Worldwide every year about 16 million girls under 18 become mothers and 3,200,000 more have their pregnancies terminated. <0}

On 11 July 2013, WorldPopulationDay, theproblemofadolescent pregnanciesandpossiblewaystoaddressitarediscussedinallcountriesoftheworld. TheUNFPAResourceCentrehasaskedexpertsabouttherelevancyofthisprobleminBelarus.

SvetlanaSoroka, Chief Obstetrician-Gynecologist of the Ministry of Health, points out that there is a steady downward trend in the relative and absolute number of abortions in Belarus. When compared to European countries Belarus is neither a leader as regards the number of abortions among teenagers, nor one of the countries is fewer abortions.

According to the Ministry of Health currently there are 10.34 abortions per every one thousand women of fertile age. In 2012 four hundred and ninety-three terminations of pregnancy were registered among adolescent girls, and in 2011 the figure was 585.

Ninety-onepercentofadolescent pregnanciesareterminatedinBelarusbyvacuumaspiration. Physiological immaturity, i.e. age below 18 is a therapeutic indication for termination of a less than 22 weeks pregnancy. However, such abortions among teenagers are isolated cases and are recognized the least acceptable method of pregnancy termination.

Firstsexualexperienceandsexualityeducation

In Belarus one third of boys and girls under 15 have had a sexual experience. The proportion of 15-year-old teenagers with the experience of sexual relationship varies among girls from 2% in Armenia and 3% in Macedonia up to 71% in Greenland, and for boys – from 15% in Slovakia up to 48% Romania.

“The public cannot do much to stop teenagers from beginning sex life too early”, mentioned Svetlana Soroka.“Every teenager – a girl and a boy alike – is responsible for their sexual life,unplanned pregnancies and protection from STIs.It is very important that parents explain to their children that responsibility for a pregnancy cannot only lie with the woman.The question of terminating a pregnancy is sometimes a purely woman’s prerogative,she finds herself guideless in a very difficult situation. Thedecision about starting a sexlife, about contraception,and planning pregnancy must be taken consciously by both partners.Boys need education as much as girls.”

The Coordinator of Minsk-based teenager friendly Centre Doverie, Valentina Shukan, Psychologist, remarks that a healthy family environment is essential for personal growth and protection from early sexual relationships. The risk group for an early beginning of sex life includes both girls from one-parent families and those left early without parent support and supervision. “For example, think of a situation when 15-16-year-old-girls go to study to other towns and cities. A girl living in a family is one thing, but when she is left all by herself – then considering the psychological immaturity of her personality structure there is a growing likelihood of a risky behaviour. And it is not only about intimate relationships but also addiction to alcohol and other psychoactive substances. Nowadays many teenagers begin to live on their own early. So, we - adults – face a more challenging task to teach them to take conscious and responsible decisions by that time.

In Belarus the principle of interagency cooperation – between the Ministry of Health, Education, Labour and various non-governmental organizations - is employed in the issue of sexuality education. Svetlana Soroka remarked that in Belarus there is a mandatory preventive gynecological examination for girls aged 15-18, where girls are given information on how to avoid an unwanted pregnancy and STIs and suchlike. There are also family planning centres.

There are 47 teenager friendly centres. Gynecologists, urologists, psychologists work here with teenagers to promote healthy lifestyles.

Abortion or childbirth?

Medically both an abortion and childbirth are a challenge for a young body. An abortion is a surgical intervention, thus complications represented by reproductive health disorders are more likely than after birth giving or in older women who have their pregnancy terminated. "Childbirth is also a challenge", mentions Svetlana Soroka, "but I would choose childbirth. Termination of pregnancy is a severe psychological trauma, which even if not showing now, would develop afterwards. In order to have a positive effect in this situation consultations are provided prior to and after an abortion".

Termination of pregnancy has quite definite demography implications. Health professionals believe that about 80% of infertility cases are associated with prior abortions as well as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). From 15 to 17 per cent of married couples cannot conceive a child naturally in Belarus. It is exactly abortions and STIs, which make the basic preventable cause of infertility.

Globally:

· The main cause of mortality for 15-19 years old girls in low- and middle-income countries are complications of pregnancy and birth difficulties, which account for the death of thousands of people annually.

· In developing countries (except China) approximately every third adolescent girl is married before reaching the age of 18. Should the child marriage dynamics be maintained at the same level, this indicator would increase by 14 per cent: 14.2 mln. in 2010 to 15.1 mln. in 2030.

· Annually about 16 million girls aged 15 – 19, ninety per cent of which are married, become mothers; and they account for about 11% of childbirths worldwide.

· For a child born to an adolescent mother the likelihood of dying within the first month of life is 50% higher than for a child born to an older mother. The younger is the mother, the more danger her child faces.

· Adolescent girls aged 15 – 19 account for 15% of all unsafe abortions in low- and middle-income countries. In developing countries in 2008 girls aged 15–19 had estimated 3.2 mln. unsafe abortions; and teenagers suffer more severely from complications than adult women.

ABOUT UNFPA. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is an international development aid agency, which promotes equal rights of every man, woman and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunities for all. UNFPA supports governments by providing them with population dynamics data to implement poverty reduction policy and programmes as well as to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, young person is free of HIV/AIDS and that every girl and woman are treated with dignity and respect.

UNFPA began working in Belarus in 1994 and today the Fund provides assistance to the Republic in the design and implementation of the National Programme of Demographic Security, provides expertise to the state in the development of the National Reproductive Health Policy, works toward achieving gender equality, including prevention of and combatting domestic violence.

UNFPA – because everyone counts.

WORLDPOPULATIONDAY: For the first time the World Population Day was celebrated 11 July 1987 when the global population reached incredible for the time five billion. Considering an enormous interest to the event as well as the need to address population issues the Governing Council of the UN Development Programme established in 1989 the annual World Population Day.

Read more about UNFPA in Belarus at: www.unfpa.by

For further information, please, contact Volha Herasenka, Communications Assistant, UNFPA in Belarus, by mobile phone: +375 29178 67 00.