PANAMA CITY- The total annual cost of adolescent pregnancy and early motherhood in 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is estimated at USD 15.3 billion or, on average, 1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to a report released today by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

The State pays a considerable cost for adolescent pregnancy, which is an obstacle to socioeconomic development. However, the vast majority of the financial burden, an alarming 88.2%, is borne by adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 19. 

“Lives are cut short and dreams are crushed under the weight of early motherhood,” said Susana Sottoli, UNFPA Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Adolescents who should be filling classrooms, conquering the world, are trapped in a cycle of poverty, inequality and missed opportunities.”

The study, The price of inequality: The socioeconomic consequences of adolescent pregnancy and early motherhood in Latin America and the Caribbean, examines five key areas: education, labour participation, income, health expenditures and lost tax revenue. The first three focus on the impact on young mothers and the last two on the State. 

The findings show that women who had their first child in adolescence are less educated than those who became mothers at 20 or older. An adult mother is three times more likely to complete her university studies. Subsequently, when entering the labour market, she has an income up to three times higher than women who had their first child in adolescence. 

Both for the health expenses related to adolescent pregnancy and for the potential loss of tax revenues due to the lower income of young mothers, the State bears the annual USD 1.8 billion of the estimated total cost.

The report consolidates results from studies UNFPA conducted between 2019 and 2024 in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Suriname.  

Although progress has been made in reducing adolescent fertility rates, the pace of reduction slowed during the pandemic. Even today, the adolescent fertility rate in the region is the second highest in the world after Sub-Saharan Africa and 1.6 million adolescents give birth each year in all of Latin America and the Caribbean, equivalent to one adolescent girl becoming an early mother every 20 seconds. 

Disparities persist in terms of the impact this phenomenon has on adolescent girls by age, ethnicity, income and location. For example, Afro-descendant adolescents are 50% more likely to become mothers than their non-Afrodescendant peers.

“Data and experience show us that preventing adolescent pregnancy is both a good investment and an ethical imperative,” said Sottoli. “Indeed, for every dollar invested in adolescent pregnancy prevention, we at UNFPA estimate a return of between USD 15 and USD 40, depending on the country.” This is based on estimates of the opportunity cost and impact of interventions to reduce fertility rates.

A call for collective action

To address this crisis and accelerate results, UNFPA calls for prioritizing the prevention of adolescent pregnancy by investing in strategies that have contributed to its reduction. To this end, 35 regional entities, including governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, multilateral banks and international organizations have been working collectively in the Zero Adolescent Pregnancy Movement. Equipped with the report UNFPA is presenting today and other collective resources, this movement - officially launched today - aims to become the regional engine for a) making adolescent pregnancy an essential priority for regional development, b) promoting innovative financing options, and c) generating data and evidence to guide policies and programmes.

The good news is that there are already successful experiences that some countries have implemented in this region to reduce adolescent pregnancy. Some of them are:

● Design national strategies to reduce adolescent pregnancy with the participation of all sectors and levels of the State and civil society.

● Guarantee informed access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, including modern contraceptive methods, especially long-acting contraceptives.

● Create laws prohibiting child marriage and early unions.

● Promote the participation and empowerment of adolescent girls.

● Ensure access to comprehensive sexuality education.

Among the most impactful actions is the prioritization of investments in communities experiencing greater vulnerability. One example of this approach is the partnership between UNFPA, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Republic of Ireland, focused on improving health services for adolescents, providing culturally sensitive sexuality education, and empowering young people and women in 26 Afro-descendant, Creole, Garifuna, and Miskito communities across five countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, and Panama. 

UNFPA estimates that an investment of USD 1.8 million in contraceptives and comprehensive sexuality education, along with other recommended actions, would reduce the average fertility rate by 36% by 2026 in these communities, with a return on investment between USD 18 and USD 48 per dollar. The partnership is working to achieve these results. 

Download the report (in Spanish)