Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND IT’S SETTING

INTRODUCTION

Many teenagers in this day and age are mothers, it has

been the foundation of many of our scientific and

technological discoveries especially now in this pandemic.

Teenage births result in health consequences; children are

more likely to be born preterm, have lower birth weight, and

higher neonatal mortality. However, the mother experiences

greater rates of postpartum depression and is less likely to

initiate breastfeeding. Teenage mothers are less likely to

complete high school, they start to work at a young age but

due to this pandemic the financial support to their baby

becomes smaller. Experience emotional pain judging by the

other people and physical pain to take care of the child at

the same time is working. Since the teenage mothers are

experiencing difficulty in life and most of them are in

poverty and sometimes their parents did not support and most

of the people in the world did not know what family planning

is. According to the studies World Health Statistics 2014,

1
the average global birth rate among 15–19 years old is 49

per

1000 girls, whereas country rates range from 1 to 299

births per 1000 girls. In the year of 1939 studies

discovered the youngest mother worldwide founded in Peru, a

five years old girl who was already a mother. Today teenage

mothers are a worldwide phenomenon. About 11% of all births

worldwide are still girls aged 15–19 years old. Every year

in developing regions become pregnant and become a mother.

However, the challenges of this worldwide is lack of

knowledge of being a motherhood and poverty in the countries

especially now due to this pandemic.

Nevertheless, in the Philippines has recorded a 7%

increase in births among girls 15 and above becoming a

mother. The way they treated by the other people when they

got a wrong decision the potential causal factors include

environmental variables (e.g., Filipino is the most toxic

and judger in the world) the way of their thinking

personality variables (e.g., self-doubt and stressed) on how

they survive the everyday living. Importantly, it has many

challenges and problems affecting the teenage mothers for

2
example to be jobless and lack of money to support their

child.

In addition, the Senior High School students are more

active becoming a mother early. The reason why they do that

is because of their bad influence friends who are tolerating

them to push and curiosity of things that the teenagers

cannot do. The main problem of that is how they manage their

time even at home and challenges of their thinking of how

they can get the bright

future. It is hard to take good care of a child especially

nowadays, facing the Covid-19 pandemics and mostly if the

teens are not allowed to go outside their house.

Furthermore, in this light the researchers decided

to conduct this study in particular because by knowing this

it will widen the knowledge and prevent it from happening to

the other teenagers, to be

informed and to be open minded

about this

topic.

Conceptual
Teenage Framework
Mother

3
 Challenges Problems
Lack of Job
Lack of Knowledge
of being a mother Financial Problems
Self-Esteem / Emotional Problem:
Confidence
Anxiety and Depression
Physical &
Psychological
Pandemic
Reason why the
problems and challenges
become harder.
The circle

represents the main topic of this research and it will be

the main receiver which is the Teenage Mother. The triangle

is the reason why they experience this kind of harder

journey in life, while the last two boxes refer to the

specific experience that the teenage mother encountered. In

challenges such as Lack of knowledge of being a mother,

Self- esteem/confidence, physical and psychological, while

in problems are lack of job, financial problems, emotional

problems such as anxiety and depression. As this conceptual

framework this concept is connected by each other, it is

started to the circle which refers to the head, followed by

the triangle or the body connects with the two boxes. The

connection turns like a teen that the main problem is the

pandemic and they carry the challenges and problems.

4
Research Paradigm

•Profile of the teenage mothers

•The selected respondents of
teenage mothers.
What are some struggles that
INPUT teenage mother faces.

Analysis of our interview we conduct:

•Improvements of skills being a teenage
mother.

PROCESS •Teenage parents face similar ups and

downs to older parents.

•Parenting as a teenager can have special

challenges, including handling people’s
judgmental attitudes and finishing your
education.
OUTPUT •With the right planning and support,
teenage parents can overcome challenges
and help their children thrive.

5
Statement of the Problem

The phenomenological study is being conducted to

determine the challenges and problems encountered by the

teenage mothers during pandemics for 2021-2022.

Specially, the study aimed to provide and answers to

following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents be

described in terms of:

1.1 Age when they got pregnant;

1.2 Age at present?

2. What are the challenges and problems that they

encountered in terms of?

2.1 Academic performance;

2.2 Emotional/psychological Health;

2.3 Family/Friends?

3. How did the respondents overcome the aftermath of being

a teenage mother?

Significance of the Study

This study focused on Teenage Mothers who are

encountered Challenges and Problems during this Pandemic.

6
Results of the study would beneficial to the study

following.

7
Teenage Mothers Those who are experiencing the topic and

could use the findings of the study.

Parents Those who are involve to the teenage mothers who are

guiding and supporting them.

Self Supports In everyday life we need to motivate ourselves

to get up from the past and started to rise.

Partners Support to raise and take a good care of their

child.

Researchers Those who are involve in conducting the study

shall know and learn the study importance of understanding

the research.

Future Researchers Those who will be involved in conducting

research will increase their samples that will make their

research more valid.

Scope Delimitation

The focus of this research work is to determine the

study of Challenges and Problems by the Teenage Mothers

During this Pandemic in the district of Gapan City Year

2021-2022. In order to obtain the results, contribute to

study on the extent of the challenges and problems which are

family, peers, community, and mental health. The perceptions

of the teenager to the challenges and problems of

8
being teenage mother limited to educational development

during this pandemic.

Furthermore, this study will be limited to the

respondent experiences of the challenges and problems and it

is connected during the pandemic. Likewise, significant

differences with respect to the different factors in terms

of their profiles shall be not determine of their own

privacy.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined for smooth progress of

understanding and clarity of the major concepts used in the

study.

Teenage Mothers. This refers to the teenagers who are

already a mother at the young age.

Challenges- Trials of being a teenage mother especially now

there are Pandemic.

Problems- Difficulty to a life that they chose and to be

jobless due to this time.

