Adolescent Motherhood in Bogotá (Colombia): a Deviance from Which Norm(s)?

Rim Bellamine, Université Paris Nanterre
Celio Sierra-Paycha, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne

Adolescent fertility in Colombia significantly surpasses that of other regions globally, with a rate of 66.7 ‰ in Colombia, compared to a global average of 42.5 ‰ for the period 2015-2020 (United Nations, 2020). In Colombia, adolescent fertility persists despite the overall decline in fertility rates, contributing to a rejuvenation of fertility patterns. Adolescent pregnancy is perceived as a major issue by policymakers, due to its socio-economic, psychological, and sexual and reproductive health risks. Additionally, adolescent pregnancy is seen as socially deviant, as it contradicts Western norms where motherhood is the final transition to adulthood, and adolescents are still considered children. This study analyses the configurations and pathways to adulthood in which adolescent motherhood occurred in Bogotá in 2018, critically assessing the hypothesis of conformity/deviance to the Western model. The analysis draws on microdata from the 2018 Colombian census, applying both descriptive and multivariate statistical methods, specifically Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). Three distinct profiles of adolescent mothers emerge: "accidental," "traditional," and "double-deviant". These results challenge the universal perception of adolescent motherhood as a social problem while highlighting associated vulnerabilities.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Fertility, Census data, Data and Methods

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