In Azerbaijan, the official statistics already speak loudly: more than 78,000 abortions last year, including dozens involving girls as young as 15–17. But behind these numbers lies something even more alarming — a culture of silence, fear, and broken communication between families and their children.
Doctors are quick to point out the medical dangers. A gynecologist warns that a teenage abortion is not just about ending an unwanted pregnancy — it risks permanent damage to a girl’s reproductive health, threatening her ability to have children later in life. But the tragedy here is not only medical.
Why do teenagers end up in such situations? The answer often leads back to families. Sociologists argue that lack of parental guidance and the collapse of open conversations about sexuality leave girls alone with fear and misinformation. When parents don’t talk, social media and peers take over — often with dangerous consequences.
There is also the cultural taboo. In many households, even mentioning contraception is seen as shameful. This silence becomes deadly. Instead of education, young people are left with secrecy and risk.
The State Committee on Family, Women, and Children’s Affairs points to another layer of the problem: early marriages and lack of reproductive education. When girls are treated as brides instead of students, the cycle of vulnerability repeats.
The real question is whether society is ready to confront this. Are we prepared to accept that teenage pregnancies — and abortions — are not just individual mistakes but symptoms of a broken system of communication, education, and responsibility?
If not, the numbers will continue to grow. And with each number, a girl’s future is compromised — not only her health, but her sense of security, dignity, and choice.