Mental Health Problems- When the person is having a hard

time on what or how they feel and cannot easily to resolve

it.

9
Pandemic- According to the research “An epidemic occurring

worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international

boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people”.

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Related Literature

Introductory Paragraph

This section presents the different challenges and

problems of being a teenage motherhood, including the ideas

percepts, and concepts from different authors that are

relevant to this study.

This kind of problem presents interrelated ideas for

understanding the problems and challenges that they are

facing. These include brief descriptions of their lives

during this kind of situation, how they solve problems and

how they pursue their lives even regardless of the

challenges and need to be more responsible as a teenage

mother.

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 The problems and challenges encountered by the early

motherhood during this pandemic need to be studied and to

pay attention. The interaction between in their experience

that can contribute in this society to propagate the wrong

decisions of the youth.

Foreign Literature

The birth rates of teenage girls remained unchanged

across the two cohorts, however the reported rates of

teenage fatherhood increased. The proportions of both

unmarried teenage fathers and mothers increased between the

two cohorts. Teen fathers and mothers came increasingly from

single-mother families with disadvantaged backgrounds. The

proportion of teen mothers or fathers living with partners

has not changed, but there has been a major shift from

marriage to non-marital cohabitation. The education and

earnings of the 1997 cohort of teen parents showed some

progress relative to the earlier teen parent cohort, but no

progress relative to peers who were not teen parents.

Many of teenagers now are very impulsive when it comes

to love, having their decisions unappropriated and

11
impulsive. In other words, the teenage chose their heart

over their mind when it comes to decision-making.

According to Fancy, “2012” a truncated education has

negative repercussions on the future of young-mothers, in

terms of employment opportunities and their general well-

being. It is also argued that allowing pregnant teenagers to

remain in school and return after giving birth is considered

significant in delaying a second birth. Negative educational

outcomes lead inevitably to negative economic impacts for

the young-mothers, their children and society as a whole

United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA], (2013c). The

attainment of Universal Basic Education [UBE] is one of the

MDGs as mentioned earlier. Kenya is one of the 189 countries

which in the year 2000 committed themselves to the

attainment of the MDGs by 2015 (Wesyanyu, 2008). To this

end, Kenya has made great strides especially in the field of

education. According to UNESCO (2012) report, Kenya’s school

enrolment from class one to class eight was approaching

100%.

Teenagers who are still pregnant can go to the school

after they give birth, the teenagers can continue their

study. In this society and new generations most of the

12
people are judger, therefore when the teenager is pregnant,

they are shy to show up in many people. In other words, the

teenager had no choice to stay at home and choose to not to

study in school.

In an article, it is stated that pregnancy and

childbirth constitute major personal, social, physiological,

and emotional events. Postpartum depression (PPD)

contributes considerably to the burden of disease among

women of childbearing age. The symptoms of PPD include

sluggishness, fatigue, sadness, hopelessness, helplessness,

and worthlessness. Apart from these symptoms, women often

have problems with sleeping, changes in appetite,

difficulties in concentrating, crying for no reason, lack of

interest in the baby, feeling very anxious about the baby,

feeling of being a bad mother, and loss of interest or

pleasure.

This is supported by the physical and psychological

effects of this pandemic, such as stress, anxiety, and

depression, are well documented. It is expected that

malnutrition due to food insecurity and poverty, child and

sexual abuse, violence against women, unwanted pregnancies,

especially in the teenage group, and emotional trauma may be

13
further aggravated by school closure and lockdowns. With

attention to the enormous impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

on the individual and society, the magnitude of this

disaster and its devastation needs critical attention

especially in the developing world.

Even under ordinary circumstances, adjusting to

parenthood is challenging for a new mother. Having

sufficient support is critical in such circumstances. When

mothers receive support from specific individuals during

stressful situations, they are more protected against PPD.

At the time of the quarantine, if depressed mothers are left

alone at home, these challenges are multiplied.

As a teenager their mind is not mature enough, they

think the decisions in their mind are always correct. In

this generation, most of the teenagers are exploring and

want to be trending. The wrong decisions they think are

right and it turns out it is the big responsibilities that

they will be encountering in their whole life and as a

teenager. The feelings that they encounter are not normal in

the reason why the teenager needs some support from their

love one’s. Due to this pandemic, most of the people are not

allowed to go outside the house, especially the teens and

14
seniors. The teenage mothers overthink where they can get

financial support for their baby and how is their life going

to be due to this pandemic.

Local Literature

According to the Teen pregnancy is ‘most

important problem of the women’s today “2021”, 59% of

Filipinos believed that early adolescent pregnancy was the

most important problem, landslide number compared to the

next most important problems: physical violence at 11% and

unexpected pregnancy

at 11%. Sexual and emotional violence each ranked 7% on the

list. Meanwhile, 4% thought that the most important issue

for women. In this country, they believe being a teenage

mother was the most important problem, the teenager cannot

go to school once they are got pregnant. Sometimes they do

not finish the studies, they work immediately have a

financial support to their child. According to the new data,

59% of Filipinos believed that early was that they cannot

access family planning information and services.

Both adolescence and motherhood are described as

maturational crises. Both crises are characterized by

internal disequilibrium and are associated with growth of

15
the individual. A moratorium exists for most adolescents,

however, during which time cognitive and emotional growth

facilitates the transition from childhood to adulthood.' A

pregnant adolescent is deprived

of the luxury of this moratorium and is more or less

catapulted into the adult role of mother.

Philippine News Agency “2021” PALO, Leyte – The

Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) regional

office here is stepping up its information drive to combat

the rising cases of teenage pregnancy in the region. The

population commissions

earlier sounded the alarm over reports showing that 7,000

teenage mothers in Eastern Visayas gave birth in 2019.

Elnora Pulma said “Even with community quarantines already

easing up, Covid-19 pandemic has already affected normalcy,

forcing couples including minor parents to spend more time

inside homes”.

