Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Week in the Caribbean 2026 is observed under the theme “Helping Adolescent Mothers Thrive: Preventing Unintended Repeat Pregnancies and Building Healthy Futures”. This year’s observance shifts from focusing only on preventing a first pregnancy, to ensuring that adolescent mothers are not left behind.
Providing young people with information and support will help them make informed decisions, prevent unintended pregnancies and build healthy futures. Pregnant adolescent girls need ante-natal care, safe deliveries, support and respect to enable them to pursue their goals.
As part of its commitment to strengthening adolescent health services the Reproductive Education and Adolescent Community Health (REACH) Project in the Eastern Caribbean is supporting long acting reversible contraceptive supplies. This assistance will help to strengthen the availability of pregnancy prevention options — including for adolescent mothers — and complement support for health care providers to deliver appropriate, accessible and youth friendly services.
Stigma can prevent young persons from seeking health related services and information. They should feel safe asking questions, and seeking advice, and accessing services without fear of judgement and discrimination.
Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Week runs from 12-18 October. However, the conversation does not end here. We all have a role to play. Together, we must continue to help adolescent mothers thrive, prevent unintended repeat pregnancies, and build healthier futures for young mothers and their children. Be the trusted adult an adolescent needs to access information and services. Support her!
Let’s replace judgement with understanding, stigma with support and open conversation, and barriers with opportunities. Let us support access to quality, adolescent-responsive health services for girls and boys.
Join the REACH Project and the global movement this October to support and ensure No Adolescent Mother Is Left Behind.
