Inspirational Story of A Teenage Mother

My Story about Teenage Pregnancy

When I was 13 my mum and dad separated. My mother moved to the country with my three younger siblings, and I being a stubborn teen wanted to stay behind with my father. I had just started dating my first proper boyfriend and was new to high school. I lost my virginity to this boyfriend. He cheated on me with my son’s father’s ex-girlfriend. That is how I met my son’s father.

We hadn't even been together for five months when I began to feel really odd. I hadn't missed any periods and didn't think anything of the fact I had been getting sent home from school all the time for feeling sick. I was not even half-way through Year 9. I began a downhill spiral and was hardly even going to school when my father decided that it was just because of mum and his separation. I was sent to see the school councillor on a weekly basis. This didn't help my attendance at school in any way.

One day my brother and his girlfriend (now married with a beautiful daughter, and another on the way) came to stay with my dad and me. My brother’s girlfriend noticed how I was and threw two home pregnancy tests at me. Hesitantly I took one of the pregnancy tests. One very dragging three minute wait later and there it was. One dark pink line and another very, very faint line also. My first reaction was 'oh no!' I took the other test and S#*t another positive test.

My brother and his girlfriend drove me around to the emergency doctor’s clinic near where we lived. A pee in a cup and another test later and the doctor said “you aren't pregnant.” Thank God. But about a month later I had missed a period. My brother’s girlfriend walked in on me crying in my room and said “maybe the doctor’s test didn't detect it because you were too early?” I couldn't help but think maybe she was right.

So I made an appointment at my regular GP for the next day. When I walked in I was petrified. I opted to get a blood test done just to make sure. Three days later my brother drove me to the doctor’s and came into my appointment with me. There it was sitting right in front of my brother and me. I was pregnant – 8 to 12 weeks as my blood results showed. In the car on the way back home my brother and I rang my dad and told him. He didn't take the news well at all. He thought I was messing with him until my brother confirmed it.

First Ultrasound

My dad came with me to my dating scan. I was 11+4 days. I will never forget it. On the way home he started yelling at me until I broke down, telling me that I was an idiot and that I should get an abortion. My son’s father came around with his mum and step-dad. We sat down and spoke about everything.

My boyfriend and I had decided we were going to keep the baby. I was against abortions and so was he. Sitting on the lounge at my house he rubbed my stomach and told me that he loved me and our baby and no matter what he always will. My father reacted the worst out of all the parents, but in the end he was the most supportive. He grew to accept and love the fact that I was carrying and blessing him with his first grandchild.

The Birth

I had my 'show' on the 24th of December 2013. It was 6:30 am on the 2nd of January 2014 when I started having stomach pains. I walked down the stairs and spent the next four hours in a warm bath before my boyfriend realised I wasn't in bed. He came and checked on me and I assured him I was fine and just uncomfortable, and told him to go to bed and get some more sleep. He reluctantly went back to bed.

When he awoke at 10 am and found that I was still in the bath he asked me if I was ok. I told him I was fine and that he should go and do what he needed to and that I would be out soon. An hour later I got out the bath and went upstairs to get some more sleep. I managed to sleep until 4 pm. I lay in bed for another hour while enduring some pretty painful stomach pains. I got up at 5 pm and checked my hospital bag and made sure it had everything I would need in it.

At 6:30 pm I went down stairs to see everyone eating dinner. I decided not to join them as I wasn't hungry and was in pain and proceeded all the way to the bath again. After four hours of sitting in the bath moaning in pain my step mum knocked on the door and asked if we needed to go to hospital. I replied with a simple “Yep.” My boyfriend came in and helped me get out the bath and even put a dressing gown on me.

The drive to the hospital was the worse. When we arrived at the hospital I was three centimetres dilated. If it hadn't progressed in the next two hours they were going to send me home. I was given Pethidine for pain relief and slept for about two hours after that. While I slept my dad rang my mum who lived three hours away, and told her it was time. My mother drove three hours just to see me bring her grandson into the world.