In 2019 at least eight young mothers in Eastern Visayas

already gave birth at the age of 13, while those aging 19

years old in the same year provided the highest number of

teenage pregnancies at 3,009 cases. The Young Adult

16
Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFSS) showed an increase in

teenage fertility from 6.3 percent in 2002 to 13.6 percent

in 2013. While a more recent 2017 National Demographic and

Health Survey study revealed that the issue of adolescent

fertility is important for both health and social reasons as

children born to very young mothers are at increased risk of

sickness and death. The study showed that teenage mothers

are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes and

to be constrained in their ability to pursue educational

opportunities than young women who delay Childbearing. Over

a 10-year period, 1.2 million Filipina girls between the

ages of 10 and 19 have had a child or a rate of 24 babies

per hour.

Meanwhile, based on the gathered data of the Philippine

Statistics Authority, a total of 178,505 cases in the region

of 15-19-year-olds who gave birth in 2019. More than 15

percent of this total number of 15-19-year-olds were

repeated pregnancies. (PNA)

Related Studies

The purpose of the study was to know the experiences of

the teenage mothers during this pandemic in different

settings. Being early motherhood has been found to have an

17
adverse effect on self-confidence, education, and

responsibilities.

Foreign Studies

The Changing Face of Teenage Parenthood in the United

States: Evidence from NLYSY97 Pirog, Maureen A.; Jung,

Haeil; Lee, Daewoo Child (2018).

1. In this study, we provide an updated report on

differences in adult cohabitation rates during past decades,

examine the risk factors associated with becoming a teen

parent, and track teen parents' educational and labor market

outcomes until the

age of 29 to examine whether the outcomes associated with

become teen parents have changed in recent decades.

2. Select two nationally representative birth cohorts

in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) 1979 and

1997 (N = 9821). We use the difference-in-difference

approach to examine whether the positions of teen parents

have progressed or worsened across the two cohorts.

The birth rates to teenage girls remained unchanged

across the two cohorts, but the reported rates of teenage

fatherhood increased. The proportions of both unmarried

18
teenage fathers and mothers increased between the two

cohorts. Teen fathers and mothers came increasingly from

single-mother families with disadvantaged backgrounds. The

proportion of teen mothers or fathers living with partners

has not changed, but there has been a major shift from

marriage to non-marital cohabitation. The education and

earnings of the 1997 cohort of teen parents showed some

progress relative to the earlier teen parent cohort, but no

progress relative to peers who were not teen parents.

In 2017, a total of 194,377 babies were born to women

aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 18.8 per 1,000 women

in this age group. This is another record low for U.S. teens

and

a drop of 7% from 2016. Birth rates fell 10% for women aged

15–17 years and 6% for women aged 18–19 years. Although

reasons for the declines are not totally clear, evidence

suggests these declines are due to more teens abstaining

from sexual activity, and more teens who are sexually active

using birth control than in previous years. Still, the U.S.

teen pregnancy rate is substantially higher than in other

western industrialized nations, and racial/ethnic and

geographic disparities in teen birth rates persist.

19
 In 2018, the birth rate among 15- to 19-year-old girls

and women was less than half of what it had been in 2008

(41.5 births per 1,000). Asians and Pacific Islanders led

the way over this time, followed by Hispanics, with teen

birth rate declines of 74% and 65%, respectively. Rates for

white and black teens fell by more than 50% over the past

decade as well. Despite rapid declines in teen birth rates

across all major racial and ethnic groups, disparities

persist. In 2018, the birth rate for Hispanic and black

teens ages 15 to 19 was almost double the rate among white

teens and more than five times as high as the rate among

Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Local Studies

Castillo G. J., (2015) analyzed the Adult life

situations of women who experienced Teenage Childbearing

stated the following salient findings:

1. Regarding the “Teenage Childbearing”, the government and

concerned sectors were particularly alarmed with the latest

statistics on teenage childbearing in the country indicating

surge of more than 100 percent, from 6.3 percent in 2002 to

13.6 percent in 2013 (DRDF & UPPI, 2014).

20
2. In addition, regardless of region of residence, type of

place of residence, and birth cohort, women who experienced

teen childbearing were less likely to have gone beyond high

school but not necessarily more likely to be poor compared

to their older counterparts. Castillio G. J., Stated that

there are so many problems facing of teenage mother

including the following:

1. For women who juggle family and student responsibilities,

the lack of time is one of the major issues faced

2. Many student mothers use different coping strategies to

adjust to their situation.

3. Student mothers depend on time management to handle the

many different tasks of a student mother.

4. Teenage mothers are managing tasks to handle the things

needed to be done as both student and a mother as well as

emotional and physical support from both the partner and

parents of the student mother.

A study by Boutan (2012) shows the feeling of a student

mother in regards to lifestyle she said the Gale (her

participant) said she juggles multiple lifestyles as a full-

time student and a full-time mom. This does make her feel

disconnected from campus life. The student mothers’

21
situation being difficult they have adapted a coping

mechanism.

It was noted by Okeyo (2012), Their coping mechanisms

included: problem-focused, avoidance and emotion-focused

strategies and the support they received upon resuming

studies were spiritual and social support.

Relationship of the Present Study to the Literature and

Studies Revealed

The reviewed readings provided the researchers with the

necessary information to their study.

A study by Boutan (2012), Okeyo (2012), Castillo G. J.,

(2015), Pirog, Maureen A.; Jung, Haeil; Lee, Daewoo Child

(2018) Livingston, G. and Deja, T. (2018), YAFFS (2018)

are bridge to the present, since the presented and discussed

about the Problems and Challenges Encountered By Teenage

Mothers.

However, the present studies are slightly different due

to this pandemic, the teenage mothers are more experiencing

and encounter more problems, challenges, and hardship in

their life.

