CAPUL, EULLIE ANN A.

POSITION PAPER ABOUT

TEENAGE PREGNANCY

The increasing number of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines due to the youth welcoming the
idea of premarital sex should be stopped because it results to pregnant women dropping out from
school, being scared due to lack of knowledge, and the continually increasing of the population
growth rate in the society.

According to an interview conducted on November 2, 2016, Doctor Heine Baldjay-Lomugdang,

Belison Municipal Health Officer, said that the reasons for teenage pregnancy are lack of
parental guidance, adolescent sexual behavior, inadequate knowledge about safe sex,
exploitation by older men, and socioeconomic factors.

Adolescent sexual behavior comes in second. Peer pressure is a crucial factor that motivates
teenage males and girls to engage in sexual behaviors among teenagers. Another factor that
contributes to teen pregnancy is early dating, which can begin as early as 12 years old.

The third issue is a lack of understanding about safe sex. The majority of teens are unaware of
the need of having safe sex. They are unlikely to have access to typical birth control techniques.
The main reason for this is that they are either too embarrassed or afraid to find out more about
it.

Fourth, elderly males are exploited. Another important element that contributes to teen
pregnancy is peer pressure. Girls who date older women have a higher chance of becoming
pregnant before they reach adulthood. Rape, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violence are
also common, resulting in unplanned pregnancies among adolescent females.

Finally, there are socioeconomic aspects to consider. Teenage females from low-income families
are more likely to become pregnant as adults. Even in industrialized countries, researchers have
discovered that teenage pregnancy is most common among the poor.

Teenage pregnancy carries a higher risk of medical issues, especially for females aged 14 and
under, because an undeveloped pelvis might cause difficulties during birthing. The global
incidence of premature births and low birth weight is higher among adolescent women as a result
of inadequate prenatal care. Young mothers under the age of 20 are at a higher risk of obstructed
labor, which can lead to an obstetric fistula, a rip in the birth canal that causes urine and/or feces
leaking if a caesarean section is not available. Teenage girls are responsible for 14% of the
estimated 20 million unsafe abortions carried out each year, resulting in 68,000 deaths. Young
individuals are also at risk of sexually transmitted diseases and infection with the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) as a result of unprotected sex.

There is no explicit law in place to combat the rising rate of teenage pregnancy in the
Philippines, or anywhere else in the globe. However, the Department of Health (DOH) can take
steps to prevent this type of problem by recognizing teenagers as "vulnerable" and a "group in
need." The DOH will establish new mechanisms to reach out to adolescents, and program
implementation will be monitored and reviewed.

Finally, adolescent pregnancy is harmful to young people. As a result, the rising number of
pregnant young females should be halted due to the harmful consequences. To eliminate it,
everyone must understand what it is and how it will influence their lives. "The youth are the
hope of the nation," stated national hero Jose P. Rizal, "and the youth must provide hope to the
nation rather than ruin to one's future."