Unintended pregnancy refers to pregnancies that are unplanned or unwanted at the time of conception, and includes births, abortions, and miscarriages. Among adolescents (girls aged 15–19 years; age 20 is sometimes included in similar categories, but most data refers to 15–19 years), this phenomenon is linked to access to contraception, sexual education, and socio-economic factors.
In Europe, the rate of unintended pregnancies is generally lower than in less developed regions, but varies across countries – higher in Eastern Europe, lower in Western and Northern Europe. Data on unintended pregnancies are not always directly available for Europe, so proxy indicators are often used, such as the adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19) and the overall pregnancy rate (including births and abortions).
According to available statistics, globally around 55% of unintended pregnancies among girls aged 15–19 ended in abortion (data from 2019), but in Europe this percentage is lower due to better access to healthcare services.
In developed European countries, most adolescent pregnancies are unintended, similar to the USA, where 82% of such pregnancies are unplanned. However, European rates are lower due to better sexual education and contraception.
General data for Europe
- Adolescent fertility rate (births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19): In the European Region (WHO definition), this rate was 13.1 in 2023.
- This represents births but does not include abortions or miscarriages, which make up a significant portion of unintended pregnancies.
- Overall pregnancy rate (births + abortions): In some Western European countries, the rate is low: France 25.7; Germany 18.8; Netherlands 14.1 per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 (data from 2001, trends show a decline).
- These rates are considerably lower than in the USA (71.5), indicating a lower risk of unintended pregnancies in Europe due to better access to contraception.
- Trends: The rate of adolescent births has been declining in Europe since the 1990s, with around 41.7 per 1,000 in Eastern Europe (data from 2013). Globally, an estimated 49% of pregnancies among 15–19-year-olds in developed regions are unplanned (estimate from 2016).
- In the EU, the birth rate for mothers under 20 varies from 0.21% in Switzerland to 9.99% in Bulgaria (2021).
Factors and recommendations
The incidence is higher in regions with poorer sexual education and limited access to contraception. The declining trend (e.g., from 41.7/1000 in Eastern Europe in 2013 to lower values today) shows improvement, but unintended pregnancies still pose risks to girls’ health and education.
It is recommended to enhance sexual education programs and provide free contraception to reduce these rates.
References
- Bearak, J., et al. (2018). "Global, regional, and subregional trends in unintended pregnancy and its outcomes from 1990 to 2014: estimates from a Bayesian hierarchical model." The Lancet Global Health, 6(4), e380-e389.
- Guttmacher Institute. (2019). "Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion Worldwide."
- Sedgh, G., et al. (2015). "Adolescent Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion Rates Across Countries: Levels and Recent Trends." Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(2), 223-230.
- Statista. (2025). "Adolescent fertility rate in Europe by country 2019."
- World Health Organization. (2023). "Adolescent pregnancy."
- Eurostat. (2021)."Fertility statistics."