22
 This study can be very helpful to the readers,

specially to the teens and youth in the terms of the

information and ideas in this study.

Chapter III

Research Methodology

This chapter concentrates on the discussion of how this

study was undertaken of the research methods and procedures

adhered by the researcher in order to systematically answer

the specific problems posed for investigation. Specially,

the research design utilized, the research locale and the

respondents of the study, the choice of respondents as well

a sampling procedure. This also includes the research

23
instruments used, the data gathering procedures and the data

analysis.

Research Design

Descriptive Design is a type of research that describes

a population, situation, or phenomenon that is being

studied. Due to this research the purpose is to complete

this qualitative research study. The researchers aim to

discover how the teenage mothers encountered the challenges

and problems due to this pandemic. Through this study, the

researchers carefully viewed and analyzed the responses and

experiences of the chosen respondents.

The approach used in the study was the collections of

data from the teenage mothers which investigated the aspects

involved in life of a teenage mothers, especially due to

this pandemic they have lack of job and enough of money to

support their child. They also not have enough knowledge to

become a mother and not have enough experience of

motherhood.

The researchers investigated the challenges and problems

that the teenage mothers encountered during pandemic on how

hard they live even though they have so many trials in life

24
and having a big responsibility that the early motherhood

has been lifetime decision. Phenomenological study can

impart the valuable information about experiences, their

upcoming heavier trails in the presents or even the future

also. In other word this methodology is the best option

regarding this study.

Research Locale

Gapan City is a large municipality and is fourth class

city in the province of Nueva Ecija. They have twenty-three

barangays and one of those is Barangay Bayanihan where Juan

R. Liwag Memorial High School is located.

The research conducted in teenage mothers in Juan R.

Liwag Memorial High School. At the first name of the school

was Gapan Municipal High School from 1946-1952, the next is

Nueva Ecija South High School (NESHS) from 1952-1972, and

the new name of this school was name Juan R. Liwag Memorial

High School (JRLMHS) from 1972 and up to present. It is the

school that are very common in Gapan City, most of the

students are called JRLians. By name of a students in

JRLMHS. There are many sections in every grade for the

reason most of the students choose Juan R. Liwag pushes

their academics and it has many teachers that can handle all

25
of the students. Specially they do not need to think about

tuition fee. It is free and it is part of the government or

in other words a public school.

Most of all parents are not able to send their children

to a private school or in far schools like in Cabanatuan

City and Manila for education. Juan R. Liwag Memorial High

School (JRMLHS) is one of the biggest public secondary

school in the province of Gapan, Nueva Ecija. The service of

their education is 76th years long and many kinds of

educations are based on the specializations of the students.

Special Science Class (SSC), Special Program in Sports

(SPS), Special Program in Arts (SPA) and those who are not

in this kind of specializations are called regulars.

The school’s vision is that Juan R. Liwag Memorial High

School is a center of excellence and catalyst of change in

providing quality education for life-long learning and in

Molding Globally Competitive, Productive, Work-oriented and

God-loving Quality Graduates.

The school’s mission is that Juan R. Liwag Memorial

High School is committed to provide quality education by

nurturing the students in the attainment of knowledge,

skills and attitudes in a friendly learning environment and

26
with advanced technologies that develop life-long learning

skill by Dynamic and Competent Leaders and Supportive

Stakeholders.

Figure 2. Map of Gapan City

Population and Samples

The respondents of this study are limited to the 5

selected Senior High School Teenage Mothers of Juan R. Liwag

Memorial High School year 2021-2022. The senior high school

students were selected as the respondents of this study for

the reason, most of the teenage mothers is senior high

school students in this school year and they meet the

27
criteria of the study. The researchers strongly believe, the

questions about challenges and problems will be fulfilled.

The researchers chose the senior high school students

in Juan R. Liwag Memorial High School as they have many

students or young mothers that they started to get education

there. It is a transitional period from childhood to

adulthood characterized by significant physiological,

psychological and social changes. The period from puberty to

legal adulthood, there are approximately 1.2 billion

adolescents (10-90 years) globally, roughly 90 of whom live

in low and middle countries. The worlds youth data sheet

“2013”.

Sampling Procedures

Sampling was used as the sampling method for this

study. The sampling procedure was mainly concerned with

personal experience of teenage mothers that can be

complicated as they live with the specific. This technique

was a judgement or

purpose sampling, also called selective or subjective,

sampling, relies on the judgement of the research when

choosing who to ask to participate. Researchers may

28
implicitly thus choose a “representative” sample to suit

their needs, or specifically approach individuals with

certain characteristics. In general, the observation of the

teenage mothers with similar life experience.

There were 5 teenage mothers-respondents participating

in this study. They were asked privately for their consent

and due this study is meticulous it may need a full respect

for their privacy.

Data Gathering Procedure

At first the it was validated by the teacher in

Practical Research I. It was also stated the general problem

and specific problem to be answered through the results of

the study. In this study conducted, the researchers provided

a series of questions. Due to this pandemic through messages

in the social media via messenger approach was used to

interview the respondents. In a study by Gajaweera, N., and

Johnson, A. interviews are excellent tools to understand the

meaning and significance of the ways in which individuals,

in semi-structured interview used an interview guide with

concrete question and ideas that the researchers want to

learn from the interview.

29
Data Gathering Instruments

In this study the researchers used qualitative type of

research specifically the phenomenological approach and the

Senior High School teenage mothers share their life

experience about how they encountered the problem and

challenges during pandemic to get some information. The

following are the instruments that the researcher’s used:

• Interview Questions

This is the main instrument used in the study was

structed interview.

1. How old were you when you got pregnant?

2. How old are you today at present?

3. What are the challenges and problems that you had in

academic performance due to early pregnancy?

4. How does it affect you emotionally/psychologically?

5. Did you encounter problems with your family and family

due to the pregnancy? If yes, Why? If not, Why not?

