Adolescent pregnancy is an increasing problem among girls in the worldand Vietnam as well, which will lead to serious consequencesaffecting the rest of their lives.
The UnitedNations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that about 16 million girls aged15-19 give birth each year, 90 percent of whom are married.
Complications in pregnancy and childbirth continue to be the leadingcause of death among girls in this age bracket in low and middle-incomecountries. In 2008, there were an estimated three million unsafeabortions in developing countries among girls in the age group.
Around one in three young women aged 20-24 worldwide (approximately 70million) were married before they reached the age of 18, UNFPA said.
In Vietnam, the overall adolescent birthrate in2011 was 46 per 1000. This rate was found to be higher among groups withethnic minority backgrounds and lower levels of education and livingstandards in northern midland mountainous and rural regions.
The rate is higher than many countries in Asia, which isattributable to child marriage, premarital sex and shortage ofreproductive healthcare services, thorough knowledge and officialstatistics on adolescent pregnancy, abortion and childbirth.
According to the Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth Round 2 in2009, about 44 percent of young people aged 14-25 condoned premaritalsex.
Estimates suggest that teenage abortionsaccount for 20 percent of the total abortion rate in Vietnam.One-third of young people interviewed reported that it was not easy toaccess sexual reproductive health services, especially in rural andethnic minority areas.
Deputy Minister of HealthNguyen Viet Tien said that there are over 500 million girls indeveloping countries today. They face tremendous challenges – oftenmarried at a very young age, become pregnant before their bodies areready, taken out of school early, and vulnerable to violence.
UNFPA said premature births, low birth weight, stillbirths andneonatal mortality are associated with adolescent mothers. Children bornto teens are more likely to die than those born to women in theirtwenties.
The risk of maternal death is twice ashigh among girls aged 15-19, and four times as high among girls underthe age of 15, compared with those giving birth over the age of 20.Teenage mothers are also three times more likely to develop anaemia.
UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Arthur Erken said that adolescentpregnancies are not just a health issue but a developmental issue,deeply rooted in poverty, gender inequality, violence, child and forcedmarriages, power imbalances between adolescent girls and their malepartners, lack of education and the failure of systems and institutionsto protect their rights.
Nguyen Duc Vinh, DeputyDirector of the Maternal and Child Health Department under the HealthMinistry, said that to address the problem, the health sector needs toimprove the quality of healthcare services; pay more attention todisadvantaged people such as those who are disabled, homeless andHIV-infected; and encourage adolescents to engage in sexual reproductivehealthcare.
The sector also has to raise people’sawareness of reproductive health and life skills, and prioritisereproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention in education.
UNFPA recommends Vietnam to promptly and strategically invest ineducation and healthcare for adolescent girls, and protect their humanrights to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
In addition,it is necessary to implement a sex education programme and providereproductive healthcare and HIV prevention services for adolescents in atactful, confidential, unprejudiced and indiscriminating manner in linewith international regulations.-VNA
The UnitedNations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that about 16 million girls aged15-19 give birth each year, 90 percent of whom are married.
Complications in pregnancy and childbirth continue to be the leadingcause of death among girls in this age bracket in low and middle-incomecountries. In 2008, there were an estimated three million unsafeabortions in developing countries among girls in the age group.
Around one in three young women aged 20-24 worldwide (approximately 70million) were married before they reached the age of 18, UNFPA said.
In Vietnam, the overall adolescent birthrate in2011 was 46 per 1000. This rate was found to be higher among groups withethnic minority backgrounds and lower levels of education and livingstandards in northern midland mountainous and rural regions.
The rate is higher than many countries in Asia, which isattributable to child marriage, premarital sex and shortage ofreproductive healthcare services, thorough knowledge and officialstatistics on adolescent pregnancy, abortion and childbirth.
According to the Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth Round 2 in2009, about 44 percent of young people aged 14-25 condoned premaritalsex.
Estimates suggest that teenage abortionsaccount for 20 percent of the total abortion rate in Vietnam.One-third of young people interviewed reported that it was not easy toaccess sexual reproductive health services, especially in rural andethnic minority areas.
Deputy Minister of HealthNguyen Viet Tien said that there are over 500 million girls indeveloping countries today. They face tremendous challenges – oftenmarried at a very young age, become pregnant before their bodies areready, taken out of school early, and vulnerable to violence.
UNFPA said premature births, low birth weight, stillbirths andneonatal mortality are associated with adolescent mothers. Children bornto teens are more likely to die than those born to women in theirtwenties.
The risk of maternal death is twice ashigh among girls aged 15-19, and four times as high among girls underthe age of 15, compared with those giving birth over the age of 20.Teenage mothers are also three times more likely to develop anaemia.
UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Arthur Erken said that adolescentpregnancies are not just a health issue but a developmental issue,deeply rooted in poverty, gender inequality, violence, child and forcedmarriages, power imbalances between adolescent girls and their malepartners, lack of education and the failure of systems and institutionsto protect their rights.
Nguyen Duc Vinh, DeputyDirector of the Maternal and Child Health Department under the HealthMinistry, said that to address the problem, the health sector needs toimprove the quality of healthcare services; pay more attention todisadvantaged people such as those who are disabled, homeless andHIV-infected; and encourage adolescents to engage in sexual reproductivehealthcare.
The sector also has to raise people’sawareness of reproductive health and life skills, and prioritisereproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention in education.
UNFPA recommends Vietnam to promptly and strategically invest ineducation and healthcare for adolescent girls, and protect their humanrights to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
In addition,it is necessary to implement a sex education programme and providereproductive healthcare and HIV prevention services for adolescents in atactful, confidential, unprejudiced and indiscriminating manner in linewith international regulations.-VNA