When I woke my room was full of people. My boyfriend’s parents, my parents, my younger sister and my grandmother where all in my room. I made everyone except my partner leave when they checked how dilated I was. I was now five centimetres and they were going to break my waters. When they broke my waters it was the weirdest feeling. It didn't gush like some people say. I only had a small amount of water.

At 10 am on the 3rd of January 2014 it was time to start pushing. At 10:30 am, just a half an later, my gorgeous son Jake Dean Pearce was brought into the world. My partner cut the cord. I didn't get to hold my son straight away as he was cold as he shoulders had gotten stuck. He was put on a heat pad and just a few minutes later was placed into my arms. My partner and I both cried as we held our son for the first time. I was in hospital for three days before I was released. 

In the End

Bringing my little boy home was the most amazing feeling in the world. Everything was perfect. It wasn't easy being a mum, a partner, a big sister, and trying to go to school, but I managed.  Within four months things got hectic. My partner wanted to get my son DNA tested before he would believe he was his son. The test was positive. Jake was his son. Four months after Jake was born my partner cheated on me. Jake's father and I are no longer together but we do still have a good friendship. Jake’s father has a girlfriend who is quite caring and doesn't treat Jake any differently to what I do. 

What about me?

I am now in a very happy relationship. I am engaged and happy to say my fiancé and I are expecting our first baby together in December 2015. My partner has a son that is just four days older then Jake who he has full custody of. I have never been happier but it wasn't always fun and games. I lost a lot of friends when I fell pregnant and I still don't talk to many people. School was never easy either. I got a lot of criticism but I wouldn't change a thing even if I could.

It is hard to be a young mum and go to school. I stopped going at 6 months pregnant and would leave Jake with my step-mum while I went to school to finish Year 10. In January this year I put Jake in childcare for the first time. I have returned to school and my partner and I live on our own just 15 minutes from my mum and 30 minutes from my dad.

It is hard sometimes but there is always light at the end of the tunnel and seeing Jake running around the house as a happy toddler reminds me to stay strong. I am half way through Year 11 and look forward to finishing high school so I can spend more time with both of my children. It’s not easy and it isn't something you should do purposely. Make sure you are ready. Know the consequences and if you are expecting then please do not expect it to be perfect. There is no such thing.

http://www.pregnancy.com.au/resources/birth-stories/teenage_stories/my-story-about-teenage-pregnancy.shtml

What Can We Do to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy?

Preventing Teenage Pregnancy

The primary prevention method that should be utilized to prevent teenage pregnancy is the use of condoms which can be promoted through the use of sexual education. Studies have found that sexual education is the most effective method to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy, though these methods can be controversial and many parents would rather opt for abstinence only methods. Abstinence alone, however, has not proven to be effective, “Adolescents who received comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to report teen pregnancy than those who received no formal sex education, whereas there was no significant effect of abstinence-only education”. (Kohler, 2008)”. As it is ultimately a parent’s decision to teach sexual education to their child, a nurse's role is to help a parent make an educated decision for their teenagers sexual health. If prevention methods are unsuccessful and a teenager becomes pregnant, a nurse can be vital in assisting the teenager throughout her pregnancy by developing a nursing diagnosis and treatment plan to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

A teenager can face multiple challenges during a pregnancy that can include health concerns, family problems, judgment from peers and psychological issues. A correct nursing diagnosis is crucial in the development of an effective nursing treatment plan. A role performance disturbance (Gordon, 2010) can occur in most teenagers as they are still seen as children however they must take on adult responsibilities of giving birth to and taking care of a child. A discharge outcome for the teenager with role performance disturbances would include being able to adapt to the change in role for the teenager. The best outcome would also prepare the teenager for the arrival of the baby. The nursing intervention could include discussing with the teenager techniques to be able to adapt to the role change as well as discussion on how the teenager is coping with the role change. 