6. How did you overcome these challenges and problems

brought about you early pregnancy?

30
• Message/Video Call

Due to this pandemic the platform of the school is

online and modular. Because the students are still minor and

the teacher in Research is concerned, they do not allow the

researchers to have a face to face interview. The

researchers can interview the respondents through social

media or a message. In this study the researchers used video

call and message to interview the respondents, the image of

the respondents will be blur because this study is sensitive

and they need some privacy.

Validation of the Instruments

A letter of approval was made, prepared and given to the

office of the principal of the school and the other

personnel

concerned to give the researchers the permission to do the

research in their school. The researchers provide the

interview questions based on some experience of the teenage

mother challenges and problems that they encountered during

pandemic. The draft was presented to the adviser for comment

and suggestions. Through the research adviser’s, the

researchers were able to revise, edit the interview

31
questions and the adviser’s approval. After this, the said

interview questions are administered to the 5 respondents of

a Senior High teenage mother.

Chapter IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

32
 The researchers present the encapsulate data gathered

and information which had been meticulously, effectively,

and firmly organized.

A total of five (5) teenage mothers responded to this

research study and interviewed about their comprehension and

experience towards challenges and problems that they had

been facing during pandemic. As how they handle this kind of

situation at a young age of being a motherhood. This

interview has recorded and translated the answers but due to

this study is sensitive and personal, the researchers’

protected the privacy of the respondents. 

1. Profile of the respondents

In this part of the study was basic information of a

respondents' teenage mother who encountered the problems and

challenges during the pandemic.

1.1 AGE WHEN THEY GOT PREGNANT

In table 1 presents the distribution of the respondents

according to age when they got pregnan

Table 1

33
 Distribution of the Respondents According to Age when they

Got Pregnant

Age Frequency Percentage

15 years old 1 20%

16 years old 4 80%

Total 5 50%

A total of five teenage mother students of Juan R.

Liwag Memorial High School was responded to and interviewed

to this study in S.Y. 2021-2022.

In this table shows the age of a teenager when they got

pregnant. As a result of the findings 20% of teenagers got

pregnant at the age of 15, while 80% of teenagers got

pregnant at the age of 16 years-old.

1.2 AGE AT PRESENT

In table 2 presents the distribution of the respondents

according to the age at present.

Table 2

34
Distribution of the Respondents According to Age at Present

Age Frequency Percentage

17-18 years old 4 80%

19 years old 1 20%

Total 5 100%

The result reveals that 80% of teenagers are mothers at

the age of 17-18 years-old, while 20% of a teenager at the

age of 19 years-old.

As can be concluded from the results, students in the

age of 17-19 years old are not enough to be called a mature

mother as the reason why they need some support from their

loved one’s especially to the parents but due to their

experiences as a teenage mother they need to be strong

enough for the child.

2. Problems and Challenges Encountered By Teenage Mothers

During Pandemic

The respondents specified that they’ll have a variety

of problems and challenges encountered since they got

35
pregnant until to this day of being a teenage mother. During

this pandemic, the respondents are having a hard time in the

terms of their academic performance; emotional psychological

health; family and health.

2.1 Academic Performance

In table 3 presents the problems and challenges

encountered by the teenage mother in terms of academic

performance.

Table 3

Academic Performance Encountered by Teenage Mothers During

Pandemic

• Lack of Time
Academic Performance • Inability to Focus

• New Priorities

In this table explain the impacts of being an early

motherhood in their academic performance during this

36
pandemic, most of the teenage mothers prioritize their child

over academics. The teenage mother have lack of time,

inability to focus to study their lessons even though due to

pandemic the new normal type of education is modular or

online learning they have not much of time to pursue and

finish the lessons as fast as they can in the reason why at

the early age they have a big responsibilities to do first. 

2.2 Emotional and Psychological Health

In table 4 presents the problems and challenges

encountered by the teenage mothers in terms of Emotional and

Psychological Health.

Table 4

Emotional and Psychological Health that encountered by

Teenage Mother Encountered During Pandemic

Emotional and • Anxiety

Psychological Health • Depression

• Lower self-esteem
In the terms of Emotional and Psychological, the table

above revealed the impacts of being an early motherhood in

37
their health. As stated by Matei, A., and Ionescu, G.A.

(2020) Transition from childhood to adult life is known to

be an experience engaging infinite possibilities with

unpredictable outcomes. Adolescence or the time period

between 10 and 19 years of age represents the nucleus of

personal development from the primary inherited self toward

building a complex self-identity. The response of

individuals exposed to endless possibilities arising from

surrounding events and phenomena is what builds up one’s

character and nature. Because of the absence of experience

along with emotional immaturity—both contributing to a

circle of weaknesses—it is considered that teenagers embody

a vulnerable population. Investing in worldwide efforts

destined to assure good healthcare for this specific part of

the population is well justified.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on

public mental health. Therefore, monitoring and oversight of

the teenage mother mental health during crises such as a

pandemic is an immediate priority. The aim of this table is

to analyze the existing research works and findings in

relation to the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression

to the teenage motherhood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

38
 2.3 Family and Friends

In table 5 presents the problems and challenges

encountered by the teenage mother in terms of Family and

Friends.

Table 5

Family and Friends that encountered by Teenage Mother During

Pandemic

• Lack of Support
Family and Friends • Financial Problem

• Lack of true friends

In this table present the family and friends of a

teenage mother and explain what challenges and problems that

they have been encountered in the terms of Lack of Support;

Financial Problem and Lack of true friends. Most of the

teenage mothers did not have enough support from their own

family or the family of the partner, in this case the

financial problems enter into the problem and challenges by

the teenage mother. Most teenage mothers needed to receive

39
support because they were faced with new roles, increased

responsibilities, health problems, rising costs, and

knowledge deficit. Without adequate support they experienced

serious challenges in adapting to motherhood. This lack of

the support has created problems for the teen in the care

and upbringing of the child, child-related costs, continuing

education and community. It is more difficult to earn money

due to being forbidden to go out and this pandemic. In the

terms of Lack of true friends in the reason of having

children early, the number of friends has decreased.

