Pregnancy problems are leading global killer of females aged 15 to 19
May 16, 2017
More than 1.2 million adolescent girls and boys die annually – most from preventable causes – says World Health Organization
A labour ward for teenage expectant mothers in Caracas, Venezuela. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
Pregnancy complications are the leading cause of death globally among females aged 15-19, with self-harm in second place, a global study has found.
More than 1.2 million female and male adolescents die annually, the World Health Organization (WHO) report said – the majority from preventable causes including mental health issues, poor nutrition, reproductive health problems and violence.
The authors said that failing to tackle the health of 10- to 19-year-olds could undermine the improvements achieved in maternal and child health worldwide, pointing out that too often adolescent health was overlooked.
“By investing in adolescent health, you actually get a triple benefit because you get a healthier adolescent now, that healthier adolescent becomes a healthier, more productive adult in the near future, and also for those who have children, they become a more healthy parent,” said David Ross, lead author of the study. “If you have a healthy parent, that spills over into a healthy child.”
