The number of births among teenage girls increased by 19% in the last 12 years to 52.1% of the total number of births. Almost half of the children born outside of marriage are born to girls aged between 15 and 17. The data are contained in the Social Monitor “Quality of Children’s Life – an impact factor in the sustainable development of Moldova”, presented by the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”, IPN reports.

According to the study, most of the fathers are aged between 20 and 28. Very often, in case of pregnancies out of wedlock, the responsibility is borne only by girls, they being stigmatized and their partners being forgotten. The criminal responsibility for those who have sexual relations with minors is yet a problem that remains unaddressed.

For a part of the girls aged between 15 and 17, the unplanned pregnancies serve as reason for registering marriages. Over the last few years, a large part of the first births at the age of 15-17 were given 3-5 months after registering the marriage.

Another part of the pregnant teenage girls resort to abortion. A factor that contributes to a high number of abortions is the low level of condom use. In 2011, in Moldova there were born 39,182 children and performed 15,710 abortions, 1,777 of which among teens aged between 9 and 15. The national legislation allows having an abortion if the fetus is up to 21 weeks old.