Adolescent reproduction: The case of Chile and its policy implications

Adolescent fertility and maternity are a source of concern in the Latin American and Caribbean region, because they imply situations of adversity, have not gone down as in other age groups, and are more frequent among poor teenagers. Analysis of the micro-data from the last three censuses in Chile also shows: i) a generalized tendency for adolescent maternity to be out of wedlock; ii) the protective effect of staying in school, which comes into play after passing an educational threshold which is rising with time; iii) the leading role played by the parents of the households where most adolescent mothers live, and iv) the need for specific programmes and integral actions to reduce adolescent maternity, since although access to information and sexual health and reproduction services avoids pregnancies, it is not enough when there is a lack of alternatives to maternity or there are cultural and psychological obstacles to the proper use of contraceptive methods.