However, using the best available data, it is clear that teenage fertility in south africa approximated at 54 to 65. The department of basic education briefed the committee on teenage pregnancy in south africa, specifically focusing on schoolgoing learners. Teenage pregnancy is extremely common in south africa. Awareness of prevention of teenage pregnancy amongst. Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in south africa. Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female under the age of 20. The human sciences research councils teenage pregnancy report was released on 28 august 2009, based on a study it had conducted on behalf of the department of education. The fight to stop teenage pregnancy brand south africa. In november 2011 various news websites carried an article originally authored by the south african press agency sapa on teenage pregnancy in limpopo province. Teenagers, teenage pregnancy, pregnancy, sex, health. Not only does teenage pregnancy pose a health risk to both mother. To identify and understand the psychosocial, economic, cultural and household factors associated with teenage pregnancy and childbearing. Abstractteenage pregnancy in south africa is growing rapidly among school going pupils and.
South africas health ministry recently released statistics showing that almost 5,000 schoolgirls in johannesburg became pregnant in just. These are related to the specific situation of the teenager, and the group that she. Integration of family planning services into hiv care was implemented in south africa as a core strategy aimed at reducing unintended pregnancies among childbearing women living with hiv. Teenage pregnancy means a teenager who is pregnant. The myth that teenage girls intentionally get pregnant to access child support grants is perhaps the most pervasive and one that has been given added credibility by spurious news reports. However, using the best available data, it is clear that teenage fertility in. High rate of unplanned pregnancy in the context of. What do you think can be done to decrease the number of learner pregnancy.
Factors associated with teenage pregnancy, a study conducted by the limpopo provincial government, found that family pressure was a major contributing factor to teenage pregnancies, with 16. Selected fulltext books and articles why the teen birth rate keeps dropping. This second edition of the book provides uptodate information on new drugs, new proven hiv prevention interventions, a new chapter on positive prevention, and current hiv epidemiology. We would also like to thank the research participants who took part in the study. Complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for girls aged 1519 globally. Apr 01, 2016 panday s, makiwane m, ronchad c, letsoalo t. Reducing teenage pregnancies has been a topical focus on the.
Eat healthy nutritious food, exercise, and get plenty of sleep. The fact that teenagers become pregnant is related to many factors. But sometimes preteens people under can become pregnant as well. This article forms the second of a twopart series in which south african research on teenage pregnancy is.
As evident in a recent article in a national newspaper, entitled pregnancy tsunami the times, 21 february 2011, teenage pregnancy is an emotive issue in south africa. Adolescent pregnancy, occurring in girls aged 1019 years, remains a serious health and social problem worldwide, and has been associated with numerous risk factors evident in the young peoples family, peer, school, and neighbourhood contexts. The problem with teenage pregnancy in south africa is also peculiar to the world at large. In south africa one in three girls has had a pregnancy before the age of twenty. High rate of unplanned pregnancy in the context of integrated. Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in subsaharan africa. Currently one in five pregnant teenagers is infected with the virus. Impact of teenage motherhood on the academic performance in. Globally, education is recognized as a basic human right. The myth of teenage pregnancy and child support grants. A survey by statistics south africa in 20 revealed that 5. Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south african youth. Pregnancy and childbirth complications are the biggest cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 globally. Pregnant girls and adolescents also face other health risks and complications due to their immature bodies.
