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The global mystery of teenage pregnancy: Why are teenage pregnancy rates so alarming in Africa?
The incidence of teenage pregnancy varies significantly across regions around the world, particularly between Western and non-Western countries. Take Africa as an example. The teenage pregnancy rate in this region is alarming, much higher than in other regions. Why are teenage pregnancy rates so high in Africa, and what are the implications of this trend?
Every year, 13 million women give birth before the age of 20, 90% of which occur in developing countries.
Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among females aged 15 to 19, according to the report. In Africa, teenage girls typically marry earlier than women in other regions, which directly leads to early pregnancy. According to a 1992 Nigerian survey, 47% of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 15, and 87% were married before the age of 18; 53% of the respondents had given birth before the age of 18. In 2015, extremely high rates of pregnancy or motherhood were found among girls aged 15 to 19 in Niger, Mali, Angola, Guinea and Mozambique.
In Mozambique, a 2015 survey showed that 46% of girls aged 15 to 19 were mothers or pregnant, an increase of 9% from 2011.
Africa's northern provinces such as Cabo del Gardo, Nampula and Niassa have particularly high rates of early pregnancy, reaching 64.9%, 61.3% and 60% respectively. According to Save the Children, nine of the top 10 countries with the highest risks for young women and their babies are in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries have high adolescent fertility and maternal and infant mortality rates, posing major social and health challenges.
The situation in Asia
Teenage pregnancy rates vary widely across countries in Asia. The rate of early marriage is generally higher in rural areas than in urbanized areas. While teenage pregnancy is relatively low in countries such as South Korea and Singapore, in Thailand 600,000 teenage girls are still at high risk of pregnancy.
In Thailand, where the teenage birth rate is 60 per 1,000 women, 25% of abdominal surgeries are among students admitted for induced abortion.
Australia and Europe
In contrast, Australia's teenage birth rate fell to 11.9 in 2015, with only 11.9 teenage pregnancies per 1,000 women, showing the effectiveness of widespread use of effective contraceptive measures. In Europe, pregnancy rates have fallen significantly since 1970, but teenage pregnancy rates still vary widely in many places.
Trends in the Americas
Teen pregnancy rates in North America have historically been high, particularly in the United States. The 2013 report showed that the teenage birth rate dropped to 26.6, with 26.6 teenage pregnancies per 1,000 women. This decline is much smaller than it was 40 years ago, but there are still significant differences in pregnancy rates between different social classes and races.
In the United States, the issue of teenage pregnancy is often mentioned in political discussions. Although conservatives and liberals have the same goal, they propose different solutions.
The global picture of teenage pregnancy shows that social, economic and cultural factors have a profound impact on pregnancy rates in different regions. Through education, the popularization of health care and efforts from all aspects of society, can we effectively reduce the teenage pregnancy rate? This is worth our deep thought and exploration.