Teenagers are faced many times with the question of readiness to have sex from their peers, society and ultimately themselves. These questions can be detrimental to the sexual health of the teenager as a lot of the focus is on when the teenager is ready not on if the teenager should be engaging in sexual activity. “I argue that this “discourse of readiness” poses serious threats to teens' identity development, sexual decision making, and educators efforts to help them through these processes” (Ashcraft, 2006).  Rather than a discussion of readiness to have sex, the focus should be on a readiness for learning about teenage sexuality and pregnancy. As teenagers are still developing their brains and decision making skills it is essential to teach teenagers about their growing hormones and sexual activity. Studies have found that programs which teach sexual education increase the rates of condom use which subsequently reduce teenage pregnancy.  “Safer Choices had its greatest effect on measures involving condom use. The program reduced the frequency of intercourse without a condom during the three months prior to the survey...increased use of condoms and other protection against pregnancy at last intercourse” (Coyle, 2001). As teenagers are increasingly likely to engage in sexual activity it is important that they are safe and are utilizing effective contraception methods. By decreasing rate of teenage sexuality we can increase the health of the teenage population both physically and psychologically.  

 

References

Ashcraft, C. (2006). Ready or not…? Teen sexuality and the troubling discourse of readiness. 

Anthropology & education quarterly, 37(4), 328-346.

Coyle, K., Basen-Engquist, K., Kirby, D., Parcel, G., Banspach, S., Collins, J., ... & Harrist, R. 

---

A few weeks ago, I was at my job helping a customer when a young girl caught my attention. She could not have been older than 15, and her belly was too large to be hidden. She was noticeably pregnant, and what struck me as more odd was that she was pushing a stroller with a young infant whose only word seemed to be "mommy," referring to the young girl. I am often alarmed when I see an extremely adolescent girl experiencing motherhood at a time when her main concerns should be far less than those of raising another human being. The reality of the matter is that every year more and more teens are having children at an alarmingly young age. This issue raises the question of what can be done to prevent and lower the rates of teenage pregnancy. In order to prevent teenage pregnancy, teenagers need to have a comprehensive understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and consequences.

Although there are many different ways to prevent a teenage girl from becoming pregnant, the only one that is absolutely effective is sexual abstinence. This method is the only one that guarantees no risk of getting pregnant and protects the teen from getting any STD's. For many years abstinence has been viewed as a decision based upon a religious or moral belief. In the article "Promotion of Sexual Abstinence: Reducing Adolescent Sexual Activity and Pregnancies," Hani R. Khouzam says, "Sexual abstinence is not associated with public health risks and needs to be presented and promoted as the most effective primary prevention for unplanned pregnancies" (2). In this article, Dr. Joycelyn Elders proposes teaching sexual abstinence as prevention for pregnancy, not as a religious or moral belief. According to Khouzam, in a study involving 7,000 Utah teens, the students were taught one of three abstinence curriculums stressing abstinence as a pregnancy prevention method. They were surveyed three times based on their attitudes on the issue. After taking the abstinence curriculum, the studies found that from these students, a significantly higher percentage of them remained virgins than those who did not go through the program (2). With results like this, it becomes evident that abstinence courses in schools are a sure way to get teens to realize the responsibility that comes with becoming sexually active, and to get them thinking about choosing to remain abstinent. The more information teenagers are given on the subject, the higher the chances that they will make this decision. For this reason, it is important that teenagers be taught the health benefits of choosing to remain abstinent.

