ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY AND IT’S AFFECT

ON HEALTH, EDUCATION AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

CASE STUDY

Introduction

The phenomenon of adolescent pregnancy is a major global health challenge as it bothers

millions of youth worldwide every year. Pregnancy in a girl aged 10-19 is termed as
adolescent pregnancy. This type of pregnancy possesses a spectrum of issues including
health, socio-economic and educational impacts. It is reported by the WHO that every
year approximately 21 million females aged between 15 and 19 and nearly 2 million
females below 15 years give birth. This case study aims to analyze the problems of
adolescent pregnancy, areas of agreement and disagreement over its consequences on
health, education and future prospects, and suggest improvements.

The World Health Organization argues that teenage mothers are less likely to complete
their academic training, thereby affecting their employable skills. The previously used
assumption that a young lady is incompetent when she is pregnant she may find it
difficult to her securing stable and well-paying jobs and financial freedom. We concur
with the WHO that teenage pregnancy is an impediment to education especially because
teenage mothers struggle to concentrate on their future. Many factors such as parents’
social pressure, the lack of childcare facilities, and the need for career advancement may
explain the lack of institutional support in education. But it should be stressed at times,
many young mothers have also benefited from other educational facilities, such as the
internet, or programs that target mothers more specifically. One of the goals is to give
birth and return to schooling. However, this does tend to get overlooked a bit while
talking about the issue of teenage childbirth. For example, in some countries, these issues
have been successfully resolved by implementing certain laws that raise the educational
levels of young mothers and decrease their dropout rates. Adolescent mothers tend to live
in poverty because, due to young motherhood, they have an added level of financial
burden, as indicated by WHO. Because of their education, they are less likely to work
because they are of lower education, there are few jobs available for them as they grow
older. This in turn affects their child because children face undesirable health and
educational outcomes. We hold this view because teenage pregnancy creates socio
cultural economic challenges that are likely to imperial on civilization. There is typically
limited ability to earn reasonable income for either the young mothers or children without
appropriate supportive infrastructures. On the other hand, some means of prevention
should also be addressed. With proper aid like parents' age and vocational support, young
mothers would be able to disperse some of the barriers. It is possible to change the
situation in several cases including those when young ladies become self-sufficient after
starting targeted assistance programs, this case study show that timely actions alter the
developments. Pregnant teenagers are at high risk of experiencing preterm birth as well as
low birth weight newborns. The stigma that society attaches to young mothers may affect
their psychosocial adjustment with its consequential negative effects to their quality of
life and future prospects. Adolescent birth rate is a quite a challenging public health
concern owing to its possibility and lack of social acceptance. Young mothers are
stigmatized and often divorced, making it challenging for them to access or maintain
networks and resources. Adolescent mothers still encounter stigma, but service programs
at the community level may try to reverse such problem. Certain nations have
successfully instituted social acceptance initiatives that help young women re-establish
connections with their communities and concentrate on the more significant facets of life,
such as their future. It suggests that even with the correct social and cultural frameworks
in place, stigma cannot be completely eradicated from society. Teen mothers face greater
risks of giving birth to a preterm, low-weight baby as well as other health problems. The
negative reactions that are expressed by society against young mothers can cause
emotional distress. Also, it is harmful to their quality of life and perspectives. The risks to
both health and the social status of teenage pregnancy are real and very serious issues.
Stigmatization may lead to a situation where the affected become marginalized and thus,
it becomes harder for the young mothers to either join or sustain networks and social
resources. Adolescent mothers face the bitterness of the public but these situations can be
made less severe with the help of community support initiatives, thus, the stigma can be
directly counteractive. Some countries have managed to initiate social acceptance
programs that help these young women to reconnect with their communities and at the
same time, they concentrate on more important issues such as their future lives. This
means that the stigma can be to a certain degree, reinvented as it remains in a culture that
sees life in terms of right or wrong. This case study is related to utilitarianism theories
and deontology theories in the sense that some of the teenage mom is focusing on their
overall happiness and other people while minimizing the suffering. They do what makes
them feel good and do not think the consequences of their actions, especially in their
future and education. Teenage pregnancy has a big negative impact on the teenager, the
child, even in the community, such as poverty, limited educational opportunities and
increased healthcare cost. This study also relates to known as deontology, because as a
mother it is their ethical responsibility to uphold the child’s right to health and to prevent
health injury.

Recommendation

We suggest promoting comprehensive sex education. One of the most effective ways to
solve the problem of teenage pregnancy is to give sex education from the correct start
through education. Young people who learn about reproductive health for example, and
have received good instructions on birth control and family planning will be able to cut
off a lot of unintended pregnancies by practicing safe and responsible sex. Ensure money
for re-education, the problem facing schools is how best to offer young mothers
continuing education that fits within their child caring schedules. In a system of school
for young mothers, which will provide not only babysitting but training in word
processing office and telephone skills, will offer bright places to many who might not
otherwise be able to continue romantic relationships or get married happily. Give free
education for teenage mothers, this can help them to continue their education beyond any
trials they have faced. Building a strong community and support for social systems,
Stigma, depression, and other mental health issues like anxiety can be addressed through
developing community programs that concentrate on mental health and social support.
Such programs include the facilitation of fan-based group meetings, training programs,
and counseling services for teen parents. By giving free training in any job that fits them
and cannot affect their childcare schedule for example as a call center agent, and any
digital work available even you are in home. By improving healthcare access special
healthcare services for adolescent mothers that include prenatal care along with postnatal
care can equip sexually active, especially teenage mothers with the required healthcare.
Preventing also pregnancy could maximize overall well-being, it is important to know
that we need to secure the family planning first before we enter in this kind of situation.

Pregnancy among adolescents is a problem that cuts across all sides of the lives of such
young mothers, affecting not only their education but also their economic success and
even health. The World Health Organization and other scholarly publications recommend
the need for holistically addressing these issues. Educational strategies such as
comprehensive sex education, schools with flexible programming, and community
resources, help to reduce the incidence of adolescent pregnancies that result in
interruptions of schooling, which in turn promote cycles of poverty. To help teenage
mothers rise out of their situation, society will have to, expose the challenges and offer
assistance that will be ongoing. This also guarantees that the young mothers become an
asset to the community. Adolescent pregnancy is a serious health problem that exists in
almost all regions and has severe effects. The problem mainly concerns teenage girls, as
it harasses their physical health, education, and even their future careers. The main issues
include heightened chances of maternal and infant health mortality, lack of education,
and poverty. All these challenges are aggravated by stigma from society and a lack of
worthwhile systems, but some programs can bring about positive change. While it may
be well to encourage individual responsibility among young females, adolescent
pregnancy cannot be dealt with on its own without comprehensive sexual education,
quality health services, and community programs aimed at empowering young mothers.
In that respect, societal change could be achieved and adolescent pregnancies, as well as
those affected by this phenomenon, can be attended to and improved.
References:

World Health Organization: WHO. (2024a, April 10). Adolescent pregnancy.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy

Aithor. (2024, June 15). The Impact of Teenage Pregnancy on Education and Future

Opportunities. aithor.com. https://aithor.com/essay-examples/the-impact-of-

teenage-pregnancy-on-education-and-future-opportunities