TEENAGE

PREGNANCY

( Article Critique )

Submitted by :

Panotes, Albert

Mercurio, Leilani

Relado, Erika Lyn

Ealdama, Hannah

Espejo, Anyway
Teenage pregnancy became a prevalent social problem because of extreme poverty, lack of social

education, and the ignorance about sexuality and reproduction both by parents, teachers, and

adolescents.

Teen pregnancy is a social problem in developing and some countries that has not been

resolved. Adolescent fertility is now the most accurate indicator of development in bio

demography and health. In developing countries, which are expected to follow developed countries

' sexual behavior patterns without offering education and services to adolescents, the consequences

will be adolescent fertility and an increase in STI prevalence.

The lack of education about sexuality and reproduction both in parents, teachers &

adolescents are some of the reasons that leads to unwanted pregnancies. Extreme poverty and the

existence of a young mother's son or daughter are risk factors for repeating the early pregnancy

model.

The application of predictive risk criteria in pregnant adolescents to facilitate the rational

use of health services to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality and the social factors associated

with pregnancy in adolescents. By the information provided by UNFPA, datas have showed the

top 10 countries with high level of fecundity with ages 15-19 years old.

Fecundity in adolescents reflects the onset of unprotected sex in adolescents. The

knowledge of these behaviors, their associated factors and changes in time will therefore contribute

to the understanding of this behavior and, consequently, to the search for alternative interventions

based on education and the protection of young people. In conclusion, based on concrete evidence,

Some measures are proposed which may reduce adverse effects on adolescent mothers, fathers and

their children.
 CRITIQUE

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO TEENAGE PREGNANCY (DEVELOPMMENT OF A

TEENAGER)

The rate of girls who becomes pregnant before 18 each year are about in 7.3 million while girls

who are aged 15 or younger who gives birth each year are in 2.5 million. The second highest

cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 are pregnancy and childbirth complications. It is

unintended for half the half of pregnancies among girls aged 15-19 who lives in developing

regions. Every year, 3 million girls undergo unsafe abortions (Plan international, 2019). The

victim which is teenagers particularly females are not the only one that is involved to this crisis.

In fact, there are several factors that influenced the behaviors of teenagers in resulting to the

consequences of their decisions, plans and future. Poverty and the lack of sex education is one of

the major factors that influenced teenage pregnancy. That crisis does affect teenagers but not

necessarily to their emotional and intellectual behavior. Let’s focus on how individuals in

today’s generation are being raised and how they live their lives.

FAMILY INFLUENCES

According to researches, family has a major influence to a child’s development, particularly on

intellectual and emotional behavior. It is indicated in The Family Pediatrics Report (2003) that

regardless of their education, composition, income, or values, families are the most central and

enduring influence in children’s lives (introduction section, para.1). Generally, family is the first

group that an individual encounter with affinity and social belonging. Upon psychological

foundations of early family experiences, the ability to handle life’s issues and demands are based
 on it. A family contains the presence of 2-parent household has a lot of positive impact to

academic performance, behavior, and skills of a teenager.

TEEN PROSTITUTION

Prostitution is practice by both male and female engaging in sexual activities in exchange for

money, material objects and commonly to experience the pleasures of sex. It is one of the

professions that can easily make money that can fill the needs of an individual. Which in today’s

generation, the crisis for poverty has been increasing, extreme poverty among families remains

steady at 1.6 million in the year of 2012 in Philippines only, what more to the rate of poverty in

other country ( Philippine Statistics Authority , 2017). Families experiencing financial problem

may affect their children on how to cope with their crisis. According to recent research 2019

Havocscope, LLC the lower the age of females the higher the prices, about $100 for sex with

child in Malaysia where in $25 for sex with 12-15 year old girl in Kenya. That’s why teens are

highly involved to this epidemical issue. In result of extreme poverty not only in the Philippines ,

prostitution has been increasing and about 300,000 teens are victims of prostitution and only

about 2,200 children's have been rescued (Chavarria, 2013).