Another form of teenage pregnancy prevention that is being taught in schools is various contraceptive techniques. Although abstinence remains the best way to prevent pregnancy among teens, it is a fact that there are still a large number of them who will be involved in sexual relations. For this reason, it is important that teens be provided with broad information on how to do so responsibly using various contraceptive techniques. Most of the sex education in schools consists of one message: "Don't have sex--but if you do, use a condom" (Khouzam 3). The problem that rises from this is that teenagers are not being exposed to extensive information on the various forms of birth control, condoms, and other methods of prevention that are available. According to Helen Lippman, contraceptives are talked about in sex education classes, but only as being ineffective in preventing pregnancy and diseases (1). Also, these classes on contraceptives should include information on how to obtain the different methods of birth control. Jocelyn Elders has also advocated school-based health clinics nationwide with the purpose of reducing teen pregnancy with the availability of contraceptives (Khouzam 3). This is a way to ensure contraceptive use for many young teens who, rather than going to their parents for help in obtaining birth control, choose to have sex without protection simply because that protection is not made available to them.

For most teenagers, the real consequences of having a child at such a young age are unknown. Teens need to be aware of the harsh reality of raising a baby and the negative effects that an unplanned pregnancy can cause in both the mother and the child's lives. In the article "The Decline of Teen Marriage Is a Serious Problem," Patrick F. Fagan talks about the effects of having a child out of wedlock at a very young age. He states that the mother's new offspring can experience the following: "Lowered health for newborns and increased risk of early infant death; Retarded cognitive, especially verbal, development; Lowered educational achievement; Lowered job attainment: Increased behavior problems; Lowered impulse control; Warped social development; Increased Welfare dependency" (1). Teenage mothers must be aware of the tremendous effect their offspring will have on society in the future, and the high risk of the cycle repeating once this child becomes a teen. Teens must also be aware of the fact that an unplanned pregnancy will take a toll on other aspects of their lives. For example, as Fagan points out, less than one-third of teen moms who have a baby before they are eighteen finish high school (2). When exposed to such information about the results of an unplanned pregnancy, teens are forced to analyze whether sex is worth the risk of forever changing their lives, and those of their future children.

On the other hand, for some people sex is viewed only as a method of reproduction, and the idea of using contraceptives and other methods of birth control is simply unnatural. This belief is preached by many religious institutions, primarily within the Roman Catholic Church. In the article "The Purpose of Sex is Reproduction," Paul Murray claims that "Sexual intercourse cannot be separated from its primary purpose of reproduction" (1). Many followers of the Roman Catholic Church have adopted this principle. Although the purpose of sex can be though of as only for reproduction by some, it cannot be narrowed down to just having sex to have children for everyone. For example, a couple that consists of two mature adults who carry a strong, stable relationship should be able to use sex as a way to express their love, share intimacy, and expand their emotional bond. Further, the idea that a teen will take this beliefthe idea that sex is only to produce children into consideration when choosing whether to become sexually active is an unrealistic and ineffective way of thinking. This belief will not prevent teenage girls from experimenting and running the risk of becoming pregnant. Of course nothing will work universally, not even education, or contraception.

So as research shows, it is the job of parents and schools to teach teens about the negative effects of teenage pregnancy. The parents can strongly influence their children's decisions by taking the time to be involved when the issue of sex arises. The schools can also do their part by providing the necessary information on preventing pregnancies and by encouraging teens to make responsible choices when having sex. Therefore, the responsibility of adults is to provide teens with a thorough understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and the consequences of sexual activity.

Works Cited

Fagan, Patrick F. "The Decline of Teen Marriage Is a Serious Problem." Teen Pregnancy and Parenting.

     2001. Current Controversies. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 19 April 2005.

Khouzam, Hani R. "Promotion of Sexual Abstinence: Reducing Adolescent Sexual Activity and

     Pregnancies." Southern Medical Journal 88.7: 1-6. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 April 2005.

Lippman, Helen. "The Dilemma of What to Teach in Sex Education." Teens and Sex. 2002. Contemporary

     Issues. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 5 April 2005.

Murray, Paul. "The Purpose of Sex is Reproduction: The Power of Humanae Vitae." Human Sexuality.

