Teenage Pregnancy
One of the societal issues and changes that been experienced globally is teenage pregnancy. In some parts of the world it is not regarded as a societal issue but a way of life as a result of early marriage being practised in such societies. The pervasive range of teenage pregnancy in places where early marriage is not being practised is as a result of early pubertal changes in adolescents.
Image credit
Teenagers are adolescents whose age is below 20. They can also be referred to at times as underage. Adolescence is regarded as the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this transition,adolescents tend to be in the most critical stage of their life as they are faced with distractions and pressure from friends and surrounding. Changes occur in their physical structure and behavioural pattern.
Teenage pregnancy is a situation whereby female teenagers becomes pregnant most times outside wedlock and this has led to an increase in number of 'teen mothers'. Teenage pregnancy is been achieved as a result of early puberty. Puberty is the age at which a person is first capable of sexual production. There are several signs of puberty which include acne, reproductive organs begins work during early puberty stage, young girls experience their first menarche .
Image source
Menstruation is the monthly flow of blood and cells from the lining of the uterus in females of humans. But before menstruation ovulation occurs. Ovulation occurs two weeks before menstruation. During ovulation,egg is being released from the oviduct ready for fertilization. If unprotected sex occurs,the egg is being fertilized and a zygote is formed.Many girls are mothers as a result of poverty, lack of sound sex education etc. Africa has the highest range of teenage pregnancy as 145 per 1000 girls aged 15-19 becomes pregnant per year. This is an alarming social critical issue that needs serious attention as some young girls dreams are being terminated because of teenage pregnancy
Inage source
Teen mothers are likely to have complications during the prenatal and post natal period. These complications include :
- Eclampsia is a complication of pregnancy characterized by convulsions and coma caused by high blood pressure and protein uria . It occurs in one per 200 women and it is capable of causing still birth.
Many teenagers do not possess the capability of putting to bed themselves as some r not fully matured. Tight pelvis can cost the teen mother a lot of pain. In developed areas Caesarean section can be carried out but in areas where there's no advanced medical facilities thus may lead to death of the teen mother.
Teen mothers are likely to be school dropouts as for the fact that many of them can't cope with the care of their child and school work.
Reduction in number of teen mothers in our society can be achieved by :
- Providing teenagers with good and sound sex education.
- Parents should endeavor to enlighten their children on puberty.
- Schools should also try teach sex education or offer it as a subject.
- Some teen mother are product of abuse so, capital punishment should be met out to abusers of children
On till next time we remain @el-bossaa-schs
Thank you