CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY

The hundreds of early childbearing and disadvantaged teens are undeniable. Trying to untangle the factors which contributes to teen pregnancy from its effects, however, leads to a ”which came first, the chick or the egg” delema. Educational failure, poverty, low self-esteem, illiteracy, sexual abuse, cultural practices,etc, are understood to be part of the causes of teen pregnancy; while unemployment, educational failure, poverty, etc, are the negative outcomes of early childbearing. A study research suggests that most adolescent mothers have already dropped out of school before they become pregnant. On the other hand, adolescents still enrolled in school when they give birth are as likely to graduate as their peers. It is not clear though, how well the adolescents with the most problems would have faced in future even without early parenthood.

CAUSES
1. LACK OF PARENT GUIDE: Most parents evade their children from talking about sex. In some cases, they provide false information regarding sex and discourage their kids to participate in any informative discussion about sex. Many of the teenage mothers are not well educated about sex before getting pregnant and thus this leads to lack of communication between the parents and the children.

2. ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR: Among the adolescents, the peerpresure is a major factor that encourages the teen boys and gilrs to indulge in sexual activities. Peers gets information about sex from a very wide range of sources-internet, medea,etc; and most of these information are misleading. Without the guidance of their parents, they will easily spread these false massages across with encouragement to engage in premature sex.

3.INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SAFE SEX: In as much as some parents try to prevent their children from engaging in premature sexual relationship, it still happens due to peer pressure and wanting to feel among. Not having any knowledge about safe sex and contraceptions, also contributes to teenage pregnancy. Parents while teaching their chidren sex education, should also talk to them about safe sex and the use of contraceptives just in case of nesseccities.

4.EXPLOITATION BY OLDER MEN: This is another major factor that contributes to pregnancy among teens. Girls who date older men are more likely to become pregnant before they reach womanhood.

5.SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTOR: Teen girls who belong to poor families are more likeliy to become pregnant. Even in most deveploed countries of the world, teen pregnancy occurs most commonly among the deprived sections.

EFFECTS/CONSEQUENCIES
Teenage pregnancy is a very vital issue for several reasons; for example, there are health ricks for the new born, and children born to teen mothers are likely to suffer health, social and emotional problems than children born to older mothers. Teenage mothers are likely to drop out of school. Only few tends to futher their education, the rest would prefer to start up a pety-buiseness in other to raise money for their up keep especially when the father denies responsibilities.

There are other negative implications for women who conceive before the age of 20. Some die while giving birth, some even commit suicide due to not being able to stand the shame and the consequences involed. Marriage is also a problem as most responsible men wouldn’t want to marry a woman with kids already. Some lack parental care, while some give in to abortion.
Children who are bron to teen mothers also experience a wide range of problmes for example, they are more likely to have a higher rick for low birth weight and infant mortality, lower level of emotional support, behavioural problems, rely more heavily on publicly fund health care, lower school aechievement, possibly drop out of school due to lack of fund, be unemployed, and end up on the streets.
These immediate and long lasting effects continue for teen parents and their children for a longer period.

There are many other causes and effects of teen pregnancy, but the fact however, remains that most of the teen pregnancies are unintentional. Additionally, most of them occur to unwell-informed teen girls. This means that even though most of them don’t want to get pregnant at an early stage, they still become so as a result of sexual activity. While actual force to have sex is rare, many teen girls-especially those under age 15- feel pressured to have sex; and obviously, the more intercourse a teen has, the more likely it is to result in pregnancy.

We can’t afford to continue tosing our promising young girls to avoidable death from pregnancy complications. Therefore, is it high time we addressed teen pregnancy, especially with the disturbing increase of teens in sexual activities. There are still some places here in Nigeria where girls are regarded as commodity.

TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A NATION FREE OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY.

SAY NO TO ABUSE OF SEX.
SAY NO TO ABUSE OF THE GIRL-CHILD.

LOVE LIFE. SAVE A SOUL.

A SEX EDUCATION GUIDE FOR PARENTS

When talking to children about sex, parents should learn to give age-appropriate answers. This means explaining things in a way that the child can understand given their age. No need to answer questions they have’nt asked.
Below is a guide to what children should be able to understand about sex and reproduction at different ages.

1.INFANCY (UP TO WO YEARS): Toddlers should be able to name all the body parts including the genitals.

2. EARLY CHILDHOOD(2-5YEARS): At this stage, children should be able to understand the basics of reproduction: a man and a woman make a baby together, and the baby grows in the uterus. They sould understand that their body is their own. Parents should teach them about privacy around body.

3. MIDDLE CHILDHOOD(5-8YEARS OLD): Children should have basic understanding that some people are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. They should also know what the role of sexuality is in a relationship. They should know about the basic social conversations of privacy, nudity and respect for others in relationships. They should also be taught the basics about puberty towards the ed of thus age span, as a number of children will experience some pubertal development before age 10.

4. TEEN STAGE(10-18YEARS): In addition to reinforcing all the things above that they have already learned, teens should be taught about safe sex, abstinence and contraception. They should understand what makes a positive relationship and what makes a bad one. They should be taught about healthy relationship free of sex, and sexual related activities. They should be taught how to abstain from pre-mature/pre-marital sex, consequences of teenage pregnancy, keeping a healthy relationship, also how to chose positive tv programmes, to read mutivational books, and not to engage in pornography.

