Teenage Pregnancy In The Philippines and Its Effect On Education

The issue of teen pregnancy in the Philippines has led to forced marriage of many Philippine teens, and according to the 2015 Census data, the Philippines now ranks 13th among countries with the largest population in the world. Today, we are faced with the painful reality that at a very young age, most Philippine teens already have children of their own. A recent study shows that over 200,000 Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 19 years old get pregnant each year, and over 500 teenage girls give birth in the country every day.

According to experts, teenage mothers are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes and to be constrained in their ability to pursue educational opportunities.

The issue of adolescent fertility is essential for both health and social reasons because children born to very young mothers are at increased risk of sickness and death. Teenage pregnancy is also one of the reasons for the high rate of school dropout for adolescent girls, as well as family matters.

While it is possible for a pregnant teenager in the Philippines to experience a healthy pregnancy and also become an excellent parent, many pregnant and parenting teenagers struggle with health risks, multiple stressors, and other complex issues. If pregnancy is unplanned, the mother may not receive the prenatal care she and her baby needs, or she may not even be healthy enough to carry a child.

In the Philippines, children born to teenage mothers are more likely to die compared to children of older mothers, and this is because Filipino teen mothers aged 15-19 average 17 months between previous pregnancies compared to the recommended 35 months for mothers of all ages. 

Teenage mothers have a high percentage of dropping out of school because of their low ambitions and dedication to their children. It is no wonder that only 38% of female teens who give birth before the age of 18 complete their high school education by the age of 22.

This means that a very high percentage of teenage mothers will not even go on to graduate from high school, let alone get a college education. This lack of education most times leads to low paying jobs or, even worse, unemployment.

These young women often end up living on welfare and do not have adequate resources for their children. Overall, these young girls are forced to delay and postpone any plans for their future to raise a child.

Teenage mothers are often reliant on their families for financial resources as well as other forms of support to help get them through raising a child on their own. In most cases, these young mothers are overlooked and do not receive any form of financial aid or education on how to cater for a child.

Having a child during the teenage age often clashes with the developmental tasks that should be occurring during adolescence. These young mothers are unable to fully develop a sense of self-identity due to their new role as teenage mothers. 

Furthermore, adolescent age that is essential for developing relationships with others and discovering oneself are strained or even terminated.

Many of these teenage mothers are not healthy enough; thus, they have a higher risk for obstructed labor, thereby contributing to the number of unsafe abortions in the Philippines, which most times lead to the death of many young females and their unborn child.

Causes of Teen pregnancy in the Philippines

Drugs and Alcohol

During adolescence, teenagers may drink and experiment with drugs frequently with their friends at social gatherings and parties. Teens, however, do not realize the impacts alcohol and drugs have on the functioning of their brain, especially the effects of consuming large amounts of alcohol in one sitting.

Drinking excessively as well as experimenting with drugs may significantly affect the ability of a teenager to think logically and carry out general thinking processes. Thereby increasing the chances that they will engage in unprotected and unsafe sex.

·        Low Socio-economic Status

Most pregnant teens come from families of low socio-economic status. Growing up, these children are associated with low-income families who do not have all the necessary resources to raise a child properly. Children that grow up in these homes do not have strong role models or individuals to look up to or learn from. 

Due to a lack of proper education about sex and reproduction, these teens engage in unprotected and unsafe sexual activities. 

·        Peer Pressure and Sexual Abuse

Peer pressure is another major cause of sexual abuse. Often, females may be pressured by friends into having sexual affairs with the opposite sex against their will.

Sexual abuse is also another cause of teenage pregnancies. 

Older male counterparts have been found to force their selves on teenage girls, without their approval. These teenagers are sometimes unable to inform a trusted adult about the situation due to fear of being harmed by their predator. 

Situations like these further affect the child as they enter into adolescence and increases the chances of teen pregnancy.

Possible solutions to teen pregnancy in the Philippines

·        Abstinence

Although there are many different ways to prevent teenage girls from becoming pregnant, the most effective remains sexual abstinence. This method guarantees no risk of getting pregnant and protects teenagers from STD’s. It is, therefore, important that teenagers are educated on the health benefits of abstinence.

·        Use of Contraceptive

Another form of teenage pregnancy prevention that is effective is the use of contraceptives. Although abstinence remains the best way to prevent pregnancy among teens, it is a fact that there are still a large number of teenagers who involve in sexual activities. For this reason, it is important to educate teenagers with relevant information on how to use various contraceptive techniques. 

The problem that arises from this method is that teenagers are not properly educated on the various forms of birth control, condoms, and other means of prevention that are available. 

Parents can strongly influence the decisions of their children by taking the time to be involved when the issue of sex arises. Schools are also not left behind, as they must provide necessary information to teenagers on preventing pregnancies and encouraging them to make responsible choices when engaging in sexual activities. Therefore, the responsibility of adults is to provide teens with a thorough understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and the consequences of unsafe sex.

Bottom Line

It is the job of both government and schools to raise awareness on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of the girl child in the Philippines. Protecting them from abuse and connecting them with education and health services that meet their needs.

As we can assume, when a teeng gets pregnant they have a amoch harder time adding a school schedule to their life. On in five women between the age of 15-20 are preganeant or have achild. yes that is 20%!

Next Step Ph’s goal is to give teens hope of a degree and provide them with the information to make education a priority.