Clarifying the interpretation of declining adolescent pregnancy trends: Implications for child protection and service provision

Authors

  • S Bhamjee Discipline Head: Public Law, School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and LifeLine Rape Crisis, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
  • Z Essack Human Sciences Research Council, and School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8867-3415
  • S Goosen School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and LifeLine Rape Crisis, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3038-7192

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2026.v116i6.5255

Keywords:

Interpretation of adolescent pregnancy trends, Early adolescent pregnancy (10–14 years), Limits of routine health‑system data, Pregnancy as an imperfect proxy for sexual harm, Under‑reporting and data distortion, Child sexual violence indicators, Mandatory reporting effects on service utilisation, Misinterpretation of declining trends, Child‑protection–informed analysis

Abstract

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Author Biographies

  • Z Essack, Human Sciences Research Council, and School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    Human Sciences Research Council, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

  • S Goosen, School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and LifeLine Rape Crisis, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    Lecturer, School of Law, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, and LifeLine Rape Crisis, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

References

1. Barron P, Lince‑Deroche N, Bamford L, Subedar H, Mbatha T, Pillay Y. Declining adolescent pregnancies

in South Africa: Insights from public sector data, 2021 - 2025. S Afr Med J 2026;116(3):e4414. https://doi.

org/10.7196/SAMJ.2026.v116i3.4414

2. South Africa. Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act No. 32 of 2007.

3. Shah SK, Essack Z, Byron K, et al. Adolescent barriers to HIV prevention research: Are parental

consent requirements the biggest obstacle? J Adolesc Health 2020;67(4):495-501. https://doi.

org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.05.011

4. Strode A, Bhamjee S, Toohey J. Policing teenage pregnancies: Complexities and implications. S Afr J

Bioethics Law 2025;18(1):e2221. https://doi.org/10.7196/SAJBL.2025.v18i1.2221

5. Bhamjee S, Biyela S, Marais A. Criminalising compassion: Why Baby Saver Boxes must be protected,

not punished. S Afr Med J 2026;116(2):e4482. https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2026.v116i2.4482

Additional Files

Published

2026-07-02

Issue

SAMJ Vol. 116 no. 6

Section

Correspondence

License

Copyright (c) 2026 S Bhamjee, Z Essack, S Goosen

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How to Cite

1.
Bhamjee S, Essack Z, Goosen S. Clarifying the interpretation of declining adolescent pregnancy trends: Implications for child protection and service provision. S Afr Med J [Internet]. 2026 Jul. 2 [cited 2026 Jul. 6];116(6):e5255. Available from: https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/5255