Technical Areas

Adolescent Maternal Health

Every year, millions of young women, recently children themselves, give birth. These mothers and their children face increased risks of mortality and illness, fewer educational opportunities, and a life of poverty. Fortunately, proven interventions are available to prevent this unnecessary death and disability and address the challenges young women face in preventing early pregnancy and childbirth.

The Risks of Early Motherhood

Increasing the age at first birth for a woman will increase her chances of survival. Currently, pregnancy and childbirth complications are the leading cause of death for women 15 to 19 years old in developing countries. Children born to mothers in their twenties are fifty percent lower risk of dying by their first birthday than children born to teenaged mothers. Young mothers are not often physically mature enough to deliver a baby, leaving her and her child at risk for death or disabilities from obstructed labor, fistula, premature birth, or low birthweight.

While no young mother in developing countries is free from the risks of early births, teen mothers and their children in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest mortality rates. Early marriage and childbirth is also highest in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Early motherhood is compounded by the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among teenage girls as compared to teenage boys in the region. Physical attributes and social customs increase a young woman’s chances of contracting HIV and then passing the infection to her newborn. HIV transmission is twice as likely from man to woman as it is from woman to man. Sexual relationships controlled by men, trans generational sex, transactional sex, and “sugar daddies” are not uncommon relationships that explain why young people 15-24 years old have the highest incidence rate of HIV/AIDS and infections among young women outpace that of their male counterparts. Due to the high rates of HIV/AIDS among adolescent women, children born to young mothers have an increased risk of being born with the virus.

Early childbirth can negatively affect the educational and economic opportunities of women and their children. Out of school girls are more likely to give birth than girls in school, and girls that become pregnant while in school are likely to drop out and not complete their education. Women with lower educational attainment have higher rates of maternal mortality, are less knowledgeable about health prevention activities, and are more likely to live a life of poverty. Their children have fewer options and are also more likely to die.

Improving the Situation

USAID encourages adolescent pregnant mothers and their newborns to utilize health services before, during, and after birth to reduce health risks associated with young motherhood. Prenatal care services provide young mothers with information and preventive services for a healthy pregnancy and birth. Identifying and treating high blood pressure, malaria, anemia, parasitic infections are important prenatal interventions. The assistance of a skilled birth attendant at delivery is especially important for teen mothers because of the additional physical risks young and first time mothers face at delivery and because of their lack of experience recognizing birth complications. This assistance can prevent the more common injuries and mortality associated with adolescent deliveries.

USAID also promotes post partum care for adolescents for the health of both mother and baby. Because of their increased risk of birth complications, care in the first few days after delivery can provide treatment and surveillance of possible problems for mother and newborn and help the new mother with parenting and child care skills. In prenatal and post partum visits, providers can inform young women of their family planning options to prevent unwanted pregnancies and plan the spacing of future children.