Learned its lesson and cut teen pregnancy in half by main, douglas newsweek, vol. Without the proper support and help, a teen mother is less likely to finish high school and pursue a career. International literature is incorporated in the discussion by way of comparison. One controversial practice that may be impacting teenage pregnancy in south africa is that of virginity testing in rural kwazulunatal, where girls on average between the ages of 7 and 26 allow a stranger to check if their hymens are intact. It calls for school management teams smts to acquire critical skills to manage teenage pregnancy within the requirements of the constitution of the republic of south africa, 1996 and the south african schools act 84 of 1996. Inasmuch as the sa schools act has put in place directives to ensure that schools are free from discrimination, postapartheid south africa has witnessed numerous incidents of discrimination and exclusion on the basis of race, religion, language, ethnicity, teenage pregnancy, as well as the inability to pay school fees. Lifeline pregnancy support pietermaritzburg this site is meant particularly for teenagers both the young mothers and fathers who are, or think that they may be, pregnant. Sawhill enumerate steps to be taken that will have the potential to maintain the progress made over the past decade in reducing teen and outofwedlock pregnancies. This is according to new research presented by neloufar khan from the department of social development. Financial needs can also result in teenage pregnancy.
The level of unintended pregnancies among teenage girls in south africa sa has. Aug 11, 2012 teenage pregnancy can be defined as pregnancy of women who have not reached twenty years when the pregnancy ends regardless of the marital status. Teen pregnancies are trapping young people in sa skills. The study suggested adequate parental care, eradication of street hawking and inculcation of moral values through religious bodies as ways of reducing teenage pregnancy in nigeria. Apr 14, 2011 south africa s health ministry recently released statistics showing that almost 5,000 schoolgirls in johannesburg became pregnant in just one school year.
Health and health care in south africa 20 years after. Teenage pregnancy and parenting at school in contemporary. Home teenage pregnancy the facts on teenage pregnancy in south africa as with many developing countries, the rate of teenage pregnancy in south africa is high. South african journal of continuing medical education, 911. Teenage pregnancy simple english wikipedia, the free. Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south. South africas teen moms are on their own article tebadi mmotla 9 feb 2020 state health facilities and the school curriculum have failed the youth.
Teenage pregnancy childhood studies oxford bibliographies. The community at large is aware of the problem of teenage pregnancy. Evidence from subsaharan africa indicates that 35% of pregnancies among 1519 year olds were unplanned, unwanted or untimed and that the teenagers relationships were unstable. The world health organisations latest fact sheet on adolescent pregnancy highlighted that the issue is still a major contributor to maternal and child mortality. Half of pregnancies among girls aged 1519 living in developing regions are unintended. Worldwide, teenage pregnancy rates range from 143 per 1,000 in some subsaharan african countries to 2. Article 26 of asserts that, everyone has the right to education and that educa. However, it is unclear whether this strategy has made any significant impact at the population level. According to the edhs 2016 finding, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy is % 14.
This will be explored in detail further in the paper, suffice to say that policy is failing many. Pregnancy can occur with sexual intercourse after the start of ovulation, which can be before the first menstrual period menarche but usually occurs after the onset of periods. Whilst its problematic nature is a subject of debate, it reflects a pattern of sexual activity which puts teenagers at risk of hiv. The impact of youth falling pregnant in schools will leave an indelible gap when it comes to having skilled and educated youth going. List of books and articles about teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is a situation which involves female adolescents. A quantitative, descriptive and explorative survey was conducted to determine factors that influence adolescent pregnancy rate among teenage girls n 147 attending four high schools in the greater giyani municipality in south africa. The girls are overjoyed when the test confirms they are virgins. Part 1 of the series dealt with the consequences of. Teenage pregnancy can be defined as pregnancy of women who have not reached twenty years when the pregnancy ends regardless of the marital status. Reviews south african research and literature concerning the.
Factors influencing the adolescent pregnancy rate in the. This is according to new research presented by neloufar khan from. Prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy. This paper describes the prevalence and correlates of selfreported unplanned pregnancy among hivinfected. Majority of service providers believe poverty is a major factor causing teenage pregnancy while these practices as strategies by the youth to alleviate poverty, they however are further exposed to stis and in particular, hiv and aids. Despite the established reductions in the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in south africa, there still remains high concern over high incidences of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies in achieving enhanced reproductive. Teenage pregnancy is very common in ethiopia, and it is an important demographic factor making the country the second most populous in africa, with a total population of around 102 million in 2016 15. Despite the established reductions in the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in south africa, there still remains high concern over high incidences of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies in achieving enhanced reproductive health among teenagers macleod and tracey, 2009.
