Africa: COVID lockdowns blamed for increase in teenage pregnancies

“I’m five months pregnant by a young man who works in the barracks,” says 16-year-old Elsa. “He is a soldier and helps me buy food and other things for school, because my family could not afford to send me to school otherwise.”

Elsa is one of many girls in Africa who have found themselves in a similar situation during the coronavirus pandemic, which has further exacerbated poverty and inequality. Young girls in particular now have to deal with early and unwanted pregnancies.

Elsa lives in Mozambique’s southern province of Inhambane and attends Massinga Secondary School in the eighth grade. Her teacher, Hermenegilda Gafur, confirms that many young girls at the school are now expecting a child. “There can be two or three pregnant women in one class alone,” Hermenegilda told DW.

That was the case for 16-year-old Mirela, who was hoping to escape the same economic hardship her parents’ experienced.

“I got pregnant by a man who worked at the hospital and he said he would marry me,” she says. Unfortunately the promise fell through, and she is now living with her parents.

The impact of COVID lockdowns

There are signs that teenage pregnancies are on the rise in several African countries due to the lockdowns imposed during the pandemic.

International aid organizations say there is cause for concern and are warning of the long-term consequences early pregnancies have on young girls. According to UNICEF, difficulties during pregnancy and childbirth are among the leading causes of death among young women between 15 and 19.

Many vital drop-in centers for adolescents and adults who require urgent help, as well as schools, have also been forced to close. According to Amref Health Africa, a Kenya-based NGO, girls are much more vulnerable to sexual abuse without these safety structures, with no one to educate them about sexual and reproductive health. Amref says this trend is now likely prevalant across the continent.

Poverty pushing teenage girls into early pregnancies

In neighboring Uganda, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) cites growing poverty as one reason for rising teenage pregnancy rates.

“Those who are poor tend to marry their girls off, much like a business deal,” UNFPA representative Edson Muhwezi told DW. “The parents receive a dowry, often cattle.” COVID-19 has only exacerbated the situation, he adds.

According to the Ugandan government, one in four teenagers became pregnant before the pandemic. Now it’s nearly one in three girls in every village.

Viola Ekikyo is among them. She had her child at 17. “I was scared and ran away from home,” she says. But she returned and now helps her mother in a small restaurant.

“She wouldn’t have gotten pregnant if the schools hadn’t been closed,” her mother told DW.

Meanwhile in South Africa, the number of children born to teenage mothers in the most populous province, Gauteng, has increased by 60% since the COVID-19 pandemic began. One reason for the high rate of teenage pregnancy is that girls have very limited access to contraceptives or the option of safe abortion, according to the latest report from NGO Save the Children, which raised concerns about the welfare of mothers and babies.

Figures from Gauteng’s Department of Health showed that between April 2020 and March 2021, more than 23,000 girls under the age of 18 gave birth — including 934 under the age of 14.

The cycle of child poverty continues

Marumo Sekgobela, the Health and Nutrition Thematic Manager at Save the Children South Africa, stresses that the global pandemic risks creating setbacks in the hard-won progress of girls — especially in the area of education.

“We encourage them to attend primary health care clinics in their communities,” he told DW. Screenings, consultations with social workers, and open conversations with parents are also crucial, Sekgobela says

He warns that this wave of early pregnancies will have consequences for those affected. “Young mothers’ education will be affected, and most are likely to drop out of school,” he says. “This perpetuates a cycle of child poverty that many young girls in South Africa are already experiencing.”

There are also health risks involved: Early pregnancies could lead to complications, such as high blood pressure during pregnancy or high blood sugar levels. Childbirth also poses risks for both mother and child.

Fight against HIV impacted

The high rates of teenage pregnancy has also set back South Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS. According to Sekgobela, infection rates are quite high among pregnant women. There is another serious factor to consider: Sexual violence.

“We need comprehensive sex education, which should be offered to young people at appropriate ages in and out of school,” Sekbobela says. He suggests policymakers and civil organizations need to implement this more and include traditional chiefs and religious leaders in discussions.

In principle, most young people — especially those in the cities — are aware of the risks and impacts of early pregnancy, Sekgobela says. “But in rural areas or informal settlements, education and development are just not the same.”

Luciano da Conceicao and Julius Mugambwa contributed to this article translated from German.