their feelings, behaviors and development, and the place adolescent sexuality has in American society, including the response of the government, educators, parents, and other interested groups.
Teenage pregnancy in the United Kingdom refers to the rate at which people under 20 fall pregnant in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the rate of teenage conceptions in the United Kingdom was 5.226% percent of total conceptions, whereas 2.199% of all live births in the United Kingdom were to mothers under 20 years of age. The rate of teenage pregnancy is relatively high when compared with other developed countries; the only other Western countries with higher teenage pregnancy rates are the United States and New Zealand. A report in 2002 found that around half of all conceptions to under-18s were concentrated among the 30% most economically deprived population, with only 14% occurring among the 30% least deprived.
Abortion in Iceland is legal on request until the end of the 22nd week of pregnancy. The abortion rate in Iceland is relatively high, in comparison to other Nordic countries.
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unintended pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only became available in the 20th century. Planning, making available, and using human birth control is called family planning. Some cultures limit or discourage access to birth control because they consider it to be morally, religiously, or politically undesirable.
Unintended pregnancies are pregnancies that are mistimed or unwanted at the time of conception, also known as unplanned pregnancies.
16 and Pregnant is an American reality television series that aired from June 11, 2009, to July 1, 2014, on the cable channel MTV. It followed the stories of pregnant teenage girls in high school dealing with the hardships of teenage pregnancy. Each episode featured a different teenage girl, with the episode typically beginning when she is 4+1⁄2 – 8 months into her pregnancy. The episode typically ends when the baby is a few months old. The series is produced in a documentary format, with an animation on notebook paper showing highlights during each episode preceding the commercial breaks. 16 and Pregnant has spawned five spin-off series: Teen Mom, Teen Mom 2, Teen Mom 3, Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant, and 16 and Recovering, which premiered on September 1, 2020.
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. From 1965 to 2009, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved, but the national fertility rate in absolute numbers remains high, causing concern for long-term population growth. India adds up to 1,000,000 people to its population every 20 days. Extensive family planning has become a priority in an effort to curb the projected population of two billion by the end of the twenty-first century.
Abortion in Greece has been fully legalized since 1986, when Law 1609/1986 was passed effective from 3 July 1986. Partial legalization of abortion in Greece was passed in Law 821 in 1978 that provided for the legal termination of a pregnancy, with no time limitation, in the event of a threat to the health or life of the woman. This law also allowed for termination up to the 12th week of pregnancy due to psychiatric indications and to the 20th week due to fetal pathology. Following the passage of the 1986 law, abortions can be performed on-demand in hospitals for women whose pregnancies have not exceeded 12 weeks. In the case of rape or incest, an abortion can occur as late as 19 weeks, and as late as 24 weeks in the case of fetal abnormalities. In case of inevitable risk to the life of the pregnant woman or a risk of serious and continuous damage to her physical or mental health, termination of pregnancy is legal any time before birth. Girls under the age of 18 must get written permission from a parent or guardian before being allowed an abortion.
Pregnancy is a potential result of rape. It has been studied in the context of war, particularly as a tool for genocide, as well as in other unrelated contexts, such as rape by a stranger, statutory rape, incest, and underage pregnancy. The scientific consensus is that rape is at least as likely to lead to pregnancy as consensual sexual intercourse, with some studies suggesting rape may actually result in higher rates of pregnancy than consensual intercourse.
Access to safe and adequate sexual and reproductive healthcare constitutes part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as upheld by the United Nations.
Teenage pregnancy in the United States occurs mostly unintentionally and out of wedlock but has been declining almost continuously since the 1990s. In 2022, the teenage birth rate fell to 13.5 per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19, the lowest on record. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this decline is due to abstinence and the use of contraception.
Abortion is illegal in Bangladesh under most situations, but menstrual regulation is often used as a substitute. Bangladesh is still governed by the penal code from 1860, where induced abortion is illegal unless the woman is in danger.
Teenage pregnancy is a girl between the ages of 13 and 19 becoming pregnant. The term used in everyday speech usually refers to girls who have not yet reached legal adulthood, which in Australia is anyone under the age of 18. At the national level, the teenage birth rate has declined in the last decade. The rate was about 16 babies per 1,000 women aged 15–19 years between 2011 and 2012 but this had fallen to 11.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2015, the lowest figure on record. Terminations can be performed up until the 12-week mark. About half of all teenage pregnancies are terminated in Australia.
Adolescent sexuality has been a topic observed and studied within the United Kingdom throughout the 20th century and in the 21st century. Associated organisations have been established to study and monitor trends and statistics as well as provide support and guidance to adolescents.
Pregnancies are the sum of births, abortions and miscarriages. Please note that in these tables, "age" refers to the woman's age when the pregnancy ended. Consequently, actual numbers of pregnancies that occurred among teenagers are higher than those reported here, because most of the women who conceived at age 19 had their births or abortions after they turned 20 and, thus, were not counted as teenagers.