Teenage pregnancy: A cause for concern |02 December 2016
A teenager can be defined as a person aged between 13 and 19. The transition of a child to adulthood is characterised by significant physical, emotional and intellectual development. This is also a sensitive time as the teenagers have to invest themselves to acquire the best possible education and skills for their future. Becoming a parent during this transitional period can have many adverse effects.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), many adolescent girls between 15 and 19 get pregnant. This accounts for 11% of all births worldwide. According to our local National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) during the first six (6) months of 2016, 106 live births were recorded to mothers aged 15 – 19 years. This accounts for 12.6% of all live births for this same period in Seychelles.
Health risks
Research has shown that early childbearing increases health risk for both mothers and their new-borns. The younger the mother, the greater the risk to the baby. Babies born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to have low birth weight, with the risk of long-term effects. Other health issues that occur in young mothers include:
- Anaemia
- Difficulty in childbirth due to underdeveloped pelvis
- Pre-Eclampsia
- Depression
- Obstetric fistula
Economic and social consequences
Adolescent pregnancy can also have negative social and economic effects on the girls, their families and communities. Many girls who become pregnant have to drop out of school. A girl with little or no education has fewer skills and opportunities to find a job. This can also have an economic cost with a country losing out on the annual income a young woman would have earned over her lifetime, if she had not had an early pregnancy.
Psychological consequences
A pregnant teenager often face a lot of anxiety and stress as they have limited finances and thus dependent on parents, guardians or even government aids. They also often face stigmatisation by society that can lead to depression and a diminished sense of self-worth.
What can we do to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy?
- 1. The role of parents
Parents must ensure that they educate their children about reproductive health so as to ensure that their kids are given correct information. Despite the sensitivity of the issue the fact remains that young people are increasingly engaging in sexual relationships at an earlier age. Parents must therefore put their shame or sense of ‘taboo’ aside and talk openly and clearly to their kids. They can also use books and other appropriate materials to reinforce what is being communicated depending on the age of their children. Inculcating spiritual values in kids is also imperative for their wholesome development.
- 2. The role of educational institutions
Educational Institutions must reinforce reproductive health education given to teenagers
by their parents as part of their curriculum. This will help in case there are crucial
information that parents have missed out. The institutions must also put emphasis on
education first and sex later so that the students can have a good start in their adulthood
and be in a better position to support their families financially.
- 3. Health institutions and the community
The community at large must play a role in the education of all teenagers by being role models for them and reporting suspected cases of abuse or neglect. At the same time medical professionals and institutions must ensure that they create an environment where young people feel at ease to discuss their sexuality in a confidential setting and are given appropriate advice and medical help. They must be willing to provide contraceptives to adolescents at risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. This will help reduce the need for clinical abortions or unsafe abortions among teens.
Sources: CNN, WHO, NBS
