TEENAGERS: EARLY PREGNANCY

A Term Paper

Presented to

The Faculty of the College Of Basic Elementary Education

La Consolacion College-Bais Formerly
Sacred Heart Academy

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements in
HUMANITY 1

Submitted to: Serdan Devero Jr.

Submitted by: Famador, Cyra Kyle O.

Espiritu, Anjelina Joli P.
October 10, 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TEENAGERS: EARLY PREGNANCY .................................................................................................................. 1
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 3
TEENANGERS: EARLY PREGNANCY............................................................................................................ 4
Introduction: ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Research Problem ..................................................................................................................................... 5
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................................. 5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM .............................................................................................................. 6
OBJECTIVES/ LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................... 7
(Teenage Pregnancy Cause and Effect Essay, 2011) (n.d.)DISCUSSION.................................................... 8
ADVANTAGES/ DISADVANTAGES OF TEEN PREGNANCY .......................................................................... 9
LACK OF PREPAREDNESS ......................................................................................................................... 10
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 11
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................... 12
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 13

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The completion of this Term Paper/Research Paper will not be accomplished without
continuous monitoring of its process by Mr. Rodrigo P. Tingson, my Grandfather.

I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to Mr. Rodrigo P. Tingson, for helping me
in this term paper.

Finally to my parents, thank you for the unending support and understanding to whatever
expenses entailed therein.

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TEENANGERS: EARLY PREGNANCY

Introduction:

Background of the study here in the Philippines, we believe in the saying of our National Hero
Dr. Jose P. Rizal that “Youth is the hope for our motherland.” In their hands lies the future
generation to follow. But as we see from the situation nowadays, what we’re affecting from the
youth with numerous teenage females becoming pregnant at any given instance.

Data show that pregnant teenagers in the Philippines are mostly 17, 18 and 19 years old. They
live with their mothers, parents or relatives. The father of the child is, in most cases, a teenage
boy.

Reasons for becoming pregnant among teenagers include: Unplanned Sexual Encounters
(“Getting caught up in the moment.”) And peer pressure; Lack

Of information on safe sex; Breakdown of family life and lack of female role models in the
family; and absence of accessible adolescent-friendly clinics.

Teenagers from poor backgrounds are disproportionately represented among pregnant

teenagers. However, experts have argued that teenager’s pregnancy should be understood as a
symptom of dire economic conditions rather than a cause of it. Teenage pregnancy perpetuates
the cycle of poverty and inequality because most pregnant teenagers have no source of income
and face greater financial difficulties later in life. This is because they drop out of school and are
less likely to pursue further education or skills training.

Teenage mothers face critical health risks, including inadequate nutrition during pregnancy
due to poor eating habits. Dangers associated with the reproductive organs not ready for birth
and maternal death due to higher risk of eclampsia, among others.

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Research Problem

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The research attempts to pursue the unending or continuing pregnancy of teenagers which
perpetuates the cycle of poverty and inequality.

Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What is the respondents profile in terms of:

1.1. Age
1.2. Economic status
1.3. Parents background/status

2. What is the parent’s source of income?

3. What are the risks faced by teenage mothers?

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROBLEM

The output of the study will be the best machinery to aid the following:

Researcher: It will serve as a future reference material to future studies related to the subject.

Teenagers: The input of the study minds and will provide them awareness of the consequences
of having premarital sex, and will develop self-control.

Teenager Mothers: To realize that early pregnancy is a serious problem; a crisis that concerns the
baby, parents and other members of the family.

Parents: It will take serious steps on teen pregnancy prevention.

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OBJECTIVES/ LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

We sought to enhance our understanding of pregnant adolescent’s concepts of the advantages

and disadvantages of teen pregnancy and childbearing.

The study focused on the high school college students including out of school youth all of Bais
City.

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(Teenage Pregnancy Cause and Effect Essay, 2011) (n.d.)DISCUSSION

The natural youth commission, supported by the department of health and the world health
organization, convened the 2014 national summit on teen pregnancy last April 24, 2014. This
summit, which saw the active participation of adolescent youth, delivered a clear message:
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) or the lack thereof, is fast becoming the
defining issue of this generation of young Filipinos. Without a robust response from all
stakeholders, the Philippines are on track toward a full-blown, national teenage pregnancy crisis.

