Mexico City,Mexico – Of the approximately 2 million annual births in Mexico, roughly 480,000, or 24 percent are born to mothers between the ages of 14 and 19 according to a statement by the Health Secretariat.

According to Alejandro Rosas Solis, deputy director of sexual and reproductive health at the secretariat’s National Center for Equity, Gender, and Reproductive Health, “more than 60% of these pregnancies are unplanned by the mothers, many of whom do not use condoms or other forms of birth control."

“The lack of the use of some method of contraception in the rudimentary stages of sexual activity, increases the risk of having unplanned pregnancies and contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS,” the secretariat said.

“Also, a teen's pregnancy is considered high risk due to the immaturity of the adolescent’s body, which puts them at risk of preeclampsia or hemorrhages," Rosas Solis said. "These conditions are among the main causes of maternal fatality.”

Solis went on to say that "teen pregnancies also have negative consequences for the health of the newborn, including low birth weight, immature lungs, and problematic temperature regulation systems; all of which can endanger the child’s life."

Studies have shown that over the long term, teen mothers often find their life ambitions stymied because they must abandon their studies to raise the child. They later find that because of this, their employment prospects are limited.

In his statement, Rosas Solis called for greater funding for programs that provide information and attention to young people.

“We need early communication with our children about sexuality; it is a fundamental aspect of human beings. It is important to inform our young people, that all sexual behavior has consequences so they can make better informed decisions.”