In Peru, adolescent pregnancy is still a forbidden subject. Every year, out of 420.000 abortions carried out in the country, 10% concern adolescents.
They have only a limited access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. This is why MdM, present in the country for 12 years, has started a programme focusing on adolescents in three districts in Lima.
Vulnerable and marginalised adolescents
Peruvian adolescents represent a high pregnancy rate (about 13%) often resulting from sexual abuse (6 undesired pregnancies out of 10).
Illegal abortions represent important sanitary risks for these adolescents. Sanitary controls are often insufficient during the pregnancy period and important risks of complication exist during the labour, risks around caesarean sections, insufficient weight of the baby at birth, post-natal depression, or premature birth. In total, 16.8% of premature births concern adolescents.
Moreover, morbidity and mother and child mortality is very high and mainly result from haemorrhages (23%), abortions carried out under bad conditions (22%), infections (18%) and high blood pressure (17%).
Pregnant adolescents are also isolated from the Peruvian society. When pregnant, they are faced with a great number of problems in order to remain in the school system; they also lose the right to free healthcare. More generally, access to health services is very difficult since according to the law, minors are not allowed to ask for medical care and/or advice if they are not accompanied by their legal guardian. In addition, the number of specialised structures is very low and it is very expensive for these young people without means to get access to them.
Attempt to break a taboo
It is within this context that MdM started a programme in October 2005, aiming to improve access to information and to prevention, covering sexual and reproductive health matters. Together with several local organisations, one of which is “Centro para Madres Adolescentes”, actions are carried out within secondary schools and health centres of three particularly underprivileged districts in the south of Lima. The purpose is to get in touch with the poorest adolescents who present the highest birth rates and mortality in relation to the rest of the population.
Three centres for adolescents are being progressively installed in each district, co-administrated by adolescent representatives and local municipalities in order to develop information and prevention activities, as well as the promotion of existing health services. Also, and in collaboration with the public health centres, a reference and follow-up system is being put in place in order to ensure an intercommunication with other existing centres.
MdM teams also train local people originating from the communities (adolescent and medical staff) to enable the transfer and acquisition of proper skills covering sexual and reproductive healthcare specific to adolescents. More globally, this programme aims to make the population aware of the problem, to fight against stigmatisation which these young girls suffer from, and to promote their rights within local and national bodies, so that adolescent health becomes a priority for community leaders (religious and government), civil society and public institutions.
Press Contact :
Florence Priolet / Annabelle Quénet