     1994. Opposing Viewpoints # 174. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 5 April 19, 2005.

Ruth Salinas

Benefits for Teen Mothers

Overview

The rate of teen pregnancy increased in 2006 for the first time in 10 years, up 3 percent, according to a January 26, 2010 report by the Guttmacher Institute, a research and public education firm. “After more than a decade of progress, this reversal is deeply troubling,” says Heather Boonstra, Guttmacher Institute senior public policy associate.

Many of these teens do not know where to turn for help. There are state and federal benefits for teenage parents, including assistance with food, education and health care.

The Statistics

In its January 2010 report, the Guttmacher Institute notes that 7 percent of teen mothers receive either late or no prenatal care, and babies born to teens are more likely to be low-birth weight than are those born to women in their 20s and 30s.

There is some good news, however. Teen mothers are more likely now to complete high school or obtain a GED than in the past, the institute reports. However, teen mothers are still less likely than women who delay childbearing to go on to college.

Tips for Teen Mothers

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 750,000 women under the age of 20 became pregnant in 2006. Teen mothers face challenges beyond the normal pressures of the teenage years. A higher risk of poverty and domestic abuse is associated with teen pregnancy, according to MayoClinic.com. Teen pregnancy also increases the risks of premature labor, anemia, high blood pressure and a low baby birth weight.

Create a Plan

An unexpected teen pregnancy creates confusion and changes many of your future plans. Take charge of the situation by facing the reality and considering all your options. Teen moms can raise the baby, put him up for adoption or terminate the pregnancy. Research all your options thoroughly before rushing into a decision. Don't allow others to force you into an option that you don't want. Decide how you will carry out your desired plan. If you are going to rear the child, make plans to continue your education for a more stable future.

Teen Mothers and Their Responsibilities

Teen mothers face daily challenges as they struggle to take care of their child and find a way to be the best parent they can. Because most teen mothers are still attending school or college, finding the time and financial means to finish their education should be a high priority alongside raising their child. Learning ways to meet the responsibilities as a teen parent will help them get on their feet and establish a future for their child.

Financial Support

One of the most important responsibilities that a teen mother has is being able to financially support her child. While many teen mothers may not work, they may utilize friends, family or the support of the father to pay the bills and expenses related to the child. Some teen mothers utilize welfare services to pay for raising their child. This may include financial assistance to pay rent or daycare and also food stamps. If the teen mother has a good support system, she may be able to work and go to school to help support the child.

What Are the Risks of Teenage Pregnancy?

For many teenagers, pregnancy is an unplanned and challenging life event -- and one that can reroute their entire life course. In addition to the implications on education and financial stability, becoming pregnant as a teenager is associated with an increased risk for some potentially serious health problems for both the mother and the baby. The mother's risk for anemia and postpartum depression is heightened, and the baby is more likely to be born prematurely and have a low birth weight.

Low Birth Weight

Teenage mothers are more likely to deliver a baby with a low birth weight -- that is, a baby weighing less than 5.5 lbs. The authors of an April 2007 study published in the "International Journal of Epidemiology" found that mothers aged 10 to 19 were 14 percent more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby compared to mothers aged 20 to 24. Babies born underweight are at a higher risk for a number of problems that can affect their heart, lungs and brains. While some babies born with a low birth weight are healthy, it is a serious condition and one of the most important risks of teen pregnancy.

How Adolescent Parenting Affects Children, Families, and Communities

Even for the most prepared parents, raising a healthy and happy child is one of life’s major challenges.

Having the ability to check off commonly accepted parenting prerequisites — a quality education, a good job, mental and emotional stability, a safe home — can make the challenge easier to tackle and overcome.

Unfortunately, adolescents who become parents often have a shortage of key life skills and other resources that are vital to the parenting process. This sad reality is supported by research showing that, on average, children who are born to teen parents are less likely to ever reach their full potential. And the effects of teenage pregnancy on parent, baby, and community can be devastating.