3. How did the respondents overcome the aftermath of being

a teenage mother?

Table 5

How the Respondents Faced the Challenges and Problems

During Pandemic.

Most of the respondents told that they need to be

strong enough for their child, all of the pain physically

and emotionally. The teenage mother always thinks on the

bright side to overcome the problems and challenges each

day especially during this pandemic. They always pray to

GOD, to heal the pain inside their mind and heart.

Acceptance is the key to move freely and happily.

40
 • The Teenage Mother chose

to be strong not just for

Respondents Overcome the them but for their child.
Challenges and Problems • Always thinks on the
During Pandemic bright side.

• Always praying

• Acceptance is the key.

41
Interview Respondent Respondent Respondent Respondent Respondent
Questions 1 2 3 4 5

How old
were you
16-years- 16-years- 15-years- 16-years- 16-years-
when you
old old old old old
got
pregnant?

How old
were you
at 18-years- 18-years- 17-years- 18-years- 19-years-
old old old old old
present?

What are It is During this I have a Nothing much I stopped

inevitable time of hard time because I'm going to
the going to with my
that when pandemic, I school when
challenge school family. When I got
you got had a hard
s and pregnant at time when because when I got pregnant
problems at early pregnant, I
an early it comes to trimester of didn't go to
that you age is that my pregnancy, school
had you can't education there were because my
academic study because I symptoms and pregnancy is
properly had to take because of delicate so
performan
because care of my that I'm I'm studying
ce due to pregnancy child at always late here at
early affects the same therefor my home, I am
pregnancy your body time. grades are studying
low, I am using
? and because
going to modules and
of that
school I it's also
I've feel ashamed difficult
decided to and because because I
drop out of of that, I have a baby
school. didn't so I can't
finish the fully focus
4th grading on my study,
when I was just at
in grade 9 night.

42
 Of Since I Emotionally, It doesn't As for me,
How does course, have a actually really I was not
it's hard, affect me, I affected, I
it affect when you baby, I after I give just got
you didn’t
got am birth, I had used to it. think of
emotional pregnant, nervous a postpartum It's just
something
ly/psycho depression difficult at
you'll because then I had first that can
logically have babies to went to a because it's cause me
? symptoms are high psychologist hard to have stress,
many times, a baby and even though
like mood risk in
when you got take care of I got
swings, the pregnant at it while pregnant
being shy Covid-19 an early you're early that
all the age, what studying. did not
other people
time, says can
become a
overreact hindrance
trigger your
for me to
ing and emotions
and get stress,
also I felt
psychologica
depressio lly, I nothing.
n because became hot
of headed, I'm
course, annoyed with
everyone, I
everythin don't want
g that to face
happened people, I
don't want
is so to face
sudden. many, I
don't want
to face and
associate
with people
because I
get annoyed
when I am
with them.

Did you For sure Of course, Yes, I have Yes, and I didn’t
encounter all parents they get encountered I've fixed experience
problems would have mad at me problem with it alone any problems
with your a problem but I my mom and because when I was
dad, of before I was pregnant,
family and about it totally
course, that pregnant, there was no
family due but understand can't be there was problem
to the eventually their point stopped really a because me,

43
pregnancy? my parents because no because I'm problem and being a
If yes, accepted it one would young and when my mom young mom is
Why? If maybe feel happy the problem founded out our goal, I
not, Why because I'm if they with my that I was didn’t have
not? their knew that family is pregnant, any problems
because of they didn't because my
child, their child neglect, partner
pregnancy,
that's the is going to they forgive stood up for
we are not
reason why be a mother financially me and I us, he did
they say at a very stable, we continued my not forsake
that young age. are not studies. us, even
parents ready that Therefore, though I got
would never is why we I'm really pregnant
abandoned have so many blessed. early, as
their problems, long as you
child, problem with desired it,
money to buy planned it
aside from
important and you’re
that there sure of your
thing for my
are no future
baby, money
other to buy partner, no
problem, things for problem.
maybe at my
first but pregnancy,
that is there's so
just many
because problems
they are that we
shocked, faced, in my
this is the family, in
his family,
situation and were
and there's also having
nothing we a
can do misunderstan
about it. ding,
because we
are not
ready to
have a baby
yet, we
often fight
because the
father of my
baby is not
yet ready to
work, that
is one of

44
 our
problems,
financial
because our
income is
not yet
stable.

How did you Maybe I just need I overcome I solved I’ve

overcome that's what to be it by going that myself, overcome all
these they are strong for to the I have a the obstacle
challenges pointing my baby church, and family that in life
and then I've are nice and because of
out, on how
talk to my God, just my child and
problems to overcome the father
parents to pray always.
brought the fear solve our It's not of my child,
about you and what problem with easy but I together we
early other our family, was able to will face
pregnancy? people the best handle it. all trials,
would say, advice that I got
as an early I can give pregnant
mother you is to pray, with no
have to reading the problem, but
bible became because now
manage
a habit for that my
yourself, child is
me and also
to face all I overcome growing,
the things it by seeing there’s the
that they the positive financial
would say things, even problem,
but of though I it’s
course, gave birth stressing me
don't let at an early out
it get to age at least sometimes
you, think I have but instead
someone that of sulking,
of your
I can look we fight it,
child and I can say
after,
your besides it's that even
family, fun to have thou I got
that will a baby, I'm pregnant
make your looking at while i’m
life better the positive young, there
and be side, the was no
happy, and good side regrets
also your and trust because I
faith in God, pray, have a
when I'm responsible
God, hold
partner and

45
on to that. looking at a smart
the negative child, thank
side, I get you
depressed
that is why
I think I
overcome it
through
prayers,
through God,
I'm thinking
"I have to
be strong, I
need to give
my baby a
better
future"

46
 Chapter V
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, AND CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter presents the summary of findings,

conclusions and recommendations yielded by the comprehensive

study and through analysis of data.

