HANOI UNIVERSITY

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English for Specific Purpose Hanoi – Vietnam
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ROOM 207 – BUILDING C RESEARCH WRITING

Statement of authorship
Student’s name: Ta Phuong Linh
Nguyen My Linh
Class: 1KT-22ACN Student Number: 2204010052
2204010048
Lecturer: Le Thuy Dung
Name of research papaper: Unintended pregnancy among youth: causes,
effects and treatments
Declaration
I declare that the work attched is entirely my own, and that I gave due
acknowledgement as required by the English for Specific Puspose
Department, Hanoi University.
I understand that the work submitted may be reproduced and/or communicated for the
purposes of detecting plagiarism.
Signed : Linh,Linh Date:
March 8,2023

Plagiarism
By signing the declaration, you are stating that you have not plagiarised.
Use the following as a checklist.
 This work is entired my own
 I have not copied another student’s work
 I have not copied of used in any way material from a text, journal, website or other
published source without acknowledgement (including non- English sources)
 I have cited and referenced fully and correctly as required by the English for
Specific Puspose Department where applicable.
 I have not reworded material from another source and presented it as my own
 I have not used this work in a previous class (self- plagiarism)
 HANOI UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE DEPARTMENT
----------o0o----------

Unintended pregnancy among

youth: causes, effects and
treatments

Teacher: Le Thuy Dung

Students: Ta Phuong Linh
Nguyen My Linh
Class: 1KT-22ACN
Course: Research Writing
Date: March 8, 2023
 ABSTRACT
Unwanted pregnancy is a very common condition in modern life. Although this
situation happens often in life, people's awareness of this issue is still very poor,
mostly young women. Based on various studies, this article explores the causes of
unwanted pregnancy to come up with a reasonable solution. In which, there are
three main contents mentioned in the article including causes, effects and finally
solutions to overcome unwanted pregnancy in young women. The article has
shown that unwanted pregnancy is the result of both subjective and objective
causes. Therefore, several methods are proposed in the paper in the hope of
reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in young women.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................
1. Introduction..................................................................................................
2. Discussion of findings...................................................................................
2.1. Causes of unintended pregnancy in young women.....................
2.2. Consequences of unwanted gravidity...........................................
2.3. Treatments to reduce unintended pregnancies............................
3. Conclusion ....................................................................................................
REFERENCES..................................................................................................
1. Introduction
An unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is either unwanted, such as the pregnancy occurred when no
children or no more children were desired (CDC, 2021). According to the WHO research, approximately
210 million pregnancies occur each year and over 60 percent of them is unintended pregnancies (NIH,
2015). It can be seen that the problem of unwanted pregnancy is increasingly alarming when unplanned
pregnancy mainly occurs in adolescents who lack of knowledge about sex education and the method to
prevent pregnancy. Child marriage and sexual abuse of children, causing them to become pregnant, are
also reasons for the high rate of abortion. Adolescent pregnancy is a global phenomenon with impacts on
health, society, and the economy. To address the issue of adolescent mistimed pregnancy more effectively,
the WHO and governments have developed programs and policies to raise awareness among adolescents
and reduce abuse and unintended pregnancy. This study aims to analyze teenage unwanted parenthood
rates, including causes, consequences, and solutions, and provide useful tips to help reduce teen
unintended pregnancy rates.
2. Discussion of findings
2.1 . Causes of unintended pregnancies in young women
Every year, an estimated 21 million girls aged 15–19 in developing regions become pregnant, and more
than half of them are unplanned pregnancies (Sully EA, Biddlecom A, Daroch J, Riley T, Ashford L,
Lince-Deroche N et al..,2018). Not only that, statistics from the Vietnam Family Planning Association
show that, on average, each year the country has about 300,000 abortions at the age of 15–19, of which
60–70% are students (Hai Yen, 2023). There are many factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy and
birth. The first factor that causes an unplanned pregnancy is child marriage. By 2021, the number of
children in the world getting into early marriage will be 650 million (WHO,2022). In some countries
around the world, children are forced into early marriage and pregnancy. That will increase the possibility
of an unwanted pregnancy because these girls are forced to marry too early while not having enough
awareness about delaying childbearing and safe sex.

Additionally, the second and important cause is the lack of knowledge about sex education. Young people
may not receive careful sex education and lack knowledge about safe contraceptive use and how to obtain
and correctly use them. Furthermore, contraceptives are not easily accessible to adolescents in many
places because of laws and policies that restrict the provision of contraceptives based on age or marital
status. That is a barrier that prevents teenagers from accessing and using safe contraception. In addition,
children face the avoidance and stigma of people when they try to ask about pregnancy prevention
methods. And the recent case of an 11-year-old girlfriend in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam, who became
pregnant and gave birth while still at school is a typical example (Lao Dong news, 2023). It is a testament
 to the lack of knowledge about sex and preventing unwanted pregnancy among young people, as well as
the lack of attention from families and schools.

