Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Yemen is experiencing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with over 22 million people in urgent need of assistance. Women and girls face heightened risks related to early marriage and pregnancy.
Nearly one third of Yemeni girls are married as children, contributing to high maternal mortality rates and severe health challenges. Early marriages often lead to malnutrition and physical exhaustion during pregnancy, as many young girls’ bodies are not ready for childbirth.
Health workers report that pregnant girls frequently arrive late at healthcare facilities or only after serious complications develop—problems that might have been avoided with earlier care. Limited access to functioning health services, social restrictions requiring permission to seek care, and economic hardship further worsen these conditions.
Yemen’s health system has been gravely weakened by ongoing conflict, with less than two thirds of facilities operational and only one in five providing maternal care. As a result, many pregnant women, including those displaced by war, lack adequate medical support during pregnancy and childbirth.
Malnutrition affects approximately 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in Yemen. Health staff have observed more cases of malnutrition and anaemia among young and pregnant girls, often due to food insecurity and poor living conditions amid the conflict.