The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline aimed at reducing adolescent pregnancies, a leading cause of death among girls aged 15–19 worldwide. The guidelines emphasize addressing the key factors contributing to early pregnancies, including child marriage, gender inequality, lack of education, and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Key Recommendations
End Child Marriage: The guideline advocates for rapid action to end child marriage, with a focus on strengthening girls’ education, providing financial incentives for completing secondary school, and engaging communities to prevent early marriages.
Improve Access to Healthcare: WHO calls for the improvement of adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, ensuring that young girls can access contraceptive options and high-quality care without requiring adult consent.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education: The guideline stresses the importance of comprehensive sexuality education for both boys and girls, which has been proven to reduce early pregnancies and delay sexual activity.
Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, explained, “Tackling this issue means creating conditions where girls and young women can thrive by ensuring they can stay in school, be protected from violence, and have real choices about their futures.”
Global Impact
Over 21 million adolescent girls become pregnant each year in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly half of these pregnancies being unintended. Early pregnancies lead to various health risks, including infections, preterm births, and unsafe abortions. Child marriage remains a significant driver of early pregnancies, with 9 out of 10 adolescent births occurring among girls married before 18.
WHO’s new guideline aims to break the cycle of poverty and health risks associated with adolescent pregnancies by offering practical solutions such as better education, access to contraception, and legal frameworks that prohibit marriage under the age of 18.
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