Teenage Pregnancy is Harmful to Women’s Health in Kenya Adolescent girls who give birth have a much higher risk of dying from complications of pregnancy and childbirth than do women in their 20s and 30s. Moreover, the babies born to adolescents face a higher risk of death compared to babies born to older women.
Worldwide, an estimated 287,000 women and girls die each year of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Over 99 percent of those deaths occur in developing countries such as Kenya. Some of the main complications include severe bleeding, obstructed labor, hypertension (pre-eclampsia), unsafe abortion and malaria. But the deaths tell only part of the story. For every woman or girl who dies during childbirth, between 20 and 30 more will develop short- and long-term disabilities.
Childbirth can be especially risky for adolescent girls and their babies: Maternal death rates for young women ages 15 to 19 are twice as high as for women in their 20s, and research suggests that of maternal causes than women ages 20 to 24. First-time, adolescent mothers are at most risk.
Premarital sex is common in Kenya. The average age 40 percent of unmarried women ages 15 to 24 have had premarital sex, and more than one in seven are sexually active.
Teenage pregnancy persists for a number of reasons, including inadequate access to reproductive health information and services, cultural and religious taboos, and poverty.
But Why?
Lack of information on sexuality.
Sexuality education, both in schools and in the home, is inadequate in Kenya. Few adolescents receive comprehensive sexuality education, and often teachers correct information. While the Ministry of Education acknowledges the need to provide information on sexuality, the lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education in schools contributes to teenage pregnancy and its consequences.
Religious & Cultural Reasons.
Religious and cultural taboos prevent open dialogue about premarital sex at home and in schools, despite the fact that such sexual activity is common. Opposition from religious and community leaders and policymakers has often prevented young people from accessing the information and services that would enable them to meet their sexual and reproductive health needs. Even where services exist, the providers’ negative attitudes about adolescent sexuality and the rights of young people create serious barriers and prevent young people from accessing these services.
Harmful practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), violence, and sexual abuse also exacerbate the situation. Girls who marry young often start childbearing before they are physiologically and psychologically mature. This has serious implications for their health and well-being, as they are more likely to suffer pregnancy-related complications than older women. FGM violates several basic rights of women and girls, including the right to liberty and security and the right to be free of inhumane and degrading treatment. These violations have severe psychological, emotional, and medical consequences, including increased risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV.
Poverty
Poverty pushes girls into activities that expose them to sexual exploitation and having sex in exchange for money and food. In such situations, young girls are not in a position to negotiate safer sex and are often at risk of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and violence such as rape.
To reduce teenage pregnancy and its harmful health consequences, the government and other stakeholders must address the underlying social, cultural, and economic factors that contribute to pregnancy and childbearing among adolescents. Programmes that target youth must be designed to take into account their special needs; they must combine both information and services, and be designed with the consultation of youth for whom they are intended. They must be of high quality, accessible, and affordable, and must offer a comprehensive package that encourages youth to seek services. Above all, they must be implemented with the support of the communities where they are located.
Author: Mark Gachagua
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