Adolescence is the period of life in which the individual acquires reproductive capacity and transitions psychological patterns from childhood to adulthood. According to WHO adolescent pregnancy data, some 16 million girls between 15 and 19 years of age and approximately one million girls under 15 give birth each year. Most are concentrated in low- and middle-income countries.
Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the second leading cause of death among adolescent girls worldwide. Adolescent girls are at greater risk for their own and their children's health: a greater chance of low birth weight or infant death in the first year of life.
It should be noted that parental age below 20 years has been shown to be a risk from the beginning of life for newborns. Pregnancies under 20 years of age present twice the biological risks associated with lower birth weight, dystocic delivery and prematurity. There may also be other factors such as: risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia, risk of obstetric fistula, high maternal mortality, pregnancy linked to sexually transmitted diseases or psychological problems, among others.
