Early pregnancy, leading cause of death among teenage girls globally

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday warned against early pregnancy, noting that it is the leading cause of death among teenage girls aged 15 to 19 globally.

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The global health agency, in its latest guideline, disclosed that over 21 million adolescent girls become pregnant each year in low and middle-income countries, with around half of these pregnancies being unintended.

WHO said as a result of early pregnancy, their education is disrupted, social connections are weakened, and future employment prospects are limited.

According to WHO, this issue also poses serious health risks, including relatively higher rates of infections, preterm births, and complications from unsafe abortions, often linked to challenges in accessing safe and respectful healthcare.

WHO said the new guideline titled ‘WHO guideline on preventing early pregnancy and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in low and middle-income countries’ is aimed at addressing adolescent pregnancy and its associated health complications.

This updated version builds on the 2011 edition on preventing adolescent pregnancy, with a renewed emphasis on ending child marriage and enhancing adolescents’ access to and use of contraceptive methods.

Early pregnancy

According to the National Population Commission, 23 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 in Nigeria have started bearing children, and about 400,000 unplanned births occur annually.

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The WHO said a range of interconnected factors contribute to its prevalence, including gender inequities, poverty, lack of opportunity, and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services.

The report highlighted that nine in 10 adolescent births occur among girls who were married before the age of 18.

To address this, WHO guideline calls for urgent action to end child marriage, extend girls’ education, and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and information.

It said these are critical steps in reducing early pregnancies among adolescents.
It also recommended comprehensive strategies to provide viable alternatives to early marriage, such as strengthening girls’ access to education, savings opportunities, and employment.

The health body added that if all girls complete secondary school, child marriage rates could be reduced by up to two-thirds.

For girls at the highest risk, the guideline advised offering targeted financial support, such as stipends or scholarship programmes, to encourage school completion.

In addition, it recommended implementing laws to prohibit marriage under the age of 18, which is in line with human rights standards, and promoting community engagement to help eliminate the practice.

Guidelines

Early pregnancy generally refers to pregnancy occurring in adolescence, typically between the ages of 10 and 19. It often describes pregnancies that happen before a girl turns 18, many of which are unplanned or unintended.

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To address this, the guidelines further emphasised the importance of ensuring that adolescents have access to high-quality, adolescent-responsive sexual and reproductive health services, including a range of contraceptive options.

In contrast, the report highlighted that in some countries, adolescents must obtain consent from an adult to access these services, which poses a significant barrier to their use.

It also stressed that young girls who become pregnant must be able to access respectful, high-quality healthcare throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period, free from stigma and discrimination.

WHO said comprehensive sexuality education is also essential for both boys and girls, equipping them with the knowledge of where to access reproductive health services and how to use different types of contraception.