SCHOOL

The second place where we feel we’re at home. Where we grew and became professionals. But

as society became more advanced and influenced a lot, the expansion of modernization, the

traditional society lessens. Even school works became more advanced and stressful because of

too much homework. According to Emile Durkheim because of a heavy workload for students it

lessens their time to nurture and interact with their families. This has a negative impact to their
well-being. And because of this . Another study published last month by the Children’s Society,

of 53,000 teens in 15 countries feel worse about going to school every day than their peers, with

bullying and anxiety about body image prime concerns. And while some stress is actually

beneficial, too much stress can wear you down and make you sick, both mentally and physically

(2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC). It can effect on how to make decisions weather the consequences is

good or bad, on how to cope to the stress. Just to get out of the frustration. Teenage is the age of

fantasy, that’s why teens should be cared and love because they are not careful.

TEENAGE RELATIONSHIP

Today’s generation, being in a relationship makes an individual feel important, understood and

secure. When not in a relationship some might feel they’re not belong or different, but some

teens really want for attention that probably they do not feel in home. However, to some other

teens being in a romantic relationship is the modern way of lifestyle. Having a life partner is a

psychological need, but it is a must to wait for the right time for it to be perfect. And having a

relationship at the young age might confuse the differences between lust and love. The US-based

National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), involving a representative

sample of thousands of school children in Grades 7 to 12, found that over 80 percent of those

aged 14 years and older were or had been in a romantic relationship (Carver 2003; Grieger

2014). Despite the period of time of the relationship of teenagers today, the percentage of having

a partner at a young age increases every year. When in fact , study is what students need to

prioritize.

ADOLESCENTS
The developmental transition between childhood and adulthood is adolescence. It is stated that it

was to delay young people from going into the workforce, due to the scarcity of jobs is the real

reason there is the developmental period of adolescence (Rosalyn King, 2004). According to G.

Stanly Hall ,this period to begin at puberty at about 12 or 13 years, and end late, between 22

years to 25 years of age. A period of Sturm und Drang,"storm and stress” is where Hall also

decribed adolescence. Where in general, Teen’s parents are being strict or over-protective

because teens start to develop their own identity and make their opinions known, often resulting

in conflicts with parents. Adolescent is the period where teens explore more than to learn. Prior

to adolescents, teens are generally not considered cognitively matured enough to make

responsible choices. A few years, they are faced with critical decisions. That’s why curiosities

are always present to things that aren’t related to them.

CONCLUSION

The factors that influences teenage pregnancy are the lack of having a 2 parent family, crisis of

teen prostitution, effects of school, disadvantages of teen relationship and the process of

maturation or adolescents. If the teen can’t feel the love that they need at home, they will find it

outside. This will negatively damage and affect teen’s life. Because of adolescents, teens become

more emotional and curious about everything. They are at the age where they needed more their

family. That’s why there is an increasing rate of stress in schools, teen prostitution and teen

relationships that might lead to teenage pregnancy. Teens with one parent raising them are

evidently has a low academic performance. Stressing themselves for insecurities, expectations or

even without expectation, too much homework isolates them especially without the stable, well-

functioning and support getting from parents. Teens are finding possible things to cope with their
 problems. Since stress is everywhere, they will prioritize love rather than studies. They are

pressured, lonely and at the same time felt angry . Knowing that this time they are at the stage of

rebellion. While on this stage, teens may find the love to the wrong person , in the wrong place

at the wrong time . Because their parents cannot sustain them both financially and emotionally,

they will hunt for it and to influence on the wrong person. They will try prostitution to survive on

their own, that might involve them to early parent-hood and possibilities of doing abortion.

Generally, They can find love to opposite sex. Because of the lack of secured from their parents,

lack of sex education, lack of development of cognitive skills, immaturity and curiosity. Both of

them in the relationship have freedom to do anything without thinking what might be the

consequences of their decisions, leading teenage childbearing. Let’s set in mind that every teen is

possible to be a victim of teenage pregnancy. Every year, every crisis is born and increasing.

This generation needs a little more polish. Nurture, love and care for the development of every

teens in this generation that will be the future ones that will help for every human rights and

hold the power of economic change.

The benefit of this article critique to the audience is for them to be aware and inform themselves

about the main essence of being knowledgeable enough to teenage pregnancy. This is not just

only to give them a lot of informations and provide learnings for them but simply it is a wake up

call for them to be aware what is happening around their society and being sensitive to the things

the matters most. In simple words, this article critique is like a jewelry that all of them should

lend a hand and must be treasured. Because in the end, it is having a sound mind and a sensible

heart that truly matters for them to acquire a peaceful and purposeful society.