reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 2
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
• Too-early childbearing: Worldwide,
more than 10% of all births are to
women 15-19, and in the least
developed countries, teen
pregnancies account for 17% of all
births. In Zambia, for example, 61% of
current 20-24 year olds had a child by
age 20; in Bangladesh, 66%; and in
Guatemala, 50%.
• Unsafe abortion: Most of the
estimated 1–4.4 million abortions
among adolescents per year are
unsafe because they are performed
illegally, under hazardous conditions,
and/or by unskilled practitioners.
• Compared to older women, young
women experience increased
complications from pregnancy,
childbirth, and unsafe abortion.
• Young people face increased health
risks from sexual activity, including
STIs and HIV. Each year, more than
one-half of all new HIV infections
occur in young people under 25, and
more than two-thirds of all reported
STIs occur among this group in
developing countries.
Source: Vereau, D. 1998. Improving
interpersonal communications skills for
counseling adolescents on sexual
reproductive health. Lima, Peru:
Pathfinder International.
Pathfinder International
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Adolescent Curriculum