Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Reproductive Outcomes In Central America: Trends over the Past Two Decades

Premarital sexual activity among unmarried adolescents in northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

“…Similarly, several studies in sub-Saharan Africa have documented high and increasing premarital sexual activity among adolescents [5]. Research reports indicate that young women are increasingly becoming sexually active at an early age, increasing the risks of unplanned pregnancy and exposure to HIV infections [4,6,7].…”

“…Of an estimated 1.2 billion young people in the world, 85% live in developing countries [2]. A significant number of adolescents all over the world are sexually active and an increasing proportion of their sexual activity is occurring outside marriage [3,4]. Similarly, several studies in sub-Saharan Africa have documented high and increasing premarital sexual activity among adolescents [5].…”

Consensual Unions in Central America: Historical Continuities and New Emerging Patterns

“…Total fertility rates currently range from 1.8 children per woman in Costa Rica to 3 in Honduras and 3.8 in Guatemala. Despite overall fertility reduction, adolescent fertility remains at very high levels, particularly in Nicaragua and Guatemala (Samandari and Speizer 2010 ). The prevalence of adolescent fertility is disproportionally higher among disadvantaged women -poor, rural or indigenousperpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty (Remez et al 2009 ).…”

Pathways to marriage and cohabitation in Central America

“…Specifically, major expansion of educational opportunities during the 1990s resulted in adolescent girls spending more time in school (García and Rojas 2002). Contraceptive acceptance and use increased, allowing for a decoupling of sexual activity and childbearing (Samandari and Speizer 2010;PRB 2007;Grace 2010). Additionally, more Central American women than ever before are currently employed in wage-earning occupations, possibly indicating a greater amount of autonomy in a historically male-dominated culture (García and Rojas 2002).…”