70,000 teens die each year in pregnancy or childbirth
* Millions affected by humiliating childbirth injuries
Capitalist poverty, poor healthcare and higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases compound the threats for about 10 million girls under 18 who get married each year, mostly in Africa and South Asia.
In Africa, 60% of women and girls give birth without a skilled medical professional present
A girl under the age of 18 is married every three seconds, often without her consent and sometimes to a much older man,
Worldwide, 70,000 girls aged 15-19 die each year during pregnancy or childbirth, UNICEF says.
U.N. World Population Fund considers pregnancy the leading cause of death in that age group, citing complications of childbirth and unsafe abortions as major factors.
Children of child brides also are at risk, health experts say. Babies born to mothers younger than 18 are more likely to be underweight or stillborn, Plan UK says.
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