Costo en Embarazos Adolescentes en Áreas Rurales: Desafíos Políticos

Ecuador faces a high rate of adolescent pregnancies, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the country experiences one hundred and eleven pregnancies per thousand adolescents, a situation that places it among the three highest levels in Latin America by 2020. The Organization World Health Organization (WHO), indicate that the age considered as adolescence ranges from 14 to 19 years. Adolescent pregnancy places this population group in conditions of vulnerability and its high incidence represents a social impact on public health and social inequality, therefore this research aims to analyze the monetary and social cost of adolescent pregnancy in the rural area of the Parish of Sayausí, in the city of Cuenca, a space that is located within the four cities with the highest prevalence of adolescent pregnancies in Ecuador. The research considered the criteria of public health professionals in the design of the survey addressed to the aforementioned population group, which in the case of the Sayausí Parish, involved the participation in surveys of 67 pregnant adolescents. The monetary costs were calculated in reference to prenatal control and delivery care, while the social cost considered aspects such as decision-making, affective incidence, the perception of security and accompaniment, as well as the level of acceptance. family and social, among others. Finally, the research highlights the political challenge that parish governments, educational entities, the family nucleus and society in general must face to promote inclusive development of youth and pregnant adolescents.