Secondary school teachers' experiences related to learner teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school

Background: The incidence of learner teenage pregnancies can be reduced, provided that the major stakeholders, which include the Department of Education and the Department of Health, combine to address this issue. Despite the implementation of Life Orientation as a school subject, which focuses on sexual behaviour, health, decision-making, pregnancy risk, sexually transmitted infections and HIV and AIDS, the prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies at secondary schools remains alarmingly high.Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe teachers' experiences of learner teenage pregnancies in secondary schools in a province in South Africa.Setting: Secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.Method: A qualitative approach with exploratory, descriptive and contextual strategies was used in this research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers who had been selected through purposive sampling. Tesch's steps of systematic open coding were used to analyse all of the interviews.Results: The results that emerged during the data analysis indicate that firstly, teachers' experiences of having pregnant learners in their classrooms are negative as these learners are frequently absent from school, perform badly and drop out of school. Secondly, teachers' experiences related to unexpected deliveries are coloured by their lack of the necessary skills and competencies to deal and their resultant insecurity. Thirdly, the teachers feel that they do not receive the assistance they need to deal with teenage pregnancies as well as unexpected deliveries.Conclusions: Collaboration between and continuous support from the Department of Health and the Department of Education are crucial if teenage pregnancies at secondary schools are to be handled with greater success. Support from health care personnel should include guidance on contraception and health campaigns should target both the teachers and secondary school learners. Furthermore, coping strategies for the teachers should form part of the preservice curriculum of teachers

Teenage Pregnancy: A Product of Various Social and Health Factors.

A Context: The practice of child marriage in rural India is deeply rooted in cultural values. Despite laws that prohibit child marriage, the practice is still extremely prevalent in many regions. Most of adolescent fertility occurs within marriage. High adolescent fertility contributes to an elevated risk of maternal death and disability especially in adolescent girls Objectives: To find out prevalence of teenage pregnancy, its socio-demographic relationship and some health problems associated with teenage pregnancy in rural area. Settings and Design: A cross sectional study was carried out in three primary health centres of Pune District in Maharashtra state. Methods and Material: Total number of 547 who consented to participate were included in the study. Questions on demographic profile, obstetric history were asked. The antenatal mothers were clinically examined and investigated for any health problems. Statistical analysis used: Chi square test for linear trend. Results: There were 218(39.9%) teenagers. Most of the teenagers were less educated, housewives. Majority of the teenagers were pregnant for the first time but repeated pregnancies and abortions were also observed. The health problems like anemia, hypertension and edema feet were significantly high in adolescent pregnant girls in our study. Conclusions: Teenage pregnancies put mothers at high-risks to many health-related complications thereby affecting the maternal mortality.

Factores socioculturales que influyen en las adolescentes embarazadas que consultan en centros de salud U.I.M.I.S.T y H.U.R.G.V. en el periodo comprendido entre enero 1 y mayo 31 de 1988 / Sociocultural factors that influence the pregnant adolescents who attend to a health centers U.I.M.I.S.T and H.U.R.G.V. during the period between January 1 and May 31 1988

Estudio descriptivo transversal realizado en una poblacion de 418 mujeres embarazadas cuyas edades estaban entre los 12 y los 20 anos y que asistieron a consulta prenatal durante los 5 primeros meses de 1988. Los datos presentados se refieren al analisis de la encuesta que se realizo a 113 (27 por ciento ) debido a que el resto de la poblacion no pudo localizarse. Describen sus caracteristicas personales, de pareja, familiares y socioeconomicas. El mayor grupo de las adolescentes embarazadas se encontro en el rango de edad de 16-17 anos (&5.2 por ciento ), similar a la edad de los padres del bebe que tambien en su mayoria eran adolescentes. Solamanete el 14.15 por ciento tenia vinculo de pareja establecido, pero habian iniciado relaciones sexuales entre 6 meses y un ano antes de la concepcion que en el 84.07 por ciento fue deseada por la madre que tenia algun conocimiento sobre metodos anticonceptivos pero no los utilizaba. La escolaridad de las madres adolescentes, en general correspondio a la esperada para la edad la mayor parte no percibia ingresos economicos o eran muy bajos, al igual que los de los padres del nino. Muchas de las adolescentes fueron rechazadas por su pareja al conocer el embarazo; pero recibieron apoyo afectivo y economico de sus propios padres, principalmente de la madre y gran parte de ellas desean cuidar y educar a su hijo

Embarazo en la adolescencia: aspectos psicologicos y sociales / Pregnancy in adolescence: psychological and social aspects

Se hace una revisión de los aspectos psicológicos y sociales más relevantes en las adolescentes embarazadas, así como de los aspectos médicos y obstétricos más comunes. El impacto se considera desde la perspectiva de los cambios normales inherentes a la adolescencia y las modificaciones que el embarazo introduce, con las dificultades para aceptar una situación que irrumpe como generadora de más angustia. Las consideraciones sociales toman como partida una estructura familiar que se verá modificada en su interacción y al entorno como propiciador de situaciones que facilitan la existencia del embarazo en las jóvenes, en condiciones poco adecuadas. El problema es visto, así, como complejo y su abordaje debe plantearse en un ámbito multidisciplinario