Decline in global adolescent fertility rates is counteracted by increasing teen births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Study

A new report from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Columbia Aging Center, with colleagues from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, highlights a troubling trend: While global adolescent fertility rates have significantly declined, sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing an increase in teen births. This region’s share of global adolescent births surged from 12% in 1950 to 47% in 2020, and is projected to reach a clear majority—a full 67%—by 2035. The findings are reported in the journal Studies in Family Planning. “This divergence we are seeing is related to limited use of modern contraception, lower education levels, Read More