Adolescent pregnancies are a global problem that occurs in high, middle, and low-income countries, so in this article, you will find out which are the 15 countries with the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the world in 2020.
Having kids is a responsibility not to be taken lightly no matter what age you are. The high teenage pregnancy rates in the world is a concerning issue for all members of one society. We have already brought this topic up in 11 Countries with the Highest Teenage Pregnancy Rates in the World. Even though the teenage pregnancy statistics worldwide have declined in the last few years, it is still considered a health issue. Adolescent pregnancies, especially unintended pregnancies, might carry a greater risk of adverse consequences as much as for the young mother as for the child. Teen pregnancies can influence women’s education prospects, economic opportunities, health as well as whole family. It is a fact that teenage pregnancy is a significant contributor to school dropout rates among girls. In developing countries with limited resources, pregnancy and childbirth among young women can also pose challenges to their physical well-being. Adolescent pregnancy remains a major contributor to maternal and child mortality. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death among 15 to 19-year-old girls globally. Adolescent mothers face higher risks of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis, and systemic infections than adult women.
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Though the country of origin is not a determining fact, teen pregnancies occur depending on several factors. Some of them are customs and traditions that lead to early marriage, lack of education and information about reproductive sexual health including lack of access to tools that prevent pregnancy, etc. Also, the modern contraceptive use among adolescents is generally low and decreases with economic status. This is where parents play a powerful role in helping adolescents make healthy decisions about sex, sexuality, and relationships. As per studies, from 13.1 teenage mothers who give birth annually all over the world, 680 000 belong to developed countries. Teenage pregnancy statistics worldwide in 2016 revealed that the USA has the highest teenage pregnancy rate of all developed countries. In the article 10 States with the Highest Teenage Pregnancy Rates in America, a breakdown of statistics per state is shown. Moreover, according to the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, today, countries in Africa have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the world. In contradiction with the pregnancy rates in Europe which are certainly the lowest in the world. However, that doesn’t mean that it is a nonexisting problem in this continent, data reveal that the highest pregnancy rate in Europe is 43 teenage pregnancies per 1000 teenagers and belongs to Bulgaria. On the other hand, the lowest teenage pregnancy rate in the world is found in Denmark with 2 pregnancies per 1000 teenagers.
For the present article, 15 countries with the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the world in 2020 we have gathered the most recent information provided by UNICEF in order to take a deeper look into this relevant matter that concerns all of us. Luckily, we managed to find the latest data published this year. Besides highest teenage pregnancy rates by the country information, in this report, you can read about lowest teenage pregnancy rates in the world as well. The same goes for teenage pregnancy rates in developed countries. As for our today’s list, we ranked the countries according to the number of pregnancies per 1000 teenagers. The countries with the highest number of teenage pregnancies are ranked higher on the list.
15. Sierra Leone
101 teenage pregnancies among 1000 teenagers
The main causes cited by the UNICEF are the misconceptions about contraceptives that continue to reflect lack of proper education on reproductive health and contraception, extreme poverty and religious beliefs. This is a country where early marriage is supported by traditional practice, according to a 2008 survey by the World Health Organization where 70% of teenage girls in Sierra Leone are married.
