GENEVA — The World Health Organization is calling for urgent global action to prevent adolescent pregnancies and end child marriage, warning that millions of girls across low- and middle-income countries continue to face serious health risks and lost futures due to early motherhood.
More than 21 million adolescent girls become pregnant each year in these regions, and nearly half of those pregnancies are unintended, the UN health agency said in new guidelines released this week. An overwhelming majority—90%—of births to adolescents occur among girls who were married before the age of 18.
“Early pregnancies can have serious physical and psychological consequences for girls and young women,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO. “They often reflect fundamental inequalities that affect their ability to shape their relationships and their lives.”
Health experts emphasize that teenage pregnancy is linked to increased risks of infections, complications during childbirth, and premature birth. Beyond the medical dangers, it disrupts education and severely limits economic opportunities, often trapping young mothers in cycles of poverty.
Despite some progress in reducing adolescent birth rates globally, significant disparities remain. In 2021, one in 25 girls gave birth before age 20, compared to one in 15 two decades earlier. But in some countries, nearly 10% of girls aged 15 to 19 still give birth each year.
“Early marriage denies girls their childhood and has severe consequences for their health,” said Dr. Sheri Bastien, a WHO scientist specializing in adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Bastien highlighted the role of education in reshaping futures for young girls, while stressing that both boys and girls must learn about consent and actively challenge the gender norms that fuel early marriage and pregnancy.
The updated WHO guidelines revise recommendations from 2011 and promote comprehensive sexuality education as a key strategy. The organization said such education helps adolescents understand contraception, reproductive health, and how to access care—empowering them to make informed choices.
“It has been shown to reduce early pregnancies, delay the onset of sexual activity and improve adolescents’ knowledge about their bodies and reproductive health,” the WHO said.
To reduce rates of teen pregnancy and child marriage, the WHO is urging governments to invest in education, financial inclusion and employment opportunities for young girls. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), ensuring that all girls complete secondary school could cut child marriage rates by up to two-thirds.
