Student’s Perception towards Teenage Pregnancy

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy is a social menace and common public health problem. This
phenomenon has multiple adverse consequences on maternal health, child health and overall
wellbeing of the society (Mgbookwere, D; et al, 2015).Teenage pregnancy has become a major
problem in many communities in the Philippines. This incidence “remains high among the
teenagers in Cagayan De Oro City”, based on the study conducted by the University of the
Philippines Population Institution (2016); therefore it is important to seek an understanding or
comment of teenagers in regards of this issue. Since early child bearing do really has a big
impact on our society and occur on the teenager nowadays like it is just a normal state of being
an adolescent. World Health Organization (WHO) defines teenage pregnancy as “any pregnancy
of a girl aged 10 to 19 years, the age being defined as her age at the time baby is born
( Adolescent Pregnancy-WHO—2004). Teenagers nowadays are the one being involved because
of being sexually active in early puberty.Teenage pregnancy continued to increase attention
because of the early age at which adolescents engage in sexual activity. It is a period of life in
which is described by some; as the age of experimentation. Many factors have been associated
with the occurrence of teenage pregnancy. This include poor parental supervision as a result of
broken homes and inadequate or absence of contraceptives (Meddinus and Johnson, 2007);
exposure to pornographic films and lack of sex education (Mitchel, 2007).Parents have a very
important influence on whether their teenagers become pregnant or not, they are powerful and
they can use directing their children. But life in a modern society has a big role to play in the
occurrences of teenage pregnancies. Gone are those days when parents were so dedicated in
raising up their children, that they were so much interested in protecting their children from
disgrace and preventing any activity that will destroy their future ( Mercy, O; 2016). But in
teenager’s case, low self-esteem is among the causes of teenage pregnancy. Children who are not
shown love and affection from parents will seek it out with their peer group this is according to
Jackie,2012. The relationship between an older sister’s teenage pregnancy and a younger sister’s
teenage pregnancy is much stronger than that between a mother’s teenage child bearing and a
younger daughter’s teenage pregnancy; this shows that family background really has a big
impact on influencing the family’s history of teenage pregnancy (Wieler, E. et al, 2016).Young
people undergo various changes in terms of their physical, cognitive, emotional, and sexual
development; these changes become risk factors for premarital sexual behaviour, adolescent
pregnancy abortion, and sexually transmitted disease (STDs), such as acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (Thongnopakun, S. et al, 2018). Schools expose teenagers to an
environment that discourages risk-taking, especially in sexual behaviour, and instil a sense of
planning the future which will increase the motivation to avoid early pregnancy. Educational
goals and performance, therefore, dictate the potential cost for the adolescent of early
childbearing (Corcoran et al., 2000).This pressing issue can lead to depression, poor education
and emotional instability and may develop a fear of abandonment of boyfriend, loss of trust and
family sanction. Some social and psychological problems are also associated with teenage
pregnancy such as dropping out of school, social discrimination and stigmatization. The pregnant
teenager might become depressed and thus, at risk of suicide (Marnach et al., 2013; Telford,
2013). Because of the behavioural underpinnings of teenage pregnancy, the Johnson’s 5
Behavioural System Model was selected based on the notion that nursing is an external
regulatory force that acts to preserve the organisation and integration of the patient’s behaviour
at an optimal level under those conditions in which the behaviour constitutes a threat to physical
or social health, or in which illness occurs (Siphiwe, T; et al, 2018).

According to (Koteswaramma, D. &Swarna, S.) imparting the structured teaching

program to teenage girls could enlighten their knowledge on hazards of teenage pregnancy that
may result in best practices such as delay in early marriage and pregnancy. Thus, a new study on
pregnancy complication-Ectopic pregnancy arose (Grossman, 2017). According to Cornelius et
al.’s (2009) study, the new born baby of the teenage mother might have higher body mass
indices, smaller head circumferences and low IQ scores than those children of older
mothers.This study aims to determine how students view the life of early child bearing; to realize
the behind story of the students’ actions toward children who got pregnant or impregnates
someone. The paper looks into the holistic approach of the students to the one of the most
pressing issue-teenage pregnancy. Young men believed that they have the crucial role to play of
teenage pregnancy if they were actively involved in reproductive health issues. Traditionally
family planning and reproductive health services have been female-focused ( Madlala S, et al;
2018).Through this study data collected about the perception and behaviours of the students
towards teenage pregnancy. In addition, the results of this research will stimulate further studies
on teenage pregnancy. Thefindings might give as the ideas on how they react when someone is
in state of the pressing issue-teenage pregnancy.Students are very open when it comes to sexual
charge. Teenage pregnancy can affect the life of every individual most especially to those
parents whom is expecting their child to finish school. Others might judge that certain person
experienced the said issue, and causes change of their behaviour towards the affected child
especially when it comes to social interaction. Thus, this study focuses only on figuring out the
inside thought of selected students of Misamis University about teenage pregnancy and how they
manage behavioural changes towards their pregnant peers.
Theoretical Framework

