Bacolod, Genevieve B.

BS Psychology/ TTh 7 to 8 am

July 3, 2013 Prof. Ivy Marie Zarraga

TEEN AGE PREGNANCY

Philippine teenage pregnancy up 65% in the last decade Data from the National Statistics Office revealed that from 2000-2010, teenage pregnancy in the Philippines has increased by 65 percent, despite an almost 14-percent decline in teenage marriage in the same period. The increase was most notable among girls aged 15 to 19, among which live births rose 38 percent from 2006 to 2011. Researchers from the Family Health Survey disclosed that the primary reasons for teenage pregnancy are insufficient access to information about sexual health and reproductive health services specifically targeted at teens. Teenage pregnancy also puts young mothers at risk of health complications because of poor nutrition and their age, according to Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST). The most significant risk in this age group is undernutrition, as 36 percent of pregnant women below 20 are undernourished, compared with 23 percent for older mothers. This also puts their babies at risk due to low birth weight, short lactation time, and premature birth. To address access to both information and services, Filipinay provided free reproductive health and family planning consultations at select LRT stations nationwide in March. The advocacy is part of DKT Reproductive Health Inc., the countrys leading provider of reproductive health and family planning products.

Cause of Teen age pregnancy The reasons that teenage girls get pregnant are varied, just as they are for older women. Some, particularly those who are 18 and 19, have made a decision to have a baby because they are in a stable relationship and want to start a family, as was the norm for this age group not so many decades ago. For others, reasons include: contraception failure, not thinking, getting caught up in the moment, believing they couldnt get pregnant, not feeling comfortable obtaining contraception, being drunk, feeling pressured to have unprotected sex, and being too embarrassed to ask a partner to use contraception. Many of these responses, particularly for young teenagers, do not portray a young person in control and making their own choices. There has been a lot of work to address these vulnerabilities amongst teenagers over the last decade, resulting in the under-18 conception rate now being the lowest its been since 1969. However, this is not the whole story. Most girls have time to make a decision whether to continue a pregnancy or not. For those who do decide to continue a pregnancy, it is often due to a feeling that they should take responsibility and that they could be a good mum. Even though the pregnancy wasnt planned, the mother grows to want the baby. Maybe things didnt start off as planned, but that doesnt mean there isnt a chance to take control and turn things around, as most young mothers do. For some girls, this decision of whether to continue a pregnancy or not is the first major decision theyve been able to make. Other reasons are as follows: lack of sex education. Lack of proper communication between teenagers and their parents may be the main of lack of sex education. Psychological factors: The transition from childhood to teenage may cause unstable emotions to some teenagers, and this causing complex psychology of teenager. Complex teenage psychology can results an immature and irresponsible behavior which in turn may be another causes of teenage pregnancy. Meanwhile, weak family bonding fail to provide the emotional support that they need during their transitional term. This lack of attention and affection from the family causing in depression and push them to look for love and attention from others, especially from the opposite sex.

Adolescent of discipline and control: Adolescent marks the onset of sexual maturity. It is time for them to show interest to the opposite sex and curiosity about the much hyped topics of sex. Irresponsible and careless approach of mass media has also contributed in sex occurrence among teenagers. Lack of sexual education tend to cause teens get abortions since they realize that they are not ready yet to take the responsibility to be a parent at such a young age and they still have many things to chase in life. Lack of discipline and control: Unrestricted interaction with the opposite sex can ignite the sparks of lust in teenagers very easily, especially when alcohol and drugs involve. On the other side, put too many restriction (over-protection) to teenagers may lead them to frustration and a feeling of not being loved and cared for. Therefore, to avoid this problem, balance is the key. Not keeping them in too much protection, and not let them go without supervision. Socio-economic factors: High rates of teenage pregnancy usually associated to such conditions of under education, income levels, and childhood environment, because of negligence towards birth control. Sexual abuse of teenage girls is also one of the most disgraceful causes of teenage pregnancy.

Signs of pregnancy

missed or very light period breast tenderness nausea, often in the morning vomiting feeling lightheaded fainting weight gain feeling tired swelling abdomen

Symptoms of pregnancy Abdominal distention Breast enlargement and breast tenderness Fatigue Light-headedness or actual fainting Missed period Nausea/vomiting Frequent urination

weight changes (usually a gain, but there may be a loss if nausea and vomiting are significant). Examination may show increased abdominal girth, and the health care provider may be able to feel the fundus (the top of the enlarged uterus). Pelvic examination may reveal bluish or purple coloration of vaginal walls, bluish or purple coloration and softening of the cervix, and softening and enlargement of the uterus. A pregnancy test of urine and/or serum HCG are usually positive. A pregnancy ultrasound may be done to confirm or check accurate dates for pregnancy.

Prevention of teen pregnancy 1. Keep them at home with an intact family set up. The social institutions surrounding the youth jointly form a web of influence that either shield or lay them open to the lure of sexual risk-taking. The family is one such social institution since an intact family with both parents raising the child was found to be correlated to less risk taking behavior by teens. Those who left home early or were raised by separated parents were noted to engage in sex early and other risk taking behaviors. Family supervision and a stable parental union are associated with lesser chances of their children engaging in premarital sex. 2. Keep them in school. The other social institution that shields the youth from engaging in risk taking behavior is the school. Teens leaving school at an early age are more likely than other group of women to have their first sexual experience outside of marriage. 3. Keep talking to them. Increased parental communication decreases the likelihood of young Filipinos to engage in sexual risk-taking activities. It has been found that the mother, in particular, has a special role because their monitoring as well as open communication lines with their daughter were found to be associated with less chance for the teen to engage in intercourse or have fewer sexual partners. 4. Keep them morally and spiritually grounded. Over 80 percent of the 502 teens in a September poll told researchers that religion is important in their lives. Regardless of gender or race, survey results revealed that teens who attend religious services frequently are less likely to have permissive attitudes about sex. Orienting them with the proper values early helps them imbibe it in their lives and keeps them from succumbing to peer pressure. 5. Preventing teen pregnancies requires a concerted effort on the part of the parents, the school and government. They need to insure that the right information is transmitted to children especially during their pre-teen years and that they are well-monitored and supported emotionally and psychologically. We cant watch what our kids do all the

6. Abstinence education programs encourage young people to wait to have sex until marriage, or until they are mature enough to handle sexual activity and a potential pregnancy in a responsible manner. 7. Knowledge-based programs focus on teaching kids about their bodies. It also provides detailed information about birth control and how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Research shows knowledge-based programs help decrease teen pregnancy rates. Abstinence-only education without information about birth control does not. 8.Clinic-focused programs give kids easier access to information, counseling by health care providers, and birth control services. Many of these programs are offered through school-based clinics. 9. Peer counseling programs typically involve older teens, who encourage other kids to resist peer and social pressures to have sex. For teens who are already sexually active, peer counseling programs teach them relationship skills and give them information on how to get and successfully use birth control.