Adolescent pregnancy in wartime: current challenges and multidisciplinary approaches to management

Literature review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.83.6-11

Keywords:

adolescent girls, adolescent pregnancy, war, stress, perinatal complications, multidisciplinary approach, reproductive health

Abstract

Background. Adolescent pregnancy remains one of the most complex medical and social problems in modern perinatology and reproductive health, developing against the background of biological immaturity, psychoemotional vulnerability, and social determinants of health. In the context of military conflict, this issue acquires new characteristics, as traditional risk factors are compounded by chronic stress, disrupted access to medical care, forced population displacement, and increasing social instability.
Objective of the review: to summarize current scientific data regarding the epidemiology of adolescent pregnancy, its biological and social determinants, the specific features of its course under wartime conditions, and to provide a critical analysis of approaches to the management of this category of patients.
Materials and methods. A narrative literature review was conducted using international scientometric databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science), as well as materials from the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund and national guidelines. Original studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were included in the analysis.
Analysis of the literature. Adolescent pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of obstetric and perinatal complications, including anemia, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. At the same time, contemporary studies demonstrate heterogeneity of findings and indicate that a substantial proportion of these risks are determined not only by maternal age, but also by social conditions, access to healthcare, and behavioral factors. Under wartime conditions, psychoemotional mechanisms, particularly activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as well as disruption of healthcare system functioning, play a key role.
Conclusions. Adolescent pregnancy during wartime is a complex multifactorial problem that requires reconsideration of traditional management approaches. Shifting the focus from an age-based risk model to a biopsychosocial paradigm, integrating multidisciplinary support, developing youth-friendly services, and implementing trauma-informed care principles are key directions for optimizing medical care.

Author Biography

S.R. Galych, International University, Odesa

DSc, professor, head of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Pediatrics

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Published

2026-05-14

How to Cite

Galych, S. (2026). Adolescent pregnancy in wartime: current challenges and multidisciplinary approaches to management : Literature review. REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY, (83), 6–11. https://doi.org/10.18370/2309-4117.2026.83.6-11

Issue

No. 83 (2026)

Section

Health care

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Copyright (c) 2026 С.Р. Галич

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