Roma origin as a factor for high level of adolescent fertility and abortion rate in European Union

• Published in: European journal of public health 2019-11, Vol.29 (Supplement_4)
• Main Authors: Kamburova, M, Georgieva, S, Tsanova, D, Stoyanova, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion; Adolescents; Births; Childbirth & labor; Correlation analysis; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Data processing; Economic development; Fertility; Girls; Mathematical analysis; Population; Pregnancy; Public health; Romani people; Socioeconomic development; Teenagers
• ISSN: 1101-1262; 1464-360X
• DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.660

Abstract Background Adolescence is a vulnerable phase in human development. Adolescent girls from Roma origin, especially younger girls, are particularly vulnerable because they face the risks of premature pregnancy and childbirth. The study aims to evaluate the association between Roma origin of mothers and prevalence of adolescent fertility and abortion rate in EU member states. Methods A correlational study was conducted and data on prevalence of adolescent fertility and abortion among adolescent girls (per 1000 live births) were extracted from European database “Health for all”. The means of variables in different countries were compared and Pearson’s correlation coefficients with share of Roma population were calculated. Data processing was performed by SPSS v.24. Results Increasing trend in premature childbirth has been observed in parallel with the increase of share of Roma population within countries, significantly more expressed in South-East member states. The mean adolescent live birth rate in the countries with highest proportion of Roma population was 5.6 times higher as compared to the mean for those with lowest proportion of Roma population. The highest level of proportion of live births to mothers aged less than 20 years was found in Romania (9.8%) and Bulgaria (9.5%). At the same tame proportion of Roma population in those countries is highest: Bulgaria (4.7%) and Romania (2.5%). The relation of adolescent fertility rate with share of Roma population shows significant positive correlation (r = 0.804, with 2-tailed significance p = 0.000). As far as the correlation of abortion among adolescent girls with the Roma origin is concerned, it is inverse and not significant. Conclusions Our results indicate significant correlation between share of Roma population and adolescent live birth in EU member states. A holistic approach is needed in which socio-economic development and education of Roma girls leads to further reduction of adolescent childbirth and abortions in EU. Key messages Adolescent girls from Roma origin in EU face the risks of premature pregnancy and childbirth more expressed in South-East member states and significant positive correlation for it was found. Bulgaria is the country with highest share of Roma population (4.7%) and in the second place according proportion of live births to mothers aged less than 20 years (9.5%) in the EU in 2015.