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Too young

The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) has observed that repeat pregnancies among the young Filipino population are increasing, having recorded more than 25,000 involving teenagers or younger.

“We have already over 25,358 repeat pregnancies among girls 10 to 19 years old. Even before the age of 20, they got pregnant again,” said acting CPD Knowledge Management and Communications Division Chief Mylin Mirasol Quiray during the recent Conference on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill in Quezon City.

Latest CPD data showed there were 23,022 mothers aged 15 to 19 who underwent pregnancies for the second time. Third pregnancies for the age group were at 2,169, fourth at 125, and two persons got pregnant for the fifth time. Forty girls under the age of 15 got pregnant for the second time.

UN Population Fund Philippine (UNFPA) country representative Leila Saiji Joudane said a law that addresses adolescent pregnancies can provide a framework for comprehensive action.

The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill would provide comprehensive sexuality education, improved access to adolescent friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights services and data collection mechanisms to inform future policies and programs. The Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, CPD, and UNFPA have urged the senate to pass the bill.

If the impact of an unplanned pregnancy on the life of any person is already significant and profound, even more so for girls less than 20 years of age, what more for those who have to go through multiple pregnancies at that age? Any effort to reduce the numbers of such life-changing mistakes should be strengthened and supported, along with the provision of support to allow these young Filipinos who are essentially children, along with their children, to still be able to lead productive lives, despite such challenges.*

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February 2025
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