Staggering facts support this call for concern. Recent (2014) data from the Philippines
Statistical Authority (PSA) Reveal that every hour, 24 babies are delivered by teenage mothers.

According to the 2014 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study, around 14 percent of
Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 are either pregnant for the first time or are already mothers-more
than twice the rate recorded in 2002. The Philippines has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies
among six major economies in the association of Southeast Asian nations and the only country
where the rate is increasing per the United Nations population fund.

According to Josefina Natividad, YAFS coordinator and directors of the University of the
Philippines population institute, young Filipinos have limited access to sex education and ASRH
services, especially if they are underage and unmarried. Seventy eight percent are not using any
form of contraception or protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections when
they are having sex for the first time. While government programs aim to delay the beginning of
childbearing and hasten fertility decline, teenage pregnancies continue to increases. Perhaps it
is really time for a new and more collaborative strategy?

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ADVANTAGES/ DISADVANTAGES OF TEEN PREGNANCY

The Qualitative aspect of the study involved open-ended questions to which participants were
asked to write down their answers. The questions were:

Considering everything, what do you think are the bad things or disadvantages about having a
baby now instead of waiting until you are older?

What do you think are the good things or advantages about having a baby now instead of
waiting until you are older?

Participants who were unable to identify advantages to teen pregnancy/childbearing voiced

some messages:

 “I don’t know of any good things or advantages of having a baby this young” (17-year old
out of school youth)

 “I don’t think there are any I feel teens should wait.” (17-year old 4th year high school
student)

 “There are no advantages I can think about right now.” (19-year old college student)

The main themes found in the responses to the questions regarding disadvantages including
denial of any disadvantages; a sense of not being ready; Reflections of an infant will change things
and interfere with important aspects of their lives. And being pregnant as teenagers will change
the way that others see them.

Many pregnant teens were unable to generate disadvantages to being a teen mother or felt
that having a child as a teenager was no different from waiting until they were older.

We quote:

 “I don’t regret that about having a baby. I don’t think is nothing is wrong with it.” (14-year
old high school student)

 “I don’t really think there are any disadvantages in having a baby now, I am completely
ready for this responsibility” (17-year old college student)
 I have no bad thoughts on having a baby now instead of waiting the only difference is I’m
17.” (17-year old out of school youth.)

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LACK OF PREPAREDNESS

Those adolescent girls who indicated lack of preparedness as a disadvantage emphasized

different areas in which they were not ready, including being too young and lacking stability.

Except that illustrate this include:

 “I feel as though I’m too young and I’m scared of being alone taking care of a baby on my
own. I feel as if I was older I would know of what was going to happen more.” (17-year old
college dropout)

 “No job to support me and my baby. I’m out of school. (14- year old high school student)

 “Financial problems. Not waiting until I was married because I’m not sure if the father is
always going to be there.” (19-year old college student)

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Environment- The research was undertaken at campuses at the Colleges and High
School Campuses at Bais City and Bais City Residents.

Research Respondents- The respondents of the study were both High School and College
Students and out of school youth; All of Bais City.

Research Instruments- The study was made on a one on one interview being conducted to
determine the profile of the respondents in terms of age, economic status and parent’s
educational background.

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CONCLUSION

Pregnant adolescents do not represent a homogeneous group. Considering differences in how

pregnancy and childbearing are conceptualized along developmental, Cultural & Attitudinal will
strengthen the ability to tailor pregnancy.

Another thing is that a successful implementation on government programs which aims to

delay the beginning of childbearing through improved and well planned strategy, a
comprehensive sexual education curriculum should be strongly endorsed and implemented.

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Bibliography
C, F. (2014). Teenagers : Early Pregnancy.

n.d. (n.d.). Making the right Decision.

Teenage Pregnancy Cause and Effect Essay. (2011). Study Mode.

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