Pregnancy is the biggest killer of teenage girls worldwide, says Save the Children

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 20:00 EST, 26 June 2012 | Updated: 01:31 EST, 27 June 2012

Pregnancy is the biggest killer of teenage girls worldwide, a charity has said.

Every year one million teenage girls die or are injured because of pregnancy or childbirth, according to Save the Children.

In a new report, the children’s charity warns that girls under 15 are five times more likely to die in pregnancy than women in their 20s.

Life-threatening: Pregnancy is the biggest killer of teenage girls around the world, according to charity Save The Children

Life-threatening: Pregnancy is the biggest killer of teenage girls around the world, according to charity Save The Children

More than 25,000 girls under 18 are married every day, according to the report.

Many quickly fall pregnant before their bodies have sufficiently developed.

High statistics: Around the world one in five girls are teenage mother

High statistics: Around the world one in five girls are teenage mother

'The issue of children having children - and dying because their bodies are too immature to deliver the baby - is a global scandal,' said Save the Children’s chief executive Justin Forsyth.

'This is a tragedy not just for those girls but also for their children - babies are 60% more likely to die if their mother is under 18.

'In the developing world, family planning isn’t just a lifestyle choice.

'Children’s lives depend on it.'

The report also found that around the world, one in five girls are teenage mothers - having given birth to a child by the time they are 18.

Next month a family planning summit is to be held in London to discuss increasing the global availability of contraceptives and to empower women so they have more choices about sex.

Comments (11)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now