June is dedicated to the youth of 1976 who stood up against the apartheid government and laid down their lives fighting for freedom and the right to equal education. Today, one of the toughest decisions that a lot of South Africa’s youth face is whether to have sex, which puts them at risk of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV infection.
Teenage pregnancies in South Africa jumped to 60% during the COVID-19 pandemic. New figures from the Gauteng Department of Health show that more than 23,000 girls aged under 18 gave birth between April 2020 and March 2021 – of which 934 were aged under 14 – compared to 14,577 girls aged 19 and under having babies in the same period a year earlier.
Youth pregnancy is associated with significant health risks and socio-economic costs. Improving the health and well-being of adolescent youth is crucial for their well-being today and for their future economic productivity.
Different birth control methods that teens can choose from:
- Birth control patch
- Birth control pill
- Birth control shot (injection).
- Condoms
- Fertility awareness
- IUD (Intrauterine Device)
- Birth control ring
