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Metadata Glossary

CodeSP.MTR.1519.ZS
Indicator NameTeenage mothers (% of women ages 15-19 who have had children or are currently pregnant)
Short definitionTeenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.
Long definitionTeenage mothers are the percentage of women ages 15-19 who already have children or are currently pregnant.
SourceDemographic and Health Surveys
TopicHealth: Reproductive health
DatasetWDI
Unit of measurePercent of women ages 15-19 who have had children or are currently pregnant
PeriodicityAnnual
Reference period1985-2023
Aggregation methodWeighted average
Statistical concept and methodologyMethodology: The data represents the combined percentage of women aged 15-19 who are mothers and those who are pregnant with their first child. This information is gathered through individual interviews with women of reproductive age during household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys. For more details, please refer to the DHS website: https://dhsprogram.com/data/Guide-to-DHS-Statistics/Teenage_Pregnancy_and_Motherhood.htm
Development relevanceHaving a child during the teenage years limits girls' opportunities for better education, jobs, and income. Pregnancy is more likely to be unintended during the teenage years, and births are more likely to be premature and are associated with greater risks of complications during delivery and of death. In many countries maternal mortality is a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age, although most of those deaths are preventable. Infants of adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, which can have a long-term impact on their health and development. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 years in many low- and middle-income countries.
License URLhttps://datacatalog.worldbank.org/public-licenses#cc-by
License TypeCC BY-4.0
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