sexually active youth is low with heavy reliance on withdrawal and abortion as means of avoiding pregnancy. For example,
Adolescent pregnancy in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Although the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia are not affected to the same extent as other world regions, adolescent pregnancy is a major challenge in parts of the region, and in particular among some population groups. The State of World Population 2013, published by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, highlights the main challenges of adolescent pregnancy and its serious impacts on girls’ education, health and long-term employment opportunities. The report also shows what can be done to curb this trend and protect girls’ human rights and well-being. This brief was published as a supplement to the State of the World Population Report, focusing specifically on the situation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The scope of adolescent pregnancy in the region There are large disparities between and within the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) in terms of adolescent birth rates. Figure 1: Adolescent birth rates (by country) 60 50 40 30 20
Albania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Serbia
Belarus
Percentage of all live births to mothers aged under 20 years