According to The Urban Child Institute, adolescent parenting is one of the major risk factors associated with early childhood development. In addition to its other effects, teen parenting is likely to hinder a child’s social and emotional wellbeing.

When a baby is born to a teenage mother, he is likely to have more difficulty acquiring cognitive and language skills as well as social and emotional skills like self-control and self-confidence. These abilities are already developing in infancy, and they are essential for school readiness.

Studies on early childhood development find that adolescent mothers (19 years of age and younger) are less likely than older mothers to engage in emotionally supportive and responsive parenting. They tend to have less knowledge about child development and effective parenting, and often misjudge their infant or toddler’s ability to adapt and learn.

We don’t need research to prove that, generally speaking, age brings maturity, self-assuredness, knowledge and experience. By the age of 21, one has typically graduated from high school and is pursuing post-secondary education or participating in the workforce (or both).

Throughout our childhood and teenage years we are acquiring life skills and problem-solving abilities that prepare us to confront and navigate challenges – both unforeseen and anticipated - in adulthood. As a result, those who are beyond their teen years are more likely to make informed choices, use effective coping strategies, and think through important decisions. It’s not hard to see how these qualities lead to more effective parenting.

When a baby is born to an adolescent mother, there are several interrelated risk factors at play, meaning that the likelihood that one or more unfortunate outcomes will occur is stronger.

A dream deferred – Adolescent parents commonly view quitting school as a solution to finding the time it takes to raise a baby. Feelings of embarrassment and shame associated with early pregnancy, or difficulty keeping up academically can also drive them to drop out. The popular MTV reality series “16 and Pregnant” offers numerous examples of these unfortunate outcomes, and serves as a glaring reminder of the need to direct more attention and resources to sex education for teens as well as programs encouraging teen mothers to stay in school.

Harsh parenting - Research has found that teen parents are more likely to engage in harsh parenting practices like yelling and spanking. Having fewer life experiences and coping skills, compared to older parents, can make it harder to handle the irritability and frustration that sometimes arise when caring for a new baby. Depressive symptoms or persistent stress from other sources can increase these feelings of anger and resentment.

Single parents – In a majority of cases, adolescent parents are not married and the discovery of pregnancy is unexpected. Too often, teen fathers abandon their parenting responsibilities due to fear and inability to adequately provide for their child, leaving the mother with even less social support and financial assistance.

Unfortunately, teen pregnancy doesn’t only affect the individuals involved — its impact is far-reaching. High rates of teen births can weaken a community’s economic conditions.

According to The Urban Child Institute, the prevalence of births to adolescent mothers negatively affects high school graduation and increases unemployment. Without a high school diploma or equivalent, teens and adults have greater difficulty securing quality employment and have lower earning potential. A less educated population and unskilled workforce negatively affects the economy, and makes it difficult for communities to break aggressive cycles of poverty and crime as resources are consistently depleted.

On a more positive note, it is important to understand that not all babies born to adolescent parents are doomed to fail. Increased risk is not a guarantee of future problems.

Clearly, many children of teen parents go on to become successful adults, but it often involves parents making greater sacrifices than older parents have to make. For example, some adolescent parents may abandon their own aspirations in an effort to ensure that academic and career success is attainable for their child.

However, research shows that children born to adolescent mothers are more inclined to repeat their parents’ behavior. The Urban Child Institute reports that they are more likely to drop out of school, have more health problems, face unemployment and become teen parents themselves.

So what can be done to stop this cycle from continuing? Sex education programs that teach the benefits of abstinence and pregnancy prevention are essential. Parents and educators can share in this responsibility by ensuring that teens gain this knowledge at home and at school. Avoiding discussion on the issue of sex and safe practices only heightens potential for teen pregnancy to occur.

Promoting positive parenting among young mothers can also improve their children’s chances for success. Increasing parents’ knowledge about child development and effective parenting strategies will help them buffer their children from many of the risks that accompany early parenthood.

