In 2022, Bulgaria had the highest share of births to teenage mothers in Europe, at almost 10.2 percent of all births in the country. Furthermore, in Slovakia and Moldova, over five percent of births in both countries were to mothers aged below 20 years. The share of teenage births was particularly low in Switzerland, Andorra, and Norway. Falling teenage births In Europe, the share of births to teenage mothers has been trending downwards. Across the whole European region, the share of adolescent births fell from almost *** percent in 1980 to ***** percent in 2021. More specifically, in the European Union, teenagers accounted for fewer than *** percent of all births in 2021. Access to contraception In developed countries, the average age for women giving birth has increased over time, and in general, women are choosing to have fewer children. One of the main reasons is improved access to contraception, which allows women greater autonomy over their bodies. Luxembourg, which was rated as having the best access to modern contraception, also has the highest average childbearing age in Europe. Next on the contraception ranking; Belgium, France, and the UK also had a mean age of around ** for mothers.

The adolescent birth rate in Latin America and the Caribbean stood at an average of 60.7 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19, according to 2020 estimates. The highest rate in the region was registered in Nicaragua and Honduras, where it surpassed 79 births per 1,000 women in that same age group as of 2022. In South America, Chile and Uruguay recorded some of the lowest teenage birth rates.

Introduction

Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Teenage pregnancy, occurring in females aged 13 to 19, presents significant public health and socio-economic challenges.

It is influenced by factors such as lack of sexual education, socio-economic disadvantages, and family dynamics.

Teenage mothers face higher risks of health complications, and their children may experience low birth weight and developmental delays.

The impact extends to educational and economic outcomes, with affected adolescents often struggling to complete their education and secure stable employment.

Preventive measures include comprehensive sex education, access to contraception, and robust support systems.

Effective strategies require community engagement and supportive policies to address and mitigate these challenges.

Jordan JO: Teenage Mothers data was reported at 4.500 % in 2012. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.700 % for 2009. Jordan JO: Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 4.600 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2012, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.400 % in 1990 and a record low of 4.100 % in 2007. Jordan JO: Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Jordan – Table JO.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.; ; Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

In 2023, the Central African Republic ranked first by births per one thousand women in the age group between 15 and 19 among the 54 countries presented in the ranking. Central African Republic's fertility rate of women amounted to ******, while Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea, the second and third countries, had records amounting to ****** and ******, respectively.

Lesotho LS: Teenage Mothers data was reported at 19.100 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19.600 % for 2009. Lesotho LS: Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 19.600 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2014, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.200 % in 2004 and a record low of 19.100 % in 2014. Lesotho LS: Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Lesotho – Table LS.World Bank: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.; ; Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

Introduction

Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Teenage pregnancy remains a major global issue, with statistics shedding light on its far-reaching effects on young women, their families, and society as a whole. These figures offer critical insights into the prevalence, trends, and underlying factors that contribute to teenage pregnancies.

They highlight the various challenges adolescents face, including health risks, socioeconomic obstacles, and limited access to education and healthcare. By analyzing these statistics, we can better understand the root causes of teenage pregnancies and develop targeted solutions to support young mothers and reduce the occurrence of teenage pregnancy globally.

In 2023, Laos had the highest number of births among women aged between 15 and 19, with approximately ***** births per thousand adolescent women. Across the Asia-Pacific region, the adolescent fertility rate for that year was lowest in Macao, with around **** births per thousand women between 15 and 19 years.

Papua New Guinea PG: Teenage Mothers data was reported at 12.100 % in 2018. Papua New Guinea PG: Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 12.100 % from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.100 % in 2018 and a record low of 12.100 % in 2018. Papua New Guinea PG: Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Papua New Guinea – Table PG.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.;Demographic and Health Surveys.;Weighted average;

The women in rural areas exercise aims to study the lifestyles and expectations (present and future) of rural Basque women; in other words, what elements (if any) define their ¿rural identity¿. In short, it seeks to document both the positive and negative factors encountered by women living in rural areas in their daily lives. More information in the https://www.euskadi.eus/web01-s2enple/es/contenidos/informacion/panorama_juv_oe_informacion/es_def/index.shtml departmental statistical portal.

The Youth Panorama is a biennial statistical operation that gathers in a publication the main indicators on Basque youth. It is linked to the Basque Youth Observatory that accounts for the problems of the youth world in the Basque Country, as well as the factors associated with it. More information on the https://www.euskadi.eus/web01-s2enple/es/contenidos/informacion/panorama_juv_oe_informacion/es_def/index.shtml departmental statistical portal.

In 2023, the birth rate for women aged 15 to 19 years in the Central African Republic was *** per 1,000 women of that age, the highest adolescent birth rate of any country worldwide. This statistic shows the leading 20 countries based on adolescent birth rate in 2023, per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years.

