Teenage pregnancy is the pregnancy of a female who is still in her adolescent or teenage years. That is, pregnancy in a female who is less than 20 years old. Teenage pregnancy may occur in females who have not even had their first period known as menarche. This happens when a teenage girl engages in sexual intercourse during her first ovulation period which would have been followed by her first menstrual period.
Teenage pregnancy is a global phenomenon that has far-reaching consequences. These consequences could vary from health, physiological, psychological, financial, social, and economic ramifications.
A teenager who is pregnant is usually presented with these three options:
- To abort the pregnancy
- To give the baby up for adoption
- To keep the baby
None of the options are easy but with the support of family and friends, pregnant teenagers can navigate through the phase successfully.
Causes of Teenage Pregnancy
The phenomenon of teenage pregnancy is hydra-headed. Many factors are responsible for teenage pregnancy in several world geographical locations. These factors can be grouped into about 5.
Personal Factors
The personal factors responsible for teenage pregnancy are the factors that rest largely on the teenager herself. These include lack of self-control, lack of strong personal values and strength of character.
The teenage years are usually characterized by rebellion, emotional instability, peer pressure and a weak ability to say no when one should. Teenagers who are lacking in enlightenment and character development may engage in reckless sexual behaviors which may result in teenage pregnancy.
Teenagers who are in the rebellious phase may decide to get pregnant just to make their parents unhappy. This is a small contributing factor to the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy.
Parental Factors
There is no doubt that parenting plays a huge role in social issues. Parents are responsible for guiding their children or wards aright, providing for their basic needs, and giving them ample foundation for right and appropriate character development. However, when good parenting is lacking, teenagers have to navigate the murky waters of their sexuality alone and with limited understanding. This may lead to bad or wrong choices, reckless sexual behaviors, and teenage pregnancy. According to the Center for Disease Control, young women living in foster care are more than twice as likely to become pregnant than young women not in foster care. This statistic clearly shows that lack of good parenting is a strong factor for the occurrence of teenage pregnancy.
Furthermore, in developing nations where poverty and low standard of living are rife, parents who are financially disadvantaged marry their teenage girls off in exchange for money and materials. According to the Center for Disease Control, social determinants of health, such as low education and low-income levels of a teen’s family, may contribute to high teenage birth rates.
Another factor that may be responsible for teenage pregnancy is a lack of education or dropping out of school. When a girl child is denied of her right to education or made to drop out of school, such a child is exposed to various social vices and teenage pregnancy may occur.
Social factors
There are a number of ways in which society contributes to the menace of teenage pregnancy. When there are no services that are well developed and well targeted towards young people, or when it is little or no access to such services, young people would be lacking in resources meant to cope and make sound decisions. This may result in teenage pregnancy.
Moreover, teenagers who lack information and education about their sexual and reproductive health and rights are exposed to all manner of mishaps such as teenage pregnancy.
Religion and cultural beliefs that promote early marriages and force girlchildren into such marriages also play a huge role in causing teenage pregnancy. According to Plan International, approximately 90% of births to girls aged 15-19 in developing countries occur within early marriage.
Another factor that may also be responsible for teenage pregnancy is rape and sexual abuse. A community where there is a high incidence of sexual violence would also record a high incidence of teenage pregnancy.
Effects of Teenage Pregnancy
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , complications during pregnancy or childbirth are the leading cause of death globally for girls ages 15 to 19. This statistic shows how far-reaching the effects of teenage pregnancy can be.
Teenage pregnancy has adverse effects on both the teenage mother and father, the baby, and society at large.
Teenage pregnancies have more chances of preterm birth and low birth weight babies. Also, there is a greater chance of childbirth complications in teenage birth.
The teenage mother may have to drop out of school to cater to the baby while the teenage father too may have to also drop out of school. Also, there is the issue of social stigma associated with teenage pregnancy. Teenage parents may find that they lose their friends and experience stigmatization which may lead to depression.
A teenager who drops out of school to care for his or her child would lose his or her chances to get good and high-paying jobs. The financial implications are far-reaching.
Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy
To prevent incidents of teenage pregnancies, it is important that families provide strong support and guidance for their teenagers and to ensure that teenagers practice responsible sexuality. Also, adequate access to programs targeted and young people should be ensured.
Moreover, teenagers should have access to information and resources about their reproductive health and rights.
Furthermore, more teenagers should be encouraged to practice abstinence or at the least practice safe sex. According to CDC, evidence suggests that a decline in teenage birth rates is due to more teens abstaining from sexual activity, and more teens who are sexually active using birth control than in previous years.
Conclusion
Teenage pregnancy occurs everywhere. It has far-reaching consequences. All hands should be on deck to ensure a rapid decline and subsequent total eradication of teenage pregnancy.
