Adolescent Pregnancy and Major Health Problems

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Young teen mothers who become pregnant could face major health problems. Teens who give birth run the risk of having infants with low birth weight and increased infant mortality rates. Teen pregnancy may be brought on by the following elements: Early puberty, single parenthood, a lack of parental supervision, peer pressure from friends who engage in sexual activity, a breakdown in parent-child communication, a lack of proper sex education, low self-esteem, a lack of spiritual guidance, a lack of adequate education, a lack of future-oriented goals and a lack of parental supervision are a few examples (Govendor et al., 2020).

In my neighborhood, efforts to stop teen pregnancies are being made by a number of research communities and state agencies. Money has been granted directly to the health department for resources like healthcare, good housing for those without access to better living conditions, and jobs so that expectant teens and moms may support themselves and their unborn children. Young teens are taught by the same division about the risks of early pregnancy, the use of contraceptives, and the benefits of planned parenting. The young moms are also taught parenting skills, how to care for themselves and their infants, and how to use contraceptives in an effort to prevent subsequent health problems (Kiani et al., 2019).

The teenage pregnancy rate in my neighborhood has dramatically decreased because of these drastic but necessary steps, going from 46 per 1000 girls in 2015 to 21 per 1000 teenagers in 2021. This is a fantastic achievement for our community, which may be linked to improvements in sexual health services, access to contraceptives, sexual health development, and understanding of the dangers of teenage pregnancy (Kiani et al., 2019).?

References

Kiani, M. A., Ghazanfarpour, M., & Saeidi, M. (2019). Adolescent pregnancy: a health challenge. International Journal of Pediatrics, 7(7), 9749-9752. article_13224_bddcc80760766d0e225bdfb46e123212.pdf (archive.org)

Govender, D., Taylor, M., & Naidoo, S. (2020). Adolescent pregnancy and parenting: Perceptions of healthcare providers. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 1607-1628.Full article: Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting: Perceptions of Healthcare Providers (tandfonline.com)