Teenage Pregnancy: Marginalized Young Women

by: Agnes Fe Amper

Early Pregnancy is not a new-fangled issue yet it is one of the defining issues teenagers in the Philippines are facing today. Among six major economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines have the highest rate of teenage pregnancies and the only country where the rate is rapidly increasing.

A 2014 data of the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) reveal that every hour, 24 babies are delivered by teenage mothers. Meanwhile, according to the 2014 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study, around 1 percent of Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 are either pregnant for the first time or are already mothers which is more than twice the rate recorded in 2002.

There would be possible reasons why teenagers become pregnant are the following: unplanned sexual encounters, peer pressure, lack of information about safe sex, breakdown of family life where there are good role models in the family and absence of accessibility accordingly.

In Northern Mindanao, there were about 1,800 pregnant teenagers in the capital city in 2013 while there were reported 1,676 the previous year according to the Population commission (Popcom) in Northern Mindanao. Over all, region 10 teenage pregnancy prevalence rate was at number 4 based in Youth Adult Fertility (YAF) survey in the year 2013.

Teenagers coming from a poor living condition are suspiciously presented as pregnant teenagers unluckily face the consequences of the health risks. They mostly have no source of income and are having difficulties in dealing reality.

Teenagers who get pregnant especially to those who lack support from their parents are the ones who are at risk of not getting sufficient prenatal care. Prenatal care is critical particularly during the first three months of pregnancy. It is capable of screening the medical problems in both mother and baby; its growth, and any complications that rises. There are supplementary vitamins that would help prevent certain defects, such as neural tube defects.

Also, pregnant teenagers have a higher risk of getting high blood pressure which is called pregnancy-induced hypertension than pregnant women ages 20s or 30s. they are also have a higher risk of preeclampsia, an attack of convulsions during pregnancy or during giving birth. This is a dangerous medical condition that combines high blood pressure with excess protein in the urine, swelling of a mother’s hands and face, and damaged organs.

From the high blood pressure effects, the growth of the baby is disrupted which leads to further pregnancy complications such as premature birth. A full-term pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks. A baby that delivers before 37 weeks is a premature baby or “Preemie”. The baby needs to be delivered early for the health of the mother or infant. The earlier a baby is born, the more risk there is of respiratory, digestive, vision, cognitive and other problems that would destroy the body of the mother. Premature babies have the tendency of weighing less than they should that is because they’ve had less time in the womb to grow. A low-birth-weight baby weighs only 3.3 to 5.5 pounds (1,500 to 2,500 grams). A very-low-birth-weight baby weighs less than 3.3 pounds. Babies who happened to have low-birth-weight are needed to be put on a ventilator in a hospital’s neonatal care unit to help with breathing after birth. For some instances, pregnant women who were having sex during pregnancy, STDs such as Chlamydia and HIV are a major concern. Using latex condom during intercourse may help prevent STDs, which can infect the uterus and growing baby.

A person’s status is not a hindrance to achieve the proper maintenance of caring a baby. In order to survive the span of pregnancy, there are following tips in lowering the health risks of teen pregnancy that could help teenagers especially those women who are living in poor condition or are marginalized.

Getting early prenatal care is a must. As soon as possible, try to call your doctor for check-up and consultations about your condition. If you can’t afford, approach the barangay health office or clinics to ask for resources and help. It is very important to seek for daily check-ups to know the updates of your health and your baby. To prevent from having health issues, you must think of staying away from alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. These are harming the growing fetus even more than they harm a growing teenager. If you yourself is into these vice, you need to ask for help from someone you could trust.

Asking for an emotional support is one of the strongholds of a pregnant teenager. Motherhood brings untold emotional and practical challenges especially that you are still in school. Reaching out to others like your family, friends, the baby’s father to ask for emotional and practical support. Being depressed while carrying a baby is dangerous in a way that a mother would commit suicide because of the problems bothering herself.

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354), usually called a RH Law, informally known as the Reproductive Health Law or RH Law, is a law in the Philippines, which guarantees universal access to methods of contraception, fertility control, sexual education and maternal care.

After a long period of time in debate, it has become a law to provide specific matters to every community, school, government and everyone to have the privilege of understanding and gain information about the importance of every aspects of the law. In that case, Filipinos are given the chance to elevate themselves from being alienated to the particular matter and could help make difference to their daily routines especially to the young people in the society.

In Cagayan de Oro, Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD) has implemented activities and programs to the young adults who are becoming to be a mother. The projects aim to help give their selves a treatment during their pregnancy and they are provided with seminars and different careers to take after giving birth and keeping their babies have a good living condition.

#health #teenagepregnancy