Achieving MDG 5 through decreasing

adolescent pregnancy in El Salvador

Emily Rentschler, Tirna Singh, Alice Tripp

Agenda

• Problem Statement w/ background

• Intermediate Outcomes

• How what we are doing differs from what others have/are doing

• Our Solution

Problem Statement

MDG 5 - Improve Maternal Health

5.A - Reduce by 3/4 Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

5.B - Achieve universal access to reproductive health

El Salvador is currently not on track to achieve MDG 5 by 2015; its adolescent birth rate is lagging behind, which directly reduces progress on target B and indirectly reduces progress on target A; culturally aware educational programs are needed to bring country on track

Progress has slowedEl Salvador

• 68/1000 adolescent girls pregnant

Average rate amongst countries with similar GDP

• 42/1000

6 Key Focus Areas1. Contraception2. Early marriage and sexual debut3. Domestic Violence4. Abortion5. Prenatal and Antenatal Care6. Education

El Salvador

• 85% of the population favors some sex education

• Opposition from the Church and cultural taboos

• Prevalence of rumors

Organizations in El Salvador addressing the problem...

How what we're doing differs from them

Focus on the parents - appeal to the need for sex education to start with the family

What we are doing to address problem

Healthy Teens: A Parental Education Program

Daily Text messages o Family Planningo Nutritiono Domestic Violence Preventiono Educational Attainmento Preventive Healthcareo Maternal Health

Twitter: @HealthyTeens

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HealthyTeens

Text Messages

Facebook

Twitter

Intermediate Outcomes

• Educate parents and teens on basic health concerns

• Spark dialogue between parents and teens

• Provide culturally sensitive family planning methods

• Empower adolescent boys and girls to make informed decisions about sexual debut and marriage

• Decrease adolescent pregnancy