A recent study conducted by researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Columbia Aging Center, in collaboration with colleagues from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, underscores a troubling global trend: while adolescent fertility rates have decreased worldwide, Sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed a notable increase in teen births. Published in the journal Studies in Family Planning, the report reveals that Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of global adolescent births has surged from 12% in 1950 to 47% in 2020, with projections indicating a rise to 67% by 2035.
Lead investigator Vegard Skirbekk, Ph.D., professor of Population and Family Health at Columbia Public Health and the Aging Center, attributes this divergence to persistent challenges such as limited access to modern contraception, low educational attainment among young women, and prevalent early marriages in the region. He notes that despite global advancements, the absolute number of teen births continues to rise in Sub-Saharan Africa, a region experiencing rapid population growth.
Analyzing data from sources including the World Population Prospects 2022 and World Contraceptive Use 2022, the researchers found that while global teen births have decreased overall, Sub-Saharan Africa has become the world leader in this demographic, increasing from 7.5% to 19% of the global adolescent population between 1950 and 2020.
From 2000 to 2021, the region saw a rise in annual births from 4.5 million to 6.1 million, contrasting with declines observed elsewhere. Skirbekk and co-authors stress the multifaceted impact of high teen fertility rates, advocating for urgent interventions such as improved access to sexual and reproductive health services, enhanced female education, and policies that delay marriage and promote contraceptive use.
“Without targeted interventions,” warns the study, “the escalating number of births to teenage mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa risks reversing global progress in reducing adolescent fertility.” Looking forward, the researchers anticipate continued increases in teen births due to expanding teenage cohorts in the region, outweighing declines in teenage fertility rates.
The study’s co-authors include Thomas Spoorenberg from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Norwegian Institute of Public Health, along with researchers from institutions in Norway, Poland, and Denmark.
This study underscores the critical need for comprehensive policies and international cooperation to mitigate the challenges posed by rising teen births in Sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to sustain global efforts towards reducing adolescent fertility rates.
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