The third and very significant cause of unwanted pregnancy is sexual assault and sexual abuse. A WHO
report dated 2020 estimates that 120 million girls under the age of 20 have experienced some form of
forced sexual contact (WHO,2022). This abuse can happen to both boys and girls. It is caused by
children's limited awareness of various forms of sexual abuse, their curiosity about gender, and their lack
of skills to prevent and report abusers.

In addition, sex education and propaganda have not received due attention. The article "Action to End
Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation" by UNICEF suggests that at least 1 in 8 of the world’s children had
been sexually abused before reaching the age of 18, and 1 in 20 girls aged 15–19 years had experienced
forced sex during their lifetime (UNICEF, 2020). As well as a report by WHO: Violence Against Women
Prevalence Estimates (2018) pointed out that teenagers aged 15-19 years (24%) are projected to have
experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner at least once in their lives, and 16% of
adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 have experienced this abuse in the last 12 months
(WHO,2022).

2.2 Consequences of unwanted gravidities

Although the issue of unwanted pregnancies is quite common in today’s life, it can have many effects on
young women in terms on both physical and mental health.

In the first place, unplanned pregnancy is associated with a number of demerits to young women’s
physical health. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), the rate of injury
and death due to unsafe abortion because of unintended pregnancy in adolescent girls and young women
is high. The research of WHO also showed that the number of unsafe abortions among adolescents aged
15 to 19 years estimated in developing countries was about 3 million, stillbirths and neonatal deaths
account for more than 50% of births to mother under 20 years of age compared to mothers aged 20 to 29.
As a result, abortion in young women may cause some abortion risks such as pelvic infection, incomplete
abortion, blood clots in the uterus, heavy bleeding, etc. (cited in Louisiana).
Grounded on 2019 data, 55% of unintended gravidities among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years end in
abortions, which are often unsafe in LMICs (Sully EA, Biddlecom A, Daroch J, Riley T, Ashford L,
Lince-Deroche N et al., 2019). Moreover, adolescent mothers (aged 10-19 years) face higher risk of
eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20 to 24 years, and babies of
adolescent mother face higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and severe neonatal condition
(cited in WHO). According to obstetrician and gynecologist Nguyen Thi Phuong Loan of Hanoi
 International Clinic, all of these conditions are potentially fatal in pregnant women if did not give first aid
in time.
Furthermore, because of psychological apprehension, many women choose to buy abortion pills to drink
at home or apply oral folk remedies to get the pregnancy out and this practice is more life-threatening
than an out-of-hospital abortion (cited in Ministry of Health). Mayo Clinic lists the following as potential
threats for medical abortion:
 Incomplete abortion
 An ongoing pregnancy if the process doesn’t work
 Heavy and prolonged bleeding
 Infection
 Fever
 Digestive system discomfort
On the other hand, unintended pregnancy could affect young women’s mental health. Ministry of Health
reported that teen pregnancy deprives children of their potential, shortens their educational opportunities,
loses or limits their choices in life, or makes other young mothers and the communities in which they live
are stricken with poverty. Dr. Duong Kim Ngan, Head of the Department of Reproductive Health Care,
Obstetrics and Pediatrics hospital, said: “Pregnant girls and giving birth at teenage years carry a huge
burden of profitable and social costs through immediate and long-term consequences on parents and their
children, and these are the causes of depression postpartum that lead to unlucky actions similar as suicide,
abandonment of children after birth” (Le Kim,2023).
2.3.Treatments to reduce unintended pregnancies

The treatments that help prevent unwanted pregnancy could aid young women be more proactive in
protecting their health and loving themselves better by participating in sex education classes and banning
child marriage.

First of all, a common treatment for this subject is participating in sex education classes. According to
Doctor Nguyen Ba My Nhi, Director of Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tam Anh General
Hospital, “It’s time to teach teenagers how to eggs and sperm, before many parents thought that their
child was only 12 to 13 years old is too young for sex education, but in fact the numbers in the report
show that children need sex education earlier”. There are some safe methods of contraception: use
condom, use birth control pills, IUD, contraceptive implant, calculate the day of ovulation according to
the cycle, permanent sterilization by vasectomy or ovarian ligation, etc. (cited in Tam Anh hospital). For
now these solutions have been tested and are very useful for sex life.
 Another method to limit unwanted pregnancy is to reduce the rate of child marriage. Around the world,
while a few boys are married under the age of 18, most girls are victims of child marriage, often against
their will (UNICEF,2018). Therefore, ending child marriage is essential to empowering children to be
happy. We need the cooperation and contribution of everyone, especially governments and organizations
around the world, to promote education among young people while giving them control over their future
lives. In addition, the government should establish hotlines for counseling and direct support services for
young people at risk of child marriage, especially girls. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the
legal system to protect the rights of minors.

3. Conclusion

This research aims to demonstrate some of the facts about unintended pregnancy among young teenagers.
This problem occurs due to the ignorance of young people and the lack of attention and education in the
family and school, as well as the fact that child marriages are still taking place in some places. To decline
the number of unplanned pregnancy case, it is very necessary for schools and governments to change sex
education methods and limit sexual abuse among children. For individuals, they should learn how to
protect themselves. Obviously, those measures will take time and a lot of efforts from the society;
however, it would bring a better life and future for the youth.
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