Pregnant teens: girls in South Africa need focused, supportive healthcare and more information about safe sex

Authors

  • SS Appunni University of the Western Cape
  • T Sithole University of the Western Cape

Keywords:

pregnant teens

Abstract

An estimated 12 million teenage pregnancies are reported globally every year.

Girls and young women in this age group face multiple risk factors that contribute to early pregnancies. These include a lack of access to comprehensive sexual education, socioeconomic inequality, cultural norms, and limited availability of contraceptives. They’re also less likely than older women to get prenatal care, and more likely to experience stigma and discrimination in healthcare facilities if they do seek care.

Author Biographies

SS Appunni, University of the Western Cape

Full Professor of Demography, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

T Sithole, University of the Western Cape

Doctoral Research Fellow in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, South Africa

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Published

2024-12-09

Issue

Section

The Conversation Piece