Summary

The main purpose of this study was to determine and

describe the attitude of the selected senior high school

students of Juan R. Liwag Memorial High School in S.Y. 2021-

2022 towards the challenges and problems encountered by

teenage mother during pandemic. The descriptive

phenomenological method of research was employed in this

study.

Specifically, this research undertaking sought answers

to the following questions.

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents be

described in terms of:

1.1 Age when they got pregnant;

1.2 Age at present?

47
2. What are the challenges and problems that they

encountered in terms of?

2.1 Academic performance;

2.2 Emotional/psychological Health;

2.3 Family/Friends?

3. How did the respondents overcome the aftermath of being

a teenage mother?

Major Findings

The findings of the study are summarized as follows:

1. Profile of the respondents

This part demonstrates the basic information about

the respondents’ who encountered the challenges and

problems during pandemic.

1.1 Age when they got pregnant?

Four or 80% of the respondents belonged to

the age bracket of 16 years of age while one or

20% of the respondents is 15 years of age teenage

pregnancy.

1.2 Age at present?

Four or 80% of the respondents belonged to

the age bracket of 17-18 of age while one or 20%

48
 of the respondents is 19 years of age are teenage

mother.

2. What are the challenges and problems that they

encountered in terms of:

The respondents specified that they frequently

encountered a challenges and problems in terms of

Academic Performance, Emotional/psychological health

and family/hands. The teenage mothers are really

affected being involved in this kind of extreme

experience in their life.

2.1 Academic performance;

Most of the respondents, five or 100% of them are

experiencing a hard time in terms of academic

performance. Due to the early pregnancy they have

difficulty in learning and go to the school. Some of

the respondent delicate in pregnancy and chose to drop

out.

2.2 Emotional and Psychological Health;

Three or 60% of the respondents are affected

in terms of psychological and emotional problem

during their early pregnancy and motherhood such

as anxiety or depression. The respondents

49
 experiencing mood swings and over react, people

keep talking about their situation. While 2 or

40% of the are not much affecting in reason why

by having think positive.

2.3 Family and Friends

Four of the respondents claimed that the

factors of their encountered of problems and

challenges in terms of Family and friends. While

one of them is not.

3. Overcome Strategies of the Respondents towards the

Problems and Challenges During Early Pregnancy.

Respondents have specified how to they overcome

their problems and challenges. A total of five

respondents disclosed on what they encountered in terms

of their personal issues. The respondents, always think

positive just not for themselves but for the child.

They always need to be strong and not to give up, pull

out the negativities and support from their love ones.

Mostly they always pray and trust GOD to overcome all

of problems and challenges in the new chapter of their

lives and new responsibilities.

50
Conclusions

After a due investigation, sufficient amounts of

personal shares of the respondents, thorough analysis,

protecting their privacy and careful interpretation. The

researchers have arrived the following conclusions:

1. Teenage mothers-respondents their age is not enough

to be called maturity but in terms of what they have

encountered challenges and problems in life the

teenage mothers are still growing in

responsibilities. In this stage, they need to be

strong as a mother for their child.

2. The majority of findings revealed the problems and

challenges that the teenage mothers encountered in

terms of Academic Performance the respondents have

lack of time, inability to focus and new priorities;

in terms of emotional and psychological such as

anxiety, depression and lower self-esteem; in terms

of family and friends is about lack of support,

financial problems and lack of true friends.

3. Majority of the respondents admitted that having low

51
 grades and decreasing of self-esteem, depression,

anxiety, lack of support, lack of true friends and

financial problems are some of they encountered

during early pregnancy.

4. The respondents stated that thinking positively,

asking for the parents help and to be strong are

some of they needed in their daily life and

responsibilities.

Recommendation

In this study, the researchers hope to contribute to

any

further studies that will be conducted in the future.

On

basis of the findings and conclusions inferred, the

following recommendations are hereby suggested.

For School

1. The school should implement campaigns such as

Teenage pregnancy awareness and explains a guideline

about what are the challenges and problems of early

pregnancy or motherhood if they chose that

decisions.

52
 The school needs to provide a good and reliable

information to decrease the teenage pregnancy.

For Parents

1. Parents should continue to guide and monitoring

their children and must be the role

model. Parents need to be having extra careful

decisions by giving their children a trust when it

comes to having a boyfriend. By giving some advice

to the teenage daughter it will increase the wrong

decisions.

For Educational Specialists, School Boards and Owners

1. Educational program specialists, school boards and

owners should use the findings of this study conduct

further undertakings and pay some attention to this

study due to most of the people normalize the early

pregnancy of a teenager.

For Students

1. Students should know the limits of having a

boyfriend, it might need to protect ourselves first

before others. It must be careful of what the

decisions you have made.

53
For Educators

1. Educators are inclined to adopt and perform

strategies to push learners to realize the

situations of being an early mother, become a better

student in school and the dream they want to be in

the future will be fulfilled.

For the Future Researchers

1. Future researchers should have a study of the

experiences that the teenage mother encountered due

to having a big responsibility at an early age,

duration of its implementation must be considered

for the effectiveness and reliability of the methods

used.

54
Bibliography
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Exploring the Challenges of Adolescent Mothers from Their

Life Experiences in the Transition to Motherhood J Family

Reproductive Health. (2017) Sep;11(3): 165-173.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc /articles/PMC6045691/

Teenage pregnancy: the impact of maternal adolescent

childbearing and older sister's teenage pregnancy on a

younger sister Wall-Wieler, E., Roos, L.L. & Nickel, N.C.