Share tweet share share share email share durban south africa has a huge teenage pregnancy problem, with girls as young as 10 routinely falling pregnant. Since the 1950s, teenage pregnancy has attracted a great deal of concern and attention from religious leaders, the general public, policymakers, and social scientists, particularly in the united states and other developed countries. Teenage pregnancy can have a profound impact on your future. Specifically in ghana and as in many other african countries, most teenagers are in school. It varies depending on residence, urban 5%, and rural. The results of the study will assist in the designing of appropriate interventions for teenage pregnancy.
The teen pregnancy rate in cape town has slowed in the last eight years from 5. The impact of youth falling pregnant in schools will leave an indelible gap when it comes to having skilled and educated youth going out into the. In wellnourished females, the first period usually takes place around the age of 12 or. Teen pregnancies are trapping young people in sa skills portal. Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south african.
The department of basic education has recorded 20 000 learners pregnancies last year with the ministry saying 717of those came from primary schools. There are limited statistics on teenage pregnancy and fertility in south africa panday et al. In reporting teenage pregnancy rates, the number of pregnancies per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 when the pregnancy ends is generally used. There is information about all things related to pregnancy and having a. Relationship dynamics and teenage pregnancy in south africa. Countries in africa have the highest teen pregnancy rates with the oil rich but impoverished nation of niger topping the list at 203. A common misconception in south african society is that girls fall pregnant to make quick cash, in the form of government child support grants. Young women in our communities are falling pregnant while. Teenage pregnancy in south african schools poses a serious management and leadership challenge. Teen pregnancies may have decreased according to statistics, but this trend needs to be eliminated altogether as south africa is losing a host of talented young people to this scourge. List of books and articles about teenage pregnancy online. Article pdf available in mediterranean journal of social sciences. Just eighteen states require schools to reach birth control, and only about half of american kids receive any classroom instruction in contraception before the first time they have sex. South africa also has high levels of poverty and unemployment, and teen.
State education officials and local school board members know that teen pregnancy is a huge problem, yet they often refuse to allow teaching to avoid it. Teenage pregnancy and the south african schools act. The high pregnancy rate amongst teenagers in schools in the libode district that has been experienced over years, followed by a sudden and s. Each year, 16 million girls aged between 1519 give birth in developing regions. Part 1 of the series dealt with the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Babies born to younger mothers are also at greater risk. Sawhill enumerate steps to be taken that will have the potential to maintain the progress made over the past decade in reducing teen and. Challenges, trends and policy issues article pdf available in mediterranean journal of social sciences 4. Department of student counselling on the westville campus of the university of kwazulunatal,south africa south africa. This definitive text covers all aspects of hivaids in south africa, from basic science to medicine, sociology, economics and politics. Prevent further sexually transmitted infections stis, hiv during pregnancy. Cape town battles teen pregnancy news that connects south. Most people argue that this is a substantial problem for the country, and is an expression of a failure to help young girls deal with sexuality.
The continuing apprehension about teenage pregnancy is based on the profound impact that teenage pregnancy can. As you read this article another young girl has fallen pregnant. Teenage pregnancies are a prevalent issue in south africa. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire which had a reliability of 0. A teenage female is a female between to 19 in age. This paper describes the prevalence and correlates of selfreported unplanned. What can be done to reduce teen pregnancy and outof. Macleod, catriona south african journal of psychology. Most teenage girls in south africa start having sex to prove their love to their boyfriends. It also fertilizes illhealth and of course, poverty. Teenage pregnancy amongst school learners, and in sa. Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in south africa. Presidents emergency plan for aids relief, which has saved the lives of millions of people in south africa, is now being reconsidered and.
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