Teens are very private people. However, if parents have sopken to their children about sex at early age, increases the chances that teens will approach them when difficult and dangerous things comes up.
When kids ask questions about sex, parents should not regard them as silly to be brushed aside, but answered appropriately. They should also throw questions back at them to find out what they already know and where they heard it from. This way, parents will be able to correct any misinformation from the start.

When young people feel unconnected to home and school, they may get involved in activities that will put their health at risk. Although many adults want youths to know about abstinence, contraception and how to prevent STIs, parents often have difficulties in communicating about sex. Nevertheless, positive communication between parents and children greatly helps young people to establish individual values and to make healthy decisions.
Young people are more likely to make better and more informed decision when adequately educated, and parents will feel more confident knowing that their children are aware of the realities around their reproductive lives. Although most parents work hard to prevent their children from premarital sex, it still happens. Educating the child on the importance of protection as part of safe sex routine may serve a higher purpose of preventing STIs. Sex education should ideally start in the home where parents should engage their children as active participants in their development process. This education continues at school in a way that preserves the family and the societal realities. The social developmet of young people is a product of family and society partnership, where these children are active participants in their own lives. Education is by no means an enemy to humanity, but the ignorance is. Education provides the enabling environment for young people to question and understand better some of the essential questions they may have.

Parents should learn to exercise reasonable judgement in dissemnating important information about sex education to their children. If their kids are not comfortable discussing sex with them, how then would they have the courage to inform them about sexual abuse? This results in the child having self-blame, guilt, anxiety and fear of family and outsiders. For teens, they may possibly be increased aggrssion, hostility and some may even turn to drugs and other high-rick behaviours for consolation later in life.
Having the right information and sex education would help the child deal with challenges that life may throw at them in relation to their sexual future.

TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A SEXUAL HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR OURSELVES AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. LOVE LIFE. SAVE A SOUL.

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SEX EDUCATION AND ITS IMPORTANCE

The youths of today are faced with mordenization and it has brought a lot of consequences. For a long time now, the issue of sex education for young people, particularly here in Africa, has remained a taboo. Although sex education is a natural development process, many parents, cultures and societies frown at discussing sex education with their adolescent children because it is perceived as a generational taboo. A good sex education is needed so that the youths can gather their acts together.

Sex education is the process of acquaring positive information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identities, relationships and intimacy. Without distroying the fabric of the society, it is very important to give the young people sex education in a way that not only reflects the values of the family and the society, but also enhances the sustainability of a balanced culture.

Having sex is a primitive human tendency that emerges in all of us in different forms and at different times. One thing is certain: if parents fail to educate their children on sex and sex-related issues, they will learn it from other sources. It is not only important as a developmental process in the life of a child, it also helps the child to understand him or herself better in relationship to the immediate environment and the threates that could emerge from such interaction; meaning that young people would gain more knowledge and the ability to defend themselves and alert people of the threates of sexual exploitation if they are sexually educated. Educating our young people about themselves sends a message of self-appriciation, self-esteem and highlights the fact that the change they are experiencing or would experience later in life, is indeed normal.
But it is unfurtunate that our parents have adamantly restricted themselves from such discussions. And the reasons to this are not far-fetched!
Some parents believe that talking to their children about sex would lead to premarital sexual activities, while some believe that it will make them promiscuous. Another reason why parents shy away from it is that they believe that their children already knows whatever it is they need to know about sex, either from the school, church or friends. Actually, young people get a lot information about sex & sexuality from a wide range of sources, including peers. But unfortunately most of these information are inacurate and misleading. For instance, false beliefs are spreading around young people today that if you don’t have sex, you are still not matured; you can’t get pregnant if you have sex while standing; you cant get pregnant if you do it just once; etc. These are some of the outrageous beliefs among the young people. But if our parents begin to take their God-giving privileges seriously, they will be able to find out what their youths’ beliefs are and correct every mis-information they may have gathered.

IMPORTANCE OF SEX EDUCATION
As far as sex education for youth is concerned, one does see an obvious increase in un-intended pregnancies, mis-carriages, abortions and spread of STDs. This statistical evidence also proves how unaware the youths are in terms of risking their lives. Precausionary measures are highly needed at this time.

IMPARTING SEX EDUCATION TO YOUTHS

1. Introducing sex education in schoold corricumum: this may be implemented in private and government schools with a carefully knitted syllabus covering all the aspects of sex education for youths.

2. Various risky behaviours among youths such as forced sex, pornography, physical abuse, can lead to early pregnancies. This should form the vital part of the curriculum helping them to understand the unethical and inhuman aspects of such behaviours.

3. It should also provide the knowledge of contraceptives and the differences between various contraception methods; eg: morning pills, condoms, etc.

4. Help the youth to understand, through intensive programmes; the importance of sex worth. Every human should learn the importance and understand the worth of life.

5. Schools should have a good sex education which includes not only knowing the anatomy of the body parts, but also how to take care of them.

6. Schools should inculcate in them the values of self worth among students so that they can say no to sexual predators.

7. They should tell them the importance of knowing the consequences of physically abusing themselves and engaging in sexual risk behavious.

8. Educate them on the appropriate time to have sex.

9. Help them to know the benefits of being chaste till marriage.

10. Teach them the consequences of pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy.

11. Help them to understand that sexual expression outside of marriage will have harmful social, psychological and physical consequences.

TO BE CONTINUED…
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