Teenage pregnancy: the impact of maternal adolescent

childbearing and older sister's teenage pregnancy on a

younger sister. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 16, 120 (2016).

https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10

.1186/s12884-016-0911-2

Darroch J, Woog V, Bankole A, Ashford LS. Adding it up:

Costs and benefits of meeting the contraceptive needs of

adolescents. New York: Guttmacher Institute; (2016)

https://www.who.int/news-room/factsheets/detail/adolescent-

pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy And Disruptive Behavior of Kids in School.

Health and Home, Pregnant at 16, p.12-13 &22. Philippine

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teenage pregnancies, births, and abortions: National and

state trends and trends by race and ethnicity

https://thesisof.blogspot.com/2020/08/thesis-of-teenage-

pregnancy.html?m=1

Castillo G. J., (2015) annalyzed the Adult life situations

of women who experienced Teenage Childbearinh

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/236412741.pdf

ChelseyBoutan (2012). Student mothers: Joys, Hardships,

Misconceptions.

http://northernstar.info/campus/news/student-mothers-joys-

hardships-misconceptions/article_e1502dba-47c5-11e1-a057-

0019bb30f31a.html?mode=story

Kidwell, Christine & Professional Staff (2004). “Some facts

psychologists know about unplanned pregnancy”. Retrieved

March 6,

<www.psc.uc.edu/sh/SH Unplanned%20Pregnancy.htm>

Okeyo, LinnahApondi (2012). Schooling challenges and coping

mechanisms adapted by student-mothers in secondary schools

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in Nyando District, Kenya. From:

http://irlibrary.ku.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/123456789/3611/Li

nnah%20Apondi.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Salari, N., Hosseinian-Far, A., Jalali, R. et al. Prevalence

of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population

during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-

analysis. Global Health 16, 57 (2020).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00589-w

Review_of_Related_Literature_Teen_Relations

https://www.academia.edu/8381319/

https://www.scribd.com/document/59709198/Chapter-2

58
 APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

March 19, 2021

Dear Ma’am:

Greetings in the name of the lord!

59
We are presently conducting a research study entitled

“Phenomenological Study about the Challenges and Problems

Encountered by Teenage Mothers During Pandemic for the S.Y.

2021-2022”

This is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

Practical Research 1. The study primarily aims to know the

Challenges and Problems During Pandemic.

In line with this, we would like to ask you if you could be

one of our respondents to this study.

We shall appreciate very much any assistance that you could

extend to us as we endeavor to complete this research

undertaking. Your kind consideration and approval regarding

this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very

much! May God bless you!

Very Truly Yours,

Desiree Joy Gutierrez

Angelo Virgines

Allyson Caymo

Christopher Franco

Milsie Mendoza

Fernan Abbido

60
 Noted by:

Ms. Aizel Marie B. Castro

Research Adviser

Appendix B

The Instrument Used

Part I: The Problems and Challenges of Teenage Mother During

Pandemic of the selected Senior High School Students of Juan

R. Liwag Memorial High School.

Purpose: To determine how they overcome the challenges and

problems.

Direction: Please answer every question and feel free to

answer truthfully, frankly, and accurately. There are no

wrong answers. Just base your responses on your own personal

feelings or experiences. The information you will give will

be treated with the strictest confidence and privacy.

Questions for the Respondents

1. How old were you when you got pregnant?

2. How old are you today at present?

3. What are the challenges and problems that you had in

academic performance due to early pregnancy?

4. How does it affect you emotionally/psychologically?

61
5. Did you encounter problems with your family and family

due to the pregnancy? If yes, Why? If not, Why not?

6. How did you overcome these challenges and problems

brought about you early pregnancy?

APPENDIX C

Researchers gathering

pertinent data needed for the

study

by documenting the answers of the student-respondents.

62
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Desiree Joy T. Gutierrez

63
Address: San Nicolas, Gapan City

Age: 17 years old

Date of Birth: December 03, 2003

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: San Nicolas Central Sschool

San Nicolas, Gapan City, N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2018-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

CURRICULUM VITAE

64
Name: Angelo Virgines

Address: Holy Rosary Steet, Calaba,

San Isidro, N.E

Age: 16 years old

Date of Birth: June 10,2004

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: Calaba Elementary

School

Calaba, San Isidro, N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: Holy Rosary College Foundation

2019-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

CURRICULUM VITAE

65
Name: Allyson M. Caymo

Address: Rizal St., Sto. Cristo,

San Isidro, N.E.

Age: 16 years old

Date of Birth: July 30,2004

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: Sto. Cristo Elementary School

Sto Cristo, San Isidron N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: General de Jesus College

2019-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

CURRICULUM VITAE

66
Name: Christopher Franco Jr.

Address: Burgos St, Entablado,

Cabiao, N.E.

Age: 17 years old

Date of Birth: January 30,2004

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: Entablado Elementary School

Entablado, Cabiao, N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: Gregorio T. Crespo Memorial High

School

2019-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

CURRICULUM VITAE

67
Name: Milsie Mendoza

Address: Basangan Street, San Francisco,

San Antonio, N.E.

Age: 16 years old

Date of Birth: May 07,2004

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: San Francisco Elementary School

San Francisco, San Antonio, N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: San Francisco National High School

San Francisco, San Antonio, N.E.

2019-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

68
 CURRICULUM VITAE

Name: Fernan C. Abbido

Address: Sto Cristo San Antonio N.E.

Age: 16 years old

Date of Birth: October 17,2004

Religion: Roman Catholic

Educational Background:

Elementary Department: Sto Cristo

West Elementary School

Sto Cristo San Antonio N.E.

2015-2016

Junior High School: St.Paul School Of San Antonio

Poblacion, San Antonio, N.E.

2019-2020

Senior High School: General de Jesus College

Poblacion, San Isidro N.E.

2021-2022

69