Number of underage mothers in Turkey down 82 pct in decade

Number of underage mothers in Turkey down 82 pct in decade

ANKARA

The number of “underage mothers” declined significantly between 2008 and 2017, according to data compiled by state-run Anadolu Agency.

A total of 227 females, under the age of 15, gave birth over the said period, down from 1,261, pointing to a sharp 82 percent decline, Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data showed.

According to the official figures, a total of 14,554 females, aged between 15 and 17, gave birth between 2008 and 2017, declining from 33,719 before this period. This translated into a 57 percent decline.

Over the same period, 54,449 females aged between 18 and 19 gave birth to children, marking a 36 percent decline, while the decline for the females aged between 20 and 24 was 20 percent, down to a total of 301,196.

The data also revealed that a total of 401,814 females within the age group of 25 to 29 years gave birth in the period of 2008-2017, a three percent decline. A total of 308,176 females aged between 30 and 34 gave birth in the same period that pointed to a 25 percent increase.

Women older than 35

The TÜİK data also showed a sharp increase in the number of women aged 35 and above that gave birth in the said period.

As for the age group of 35 and 39 years, a total of 165,264 women delivered children, translating into a sharp 60 percent increase. The increase for the women aged between 40 and 44 was 27 percent, with the number being at 33,115.

According to the data, the age-specific fertility rate in the 15-19 age group declined to 21 per thousand from 40, while the corresponding figure for the 20-24 age group fell to 97 per thousand from 1243 per thousand.