Relevance of abortion in adolescence as a contemporary biopsychosocial challenge

Introduction: Abortion in adolescence is a complex phenomenon that transcends the clinical sphere, becoming a critical point of convergence between biology, ethics, and social structure. It reflects fundamental societal values concerning the beginning of life, human dignity, and women's autonomy. Objective: To synthesize abortion in adolescence as a contemporary biopsychosocial challenge, integrating the medical, psychological, social and ethical dimensions that characterize it. Method: A narrative literature review was conducted, including original articles, case reports, and systematic reviews published in peer-reviewed, open-access academic journals between January 2019 and March 2024. Searches were performed in the SciELO, PubMed (via Regmed), Dialnet, and Mayo Clinic databases. Results: The synthesized evidence reveals that high abortion rates among adolescents are a symptom of systemic failures. These include limited access to comprehensive sexuality education and effective contraception, socioeconomic vulnerability, gender inequality, and pervasive social stigma. While legalization and provision of safe services (as exemplified by Cuba) are essential for eliminating maternal mortality, they do not, in themselves, address the root causes of unintended pregnancies. Conclusions: Addressing adolescent abortion effectively demands a shift beyond a purely biomedical approach. It requires the implementation of comprehensive public health strategies. These must guarantee safe abortion access as a fundamental right while simultaneously transforming structural environments, promoting reproductive autonomy, strengthening psychosocial support systems for adolescents, and tackling the underlying factors that perpetuate unplanned pregnancies.