Reproductive Inequality in Romania: Disparities in Information, Medical Access, and Structural Vulnerability

This study investigates the structural roots of reproductive inequality in Romania, focusing on adolescent motherhood, unequal access to healthcare, and limitations in sexual education. Despite being part of the European Union, Romania ranks among the highest in adolescent birth rates, especially among girls under 15. Using official statistics, the study identifies regional disparities in adolescent fertility, strongly correlated with poverty and marginalization. Employing a structuralist lens informed by Bourdieu and Foucault, the research challenges the notion that early motherhood results from individual choice, arguing instead that it reflects constrained agency shaped by socioeconomic deprivation, inadequate sex education, and a fragmented healthcare system. The study also reveals severe limitations in access to abortion and contraception, particularly for vulnerable groups, despite formal legal provisions. Medical practices such as high caesarean rates and stillbirths further illustrate healthcare inequalities. The findings point to a biopolitical regime where institutional inaction and normative control perpetuate reproductive injustices. The paper calls for comprehensive public policy interventions that address both structural barriers and institutional responsibilities to ensure reproductive rights and equity for all Romanian women.