These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Reproductive health in adolescence.
    Author: Friedman HL.
    Journal: World Health Stat Q; 1994; 47(1):31-5. PubMed ID: 8085368.
    Abstract:
    The health and well-being of adolescents is closely intertwined with their physical, psychological and social development, but this is put at risk by sexual and reproductive health hazards which are increasing in much of the world. Changes in population growth and distribution, the rise of telecommunications, the increase in travel and a decline in the family, as well as a generally earlier start of menarche and later age of marriage are contributing to an increase in unprotected sexual relations before marriage. This, combined with risks from early marriage, result in too early or unwanted pregnancy and childbirth, induced abortion in hazardous circumstances and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection leading to AIDS. With more than half the world's population below the age of 25, and 4 out of 5 young people living in developing countries with inadequate access to prevention and care, there is an urgent need for action. Young women are particularly vulnerable. Mortality and morbidity from early pregnancy whether ending in childbirth or abortion, is much higher for the younger adolescent. Young women, especially those who have less formal education, are more vulnerable to pressures for marriage, or sexual relations before marriage, often with older men. Young people generally lack adequate knowledge about their own development and information on how to get help. Those who could help are rarely trained for working with adolescents, and services which are generally designed for adults or children often deter young people from getting help when they most need it. Policy and legislation relating to sexual and reproductive health issues are often contradictory, and unclear or unenforced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) The health and social, psychological, and economic well-being of adolescent girls below the age of 17 are likely to be disadvantaged by pregnancy and childbirth. Although there is a worldwide trend toward higher age of marriage, there is also a worldwide trend toward an increase in adolescent sexual relations prior to marriage. Sexual relations in adolescence, particularly in developing countries, are likely to take place without the use of modern contraceptives or protection against sexually transmitted diseases, including the human immunodeficiency virus. By the year 2000 more than 85%, or over two billion, of the world's people below the age of 20 will live in developing countries. In addition, there are 40 million street children in Latin America, 25-30 million in Asia, and 10 million in Africa. For census or survey purposes unions can be considered to be a) legal marriage, whether civil, religious or customary; and b) common-law marriage, consensual union and cohabitation. The legal minimum age of marriage is often different for males and females. More than 50 countries allow marriage at 16 or below, with parental consent. A much higher proportion of adolescents marry in Sub-Saharan Africa and southern and western Asia; this is less true for eastern Asia, the Caribbean region, and many countries in Latin America. In 11 Sub-Saharan countries surveyed, rates of contraceptive use varied from 1% to 7% among unmarried sexually-active adolescents aged 15-19, and from 1% to 6% for those who were married. In 13 of 14 developing Asian countries surveyed, below 10% of adolescents under age 18 had ever used a modern contraceptive. In Latin America and the Caribbean, in 8 of the 11 countries surveyed the proportion was below 10%. In most of the developing world, abortion is highly restrictive, but even in countries where it is legal, screening procedures, parental consent, and its cost will deter adolescents from safe abortion.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]