Teen Pregnancy in the Event of a Pandemic: A short commentary

Mudasir Maqbool; Mehrukh Zehravi; Irfat Ara; Imran Gani

Abstract

There is a strong correlation between the COVID-19 epidemic and an increase in rates of child marriage and teenage pregnancies around the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 608,000 additional girls are at danger of child marriage and 542,000 additional girls are at risk of early pregnancy. A mother's health, as well as the economy and society at large, may suffer if an adolescent decides to get pregnant. Due to a lack of prenatal and postnatal care for teenagers, they are more likely to die or miscarry during pregnancy. Teenage moms are also more likely to drop out of school, resulting in less success economically and socially. Girls and other influential people assess the advantages and disadvantages of having children when making decisions about dating, marriage, and sexual activity in general, including whether or not to become pregnant. As a result of this, measures aimed at reducing pregnancies aim to either increase the expenses or decrease the advantages of childbirth. Sexual health instruction that helps girls make practical decisions about sexual activity, such as partner selection, frequency of sexual activity, and the use of protection, is more effective at reducing teenage pregnancies than exhortations (such as abstinence).

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