Teenage pregnancy 

Teenage pregnancy seems to be quickly rising for the past few years. A statistics done by the Save the Children shows that each year, women below 20 years olds give birth to 13 million children from all over the globe. In the US alone, teenage pregnancy is at the rate of 55.6 and abortion is at the rate of 30.2 per thousand births. Health experts say that there are a number of health risks involved in teen pregnancy which involves both the mother and the baby. The reason for this is because the teenage girl’s body is not yet mature enough to handle the pregnancy along with the stress that goes with it.

What is Teenage Pregnancy?

Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy of a female who is under 20 years of age. Pregnancy may happen any time after puberty along with the first menstrual period which happens around the age of 12 to 13 which makes a female potentially fertile. Teenage pregnancy varies on the societal and personal factors and the rates of which vary from one country to another due to the difference in the levels of sexual activity, general sex education available and the accessibility to affordable contraceptives available.

Dangers of Teenage Pregnancy

• Carelessness of Society

In most cases, teenage mothers experience harsh comments and unneeded pressure from society. According to a study done by the World Health Organization, there are disadvantages that teenage mothers experience when it comes to socioeconomic factors. Some of the worst aftermaths of teenage pregnancy are lack of education which leads to slimmer chances of employment opportunities.  This makes it a hindrance for psychological balance of the mother and can consequently lead to unhealthy eating habits and even addiction to drinking or smoking.

• Danger to the Fetus

Because the body of a teenage mother is not yet fully mature, it may not be capable of nourishing the fetus adequately. This could be because a young girl’s metabolism is slow. This could be risk of giving birth to a low-weight or premature baby. It may also cause the baby to be born with underdeveloped internal organs.

• Health Problems

Teenage pregnancy may cause fatal health problems to the mother and the child. At a young age, the body of a teenage mother could either be developed physically or psychologically to deliver and raise a child. There is that possibility that a teenage mother would be under intense pressure and pain throughout her delivery which may be unbearable for her.

Another factor to consider would be the lack of proper diet in a teenage mother and also addictive habits such as drugs, smoking and alcoholism which may lead to serious congenital defects to the baby. Health experts say that teen mother who drink alcohol during their pregnancy are most likely to give birth to babies with congenital problems such as underdeveloped bone structures, mental retardation, facial abnormalities and organ deformities.

• Emotional Consequences

It is commonly observed that teenage mother undergo so much stress after pregnancy. The stress that teen moms undergo could either be social, emotional or physical factors. Most teen moms tend to abandon their child or think of the baby as unwanted. There are also other who are ready for the thought of motherhood but is not mature and experienced enough to raise their child properly. In severe cases, some teen mothers end up committing or attempting suicide because of the pressure and stress they are going through.