Starting at birth, children begin to develop social and emotional skills. It is important for parents, no matter their age, to ensure their children are adequately prepared to face challenges later in life by maintaining a loving home environment that nurtures their ability to learn about themselves and the world around them. A strong foundation of social and emotional skills will help them make better choices in adulthood, and decrease the probability that they will search for love in the wrong places.

The Problems Faced by Teen Parents

Health Issues

     The March of Dimes notes that pregnant teens are more likely to suffer complications during pregnancy. Their babies are more likely to experience premature birth, low birth weight or other serious health problems. These issues put babies at a greater risk of suffering newborn health problems, disability or death.

Schooling

     Teen parents often find that caring for a child makes it difficult for them to continue their schooling. According to StayTeen.org, more than half of teen mothers never graduate from high school, and fewer than 2 percent have graduated from college by the time they’re 30. This problem is not confined to teen mothers: as the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy notes, research suggests that teen fathers also do not receive as much education as their peers.

• Economic Issues

     Lack of schooling makes it more difficult for teen mothers to find and keep well-paying jobs. According to the March of Dimes, more than 75 percent of unmarried teen mothers go on welfare within five years of having their first baby. Teen fathers also experience annual earning losses of 10 to 15 percent, according to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Relationships

     Pregnancy and parenting can strain the relationships between teen parents. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, eight out of 10 teen fathers do not marry the mother of their first child. Becoming a teen parent also seems to have long-term implications for marriage: in comparison to people who did not have babies as teens, teen parents are significantly less likely to be married by the age of 35.

Depression

     According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, depression is common among pregnant teens. Teen parents may feel guilty or anxious about the future. Teen parents are also more likely to subject their children to abuse and neglect because they feel overwhelmed by their unfamiliar, ever-demanding roles as parents.

Children’s Success

     Teen parents also face problems in regards to the success of their children. Children born to teen parents earn lower standardized test scores and are more likely to drop out of high school. According to StayTeen.org, daughters born to teen mothers are three times as likely to also become teen mothers, while sons are twice as likely to go to prison.

Teenage Pregnancy Among Today’s Filipino Youth

The National Youth Commission, supported by the Department of Health and the World Health Organization, convened the 2014 National Summit on Teen Pregnancy last April 24. This summit, which saw the active participation of adolescent youth, delivered a clear message: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), or the lack thereof, is fast becoming the defining issue of this generation of young Filipinos. Without a robust response from all stakeholders, the Philippines is on track toward a full-blown, national teenage pregnancy crisis.

Staggering facts support this call for concern. Recent (2014) data from the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) reveal that every hour, 24 babies are delivered by teenage mothers. According to the 2014 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study, around 14 percent of Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 are either pregnant for the first time or are already mothers—more than twice the rate recorded in 2002. Among six major economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies and is the only country where the rate is increasing, per the United Nations Population Fund.

According to Josefina Natividad, YAFS coordinator and director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, young Filipinos have limited access to sex education and ASRH services, especially if they are underage and unmarried. Seventy-eight percent are not using any form of contraception or protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections when they are having sex for the first time. While government programs aim to delay the beginning of childbearing and hasten fertility decline, teenage pregnancies continue to increase. Perhaps it is really time for a new and more collaborative strategy?

Data show that pregnant teenagers in the Philippines are mostly 17 to 19 years old. They live with their mothers, parents, or relatives. The father of the child is, in most cases, a teenage boy.

Reasons for becoming pregnant among teenagers include: unplanned sexual encounters (“getting caught up in the moment”) and peer pressure; lack of information on safe sex; breakdown of family life and lack of good female role models in the family; and absence of accessible, adolescent-friendly clinics.Teenagers from poor backgrounds are disproportionately represented among pregnant teenagers. However, experts have argued that teenage pregnancy should be understood as a symptom of dire economic conditions rather than a cause of it. Teenage pregnancy perpetuates the cycle of poverty and inequality because most pregnant teenagers have no source of income and face greater financial difficulties later in life. This is because they drop out of school and are less likely to pursue further education or skills training.

