Raphael Cruz D.

Alfonzo, PhD, RGC, RP

Guidance Supervisor, Higher Education Unit (HEU)
Guidance and Counseling Office – USTP CDO
When discussing teenage pregnancy, we are addressing a significant global issue . If we based it on the
Data of the World Health Organization in 2019, 21 million pregnancies occurred annually among 15 to
19-year-olds in different countries to include our country of course , with half of them being
unintended, resulting in approximately 12 million births. These are not just numbers; they represent the
dreams, fears, and futures of young individuals. Heartbreakingly, 55% of unintended pregnancies in
adolescent girls aged 15–19 led to unsafe abortions, especially in countries with limited resources.
Imagine the anxiety and vulnerability these young girls must feel in such circumstances. It underscores
the critical importance of providing accessible and safe reproductive healthcare services to protect the
well-being of these adolescents. Imagine those brave young souls who are already in the parenting
stage at such a young age as a 10 - 19 year old mother.