AN INVESTIGATION ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE REPERCUSSION OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD AMONG TEENAGE MOTHERS

AN INVESTIGATION ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE REPERCUSSION OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD AMONG TEENAGE MOTHERS

Background of study

In Nigeria, a rising proportion of the country's adolescents are becoming new parents each year. Babies have been observed abandoned in public restrooms, bushes, even along roadways. The majority of the time, youngsters who are not married gave birth to these unwanted children and then discarded them. Because of their various sexual partners, some of these adolescent moms are unable to determine who the biological father of their children is; hence, they believe that the best course of action is to give up such children (Adejo, 2022).

Some young ladies have children because they are unable to accomplish certain objectives in their lives. For some young women, being a mother at a young age is not an accident but a deliberate choice. This is due to the fact that many young women believe that motherhood is their only viable choice in life. Because of this, the majority of the sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy prevention education that is being provided now is not successful in avoiding adolescent pregnancy. Concern has been expressed by members of the general population at the rapid pace at which there are more adolescent moms. The decision made by these young ladies to get pregnant at a young age has sparked discussion on political issues as well as investigation in the academic community.

Childbearing at a young age is linked to unfavorable consequences for the adolescent parents, the children they have, and for society as a whole. The great majority of pregnancies that occur in young adults are unplanned, meaning that the pregnancy was either not sought or it took place outside of a married relationship (Agbon, 2021). When compared to the birth rates in other states, such as Oyo and Edo, the rate of births to teenagers in Katsina is the highest. (Agbon, 2021). These young moms are forced to make a number of challenging choices. Those who have not yet tied the knot are faced with the difficult choice of whether or not to adopt the newborn kid once it is born. For those who are married, the choice about the method of birth is one that should be discussed with their partners; will they choose for a natural delivery, a caesarean section, or will they have an abortion? This specific notion may arise as a result of the pelvis not having fully developed. Other important choices need to be made, including those about education, job, household responsibilities, and how to best care for the newborn, amongst others. Because of the underdeveloped pelvic structure of many adolescent moms in Kano, the delivery of their babies is often hampered. Because of this, there was always a high risk of major maternal morbidity, such as Vessico Virginal Fistula (VVF), or even maternal death. In economies and communities that are built on kinship, the legal marriage age has historically been rather young. In these kinds of communities, the vast majority of young women tied the knot shortly after reaching menarche. As a result, the average number of children born to teenage moms was high. This was not seen as a potentially problematic circumstance. The adolescent mother has a strong support system in both her family and her neighborhood. Traditional birth attendants were responsible for providing timely and high-quality prenatal care as well as delivery (TBAs). Some adolescent girls in the states of Abia and Imo became pregnant for financial motives, and after giving birth, they sold the infants they had delivered. There have been cases of young women selling their children in exchange for a payment of ten thousand Nigerian naira (N10,000) The majority of secondary schools in Nigeria provide preventative programs that focus on encouraging abstinence; nevertheless, these programs do not diminish the rates of adolescent sexual activity, pregnancy, or motherhood. There is not much of an effect that can be seen from the implementation of school-based clinics, sexual education, and contraceptive service programs on the sexual activity of adolescents. Every state in Nigeria is seeing an increase in the number of teenage mothers. There are many teenage girls who feel as though they have nothing to work toward because they cannot envision themselves graduating from a tertiary school. This is because they have few role models to follow, their teachers offer them little encouragement about their abilities, their families are chaotic, and their friends are addicted to drugs. Therefore, being a parent seems to be the ideal choice for them. These young women mistakenly believe that infants are an instant source of unconditional affection (Anonymous , 2022).

The Nigerian society would be able to save money that would have been spent on the costs of supporting a young mother's children and grandchildren if effective measures were taken to avoid unexpected adolescent pregnancies that lead to teenage motherhood. It would also break the cycle that is related to the psychopathologies that are prevalent in our society, such as the abuse of drugs and alcohol, fetal alcohol syndrome, drug-induced birth defect, dropouts from school, crime, domestic violence, and poverty. This cycle exists because all teenagers who become mothers before they are ready continue to put the burden of the cost on the rest of society. This may be seen in the downtown areas of most cities when young people of that age beg for money. Others depend on the charitable contributions made by members of their local church or philanthropic organization (Anonymous , 2022). The problem of teenage pregnancy is made worse in the states of Abia, Imo, and Anambra by the involvement of some fathers and other advanced adults in the inducing of teenage girls to have children in order to supply baby factories. These states have the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the country. There is a correlation between adolescent pregnancy and a number of problems, including lower educational levels, a greater likelihood of poverty, and other outcomes that are less favorable for the children of young mothers. In the vast majority of poor nations, teenage pregnancy often occurs outside of wedlock. In many different societies, this is associated with a specific social stigma. Alcohol and other drugs that lower inhibitions may easily set off sexual urges and stimulate sexual behavior that the user did not plan to engage in. It has not been thoroughly established that the drugs themselves directly influence teenagers to indulge in risky behaviors, nor has it been determined whether or not it is true that teenagers who use drugs are more likely to engage in sexual activities. Neither of these questions has been satisfactorily answered. The idea that a correlation does not always suggest a causal relationship underpins this argument. Alcohol, ecstasy, cannabis, and amphetamines are the kind of substances that have the most convincing evidence that they are linked to adolescent pregnancies (Anonymous , 2022). The more developed nations of the world make it a priority to ensure that their children receive the very best possible formal education. This is done so that their children can develop the knowledge, attitude, and skills that will lead to an increase in productivity as well as technological advancement, as well as general economic growth and development. This process of formal education, which begins at a very young age of less than one, is completed when the individuals in question are in their teens. because the brain and all of the other capacities for learning have reached their maximum potential. A negative impact on any economy will result from the loss of these significant human resources due to unintended pregnancies and childbearing by adolescents.

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