Teenage pregnancy is a delinquent behaviour that can result teenagers from stress,
boredom, malice, dislike, and unhappiness experienced by a teenage girl within her home
environment. It is a threat seen in younger sisters when older sisters that go impregnated turns up
bottom on the relation with that sister and her child; the family environment proficient by the
sibling's is quite comparable. Much of the pregnancy risk through teenage daughters of mothers
bearing a child before age 20 seems presumably to sequence from the inimical environment often
fall in with early childbearing. It can be a life changing experience for young women who got
impregnated by a young teenage boy during sexual intercourse. Women's hopes and future
aspirations could be shattered if she got impregnated before she completes her studies. The
causes of teenage pregnancy starts off when young females have not yet reached adulthood and
they may lack education and information about reproduction, peer pressure and early
engagement of sexual activity where they start experimenting with each other. Another cause of
teenage pregnancy is the exposure of pornographic images, the media magazines, and videos in
television could most likely tune them to engage in sexual activities that can also cause in a
disaster. Other causes of teenage pregnancy include alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual
promiscuity, social and health problems among adolescents and sexual abuses resulting to
unwanted sex and pregnancy (Gaby, 2012). Acceptance of gift for sex and some adult
deliberately taking advantage of poor teenager's, encouraging them into having sex were also
noted as factors responsible for teenage pregnancy (UN, 2001).
References:

#1- Nnodim, A. U & Albert, C.O, 2016. "Effects of Teenage Pregnancy on the
Academic and Socio-Psychological Well Being of Rural Women in Etche Ethnic
Nationality, Rivers State," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and
Social Society, vol. 6(7), pages 406-411, July.

#2- Wall-Wieler, E., Roos, L. L., & Nickel, N. C. (2016). Teenage pregnancy: The impact of
maternal adolescent childbearing and older sister’s teenage pregnancy on a younger sister. BMC
Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-0911-2
Methodology (Materials and Methods)

Research Design

This study is a Qualitative Research specifically, a phenomenological method.

The phenomenological method aims to describe, understand and interpret the meanings of
experiences of human life. It focuses on research questions such as what it is like to experience a
particular situation. In the human sphere this normally translates into gathering ‘deep’
information and perceptions through inductive, qualitative methods such as interviews,
discussions and participant observation, and representing it from the perspective of the research
participant(s).

Research Setting

This study was conducted in Misamis University H.T. Feliciano St. Ozamiz City 7200
Philippines. Misamis University is a private owned, non-sectarian, non-profit educational
institution founded by the Feliciano family in 1929. The only autonomous university granted by
the Commission on Higher Education in North-Western Mindanao, an ISO 9001:2015
Management System Certified granted by Det Norske Veritas-Germanischer Lloyd Business
Assurance, granted COD by CHED for Criminology, Information Technology and Teacher
Education and awarded by PACUCOA as the Most Number of Accredited Programs in Region
X.

Respondents

This study focused on senior High School students of Misamis University on how they
perceived teenage pregnancy as a major problem in our society. The researchers used random
selection within Grade 11 students.
Research Instruments

The researchers utilized a researcher-made guide questions that helped them gather data
needed for the study. Also, the researchers used voice recorders to record the answers of every
interviewee to serve as evidence and to observe honesty.

Ethical Considerations

This research study promoted and observed proper conduct. The researchers included
obligations to protect the information that was gathered and recognized the essence of
confidentiality throughout the whole study. All details of the respondents’ answers were kept
private by the researchers and not disclosed to any other people.

Data Analysis

The researchers used Thematic analysis as a tool in analysing the data gathered. Thematic
analysis is a strategy for breaking down subjective information. It is generally applied to a lot of
writings, for example, talk with transcripts. The analyst intently inspects the information to
recognize basic subjects – themes, thoughts and examples of implying that surface over and
again.
Guide Question:

1. If you were in a situation who suffered teenage pregnancy, how does it affect your
social interaction?

2. Why does teenager nowadays are actively engaging on sexual activities?

3. How do you manage your behaviour towards the affected teenager?

4. Do you think teenage pregnancy is a serious social problem that should be resolve
and must find a solution to solve it?

5. Being a teenager, how can you help in preventing the rising issue on teenage
pregnancy?