Egypt EG: Teenage Mothers data was reported at 10.900 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.600 % for 2008. Egypt EG: Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 9.700 % from Dec 1988 (Median) to 2014, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.900 % in 2014 and a record low of 8.100 % in 2003. Egypt EG: Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Egypt – Table EG.World Bank: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.; ; Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

Rates are listed as numbers per 1000 girls 15–19 years old,∧15–18 years old [1]–[4].

Teenage pregnancy remains a critical issue in Kenya, with 15% of girls aged 15–19 having been pregnant. Counties in western Kenya experience high teenage pregnancy rates (22–30%) along with high HIV prevalence and widespread poverty. Long-term consequences of teenage pregnancy have been documented in high-income countries, but evidence from the Global South is lacking. Here, we examined the association between teenage pregnancy and adult socio-economic functioning in western Kenya using cross-sectional survey data from Migori County, Kenya. We categorized women into three groups: adult mothers (first child ≥20 years), teenage mothers to 1 child (had 1 child before age 20), and teenage mothers to 2 + children (had 2 or more children before age 20). We then compared adult socioeconomic and health outcomes of these groups. We found that among 6,089 mothers, 45.2% had their first child during adolescence. Compared to adult mothers, teenage mothers were significantly less likely to complete primary education: a 12.2 percentage point (pp) reduction (95% CI: -14.9, -9.4) among teenage mothers to 1 child and 27.6 pp reduction (95% CI: -31.4, -23.8) among teenage mothers to 2 + children. Teenage mothers were also more likely to have loans and experience food insecurity. The risk of experiencing the death of a child increased from 3.4% among adult mothers to 15.3% among teenage mothers to 2 + children, a 4.5-fold increase (p 

Afghanistan Teenage Mothers data was reported at 12.100 % in 2015. Afghanistan Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 12.100 % from Dec 2015 (Median) to 2015, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.100 % in 2015 and a record low of 12.100 % in 2015. Afghanistan Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.;Demographic and Health Surveys.;Weighted average;

In 2022, the share of births to teenage mothers in the European Union was below *** percent. In the European region as a whole, this share was nearly *** percent. The wider European region always recorded a higher rate of teenage births than the EU. Since the *****, births to adolescent mothers have declined nearly year-on-year in Europe. Which countries had high teenage birth rates? Nearly *** percent of live births in Bulgaria were attributed to mothers under below the age of ** in 2021. This was the highest share of births to teenage mothers in the European Union, followed by Romania and Slovakia. On the other hand, less than *** percent of births in Norway, the Netherlands, and Switzerland were to teenagers. Mean age of women at first birth Alongside the decline in teenage births, the average age of women giving birth in Europe has increased. In the mid-*****, the average childbearing age in Europe stood around 26 years. By 2022, this had risen to over 30 years. This reflects societal changes in which women are waiting longer to have children, reasons which include better access to contraception and greater bodily autonomy. When looking at countries specifically, Ireland and Spain were among the countries with the highest average age of mothers in Europe.

Kenya KE: Teenage Mothers data was reported at 19.200 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.100 % for 2014. Kenya KE: Teenage Mothers data is updated yearly, averaging 20.500 % from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2015, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.400 % in 1989 and a record low of 17.700 % in 2009. Kenya KE: Teenage Mothers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Teenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.; ; Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average;

Teenage Pregnancy and Motherhood (TPM) pose significant global public health challenges, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa with Uganda being among the countries most affected. In this phenomenological study we aimed to understand the lived experiences of teenage mothers regarding TPM, and to develop advocacy materials and methods to combat TPM. We recruited 14 teenage mothers, aged 16–19 years, who were receiving care at a high-volume hospital in Fort Portal City, Western Uganda. Photovoice, a participatory action research method was used, involving five group sessions. Participants documented their TPM experiences through photographs and narratives, followed by group discussions. Data were analyzed using phenomenological hermeneutics, with themes emerging from participants’ lived experiences. Teenage pregnancy and motherhood were understood to be unexpected and undesirable by the girls who experienced them. These situations were often marked by attempts to conceal the pregnancy, such as fleeing from home, and were compounded by insufficient material and psychosocial support. The girls also faced conflicting emotions about having children, challenges related to childbirth and childcaring as well as strained relationships with their families or partners. The unexpected, undesired, and challenging nature of TPM for this population highlights the need for comprehensive societal and systemic interventions to prevent TPM and to provide material and psychosocial support to those that find themselves in this situation. This can be through sexuality education to teenage girls and economic support for teenage mothers. Incorporating teenage mothers’ lived experiences into advocacy efforts offers a novel approach to addressing the TPM challenge in the setting of western Uganda. Teenage pregnancy is a deeply stigmatized and challenging experience for young girls, often leading to social isolation, concealment, and insufficient support, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive societal and systemic interventions.

Births by mothers age, including country and regional breakdown

Definition:
Percentage of women aged 20-24 who gave birth before age 18