Teenage Pregnancy Rates by Country 2024

Sources indicate that more than 13 million children are born to women below 20 years of age. And more than 90% (approximately 12 million births) of such births occur in developing countries, with African countries taking the top ranks. This is a significant percentage of the total number of births each day. Keep reading to learn the teenage pregnancy rates by country out of every 1,000 teenage girls.

Niger, (203.6 Out Of 1,000 Girls)

Niger, a country in West Africa, takes the lead with the rate of 203.6 out of 1,000 teenagers. The leading causes of teenage pregnancy in Niger include lack of proper parental care, lack of sex education, peer pressure, low education level, and poverty, which leads to early marriage. According to the International Development Research Center (IDRC) report, 57% of girls in Niger start reproductive life before 18 years. It also indicates that 76.3% of girls get married before attaining 19 years. Further, the report indicates that 34.4% of deaths among girls below 19 years are linked to early pregnancies.

Mali, (175.44 Out Of 1,000 Girls)

Mali, another west African country, comes second after Niger, with a teenage pregnancy rate of 175.44 out of every 1,000 women aged between 15 and 19 years. Like the case for Niger, most girls in the country are married before 18 years, and ⅓ of them give birth before 19.

Sources indicate that the leading causes of early pregnancy in the country include peer influence, coercive sexual relations, early marriage, lack of parental guidance, lack of counselling, lack of affordable education, lack of sexual education, and drug abuse, among others.

Angola (166.6 Out Of 1,000 Girls)

According to the world atlas, Angola ranks 3rd among countries with the highest teenage pregnancies, with 166.6 out of 1,000 women aged below 20. The underlying causes of these teenage pregnancies include lack of family planning awareness, limited access to qualified health workers, poverty, rape, and lack of access to quality education.

Indeed, education is the leading cause of teenage pregnancies in the country. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 75% of the girls in Angola have access to primary school education, but only 15.5% of the girls make it to secondary school. With a vast percentage of teenage girls remaining at home, the country is likely to experience a surge in teenage pregnancies due to early marriages and early sexual practices by this illiterate teenage population.

Guinea (141.67 Out Of 1,000)

The world atlas ranks Guinea fourth, with a teenage pregnancy rate of 141.67. The causes of teenage pregnancy are lack of education, lack of sexual awareness, poverty, peer pressure, rape, sexual advances by older men, use of cell phones, and other causes discussed in the earlier sections.

According to UNICEF, early childbearing can derail the girls' otherwise healthy development and trample on their education, health, and social status. Some even face rejection from their close associates, including family, leading to suicide.

To reduce the high teenage pregnancies, the government of Guinea and other African countries should invest in comprehensive sexual education, girls' education, community sensitization, health education, and sufficient medical infrastructure.