Teenage mothers face critical health risks, including: inadequate nutrition during pregnancy due to poor eating habits; dangers associated with the reproductive organs not ready for birth; and maternal death due to higher risk of eclampsia, among others.

Alarmingly, while maternal deaths are decreasing in the Philippines, teenage maternal deaths are increasing.Ten percent of pregnant teenagers died in the last year, according to the PSA. Data from the WHO also show a high and increasing incidence of fetal death in Filipino mothers under 20.

At the end of the teenage pregnancy summit, the participants strongly endorsed a comprehensive sexual education curriculum; forging a “Batang Ina” social movement; and establishing adolescent-friendly spaces. The enactment of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act was also recognized as an important step to make ASRH services more accessible to those in need.

As an international child rights organization, Plan International believes that the rights and needs of adolescent girls and boys, including their right to access ASRH services, must be ensured. In our work in the Philippines, ASRH continues to be a priority in line with our global “Because I am a Girl” campaign and national Batang Lusog program.

We are implementing ASRH interventions in Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar, where cases of teenage pregnancy are increasing. Youth-Friendly Spaces are being established to provide peer education and counseling on ASRH and rights. This is complemented by our response to eliminate gender-based violence in communities by establishing Women-Friendly Spaces. These measures help prevent teenage pregnancy by disseminating the right information about the risks and impacts of teenage pregnancy on the teen mom and the infant. An exploratory study by Plan International on the rising incidence of teenage pregnancy in “Yolanda”-affected areas is also being designed.

In the face of numerous challenges that Filipino adolescents face every day—discrimination, gender-based violence, harmful gender stereotypes—they must be equipped with the life skills and assets to help them make the best decisions for themselves and their community. When adolescents choose to have sex, they have a right to access not just information but also inclusive ASRH services.

At the end of the day, when an adolescent, especially a girl, knows her rights, is empowered to choose, and is heard, she can improve not only her life but also the life of her immediate and future families. So, maybe it’s time to have this discussion with your (grand)daughter or niece now?

Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/74517/teenage-pregnancy-among-todays-filipino-youth#ixzz4LiTmFiHP
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

Teenage Pregnancy

Youth Problems in the Philippine Society

What is Teenage Pregnancy?

                            Teenage Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant of adolescents ages 10-19 years old.Those who are affected are the girl herself up to the national society. The victims of teenage pregnancy are the girl herself, her child, her parents and relatives and the national society as a whole. It will also probably make her economically vulnerable. 

   The national scope of the problem is alarming; the United Nation Population Fund Agency (UNPFC) representative Ugochi Daniels’ claims that this could derail the country’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that the UN member states have agreed to achieve by the year 2015. These MDG include eradicating extreme poverty and attaining universal primary education. In fact, among the six ASEAN major economies, the Philippines ranked the highest rate in teenage pregnancy.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM IN OUR SOCIETY?

 
           Teen pregnancy is a communal problem, a family problem, and a personal problem all rolled into one. It frequently goes hand in hand with premarital sex. Problems come when the news needs to breach each parent’s party. A spring of thought flash before one’s eyes, and registers only two; whether, to back the hell up – abort the child or carry on with the pregnancy but sign up for adoption - or get the hell in – have the child with all its perks and consequences alike.

   After which, these impressions simply serve no purpose but to put them off, and deduce to mere nuisance to them when the truth of their situation slowly sinks in. How do they provide for the child if their parents cut them short financially? Will they be able to go to grad school? What will become of their future? What will become of their child’s future? By this time, they would have to contend with the pressures of parenthood. What’ll truly bother them in the long run is the reality of whether or not they can fulfill their obligation as parents, and the security of their child’s future. Teenage pregnancy is becoming a societal problem that branches out to other problems.