In developing and
developed countries, teenage pregnancy continue to receive increased attention
because of early age at which adolescents engage in sexual activities and the
result of unplanned and unintended pregnancies associated with the risk and
problem of early motherhood. Lack of adequate information, education and
communication on reproductive health services and the perennial concern in different
parts of the world reveal that adolescents become sexually active at an early
age which lead to a high number of teenage pregnancy today.
In many
developing countries, about half the population is under 15 years. These age
groups expose themselves into sexual habit which have led many of them into
teenage pregnancy and at the same time cost the adolescent their educational
background, (Gyan, 2013). Out of wedlock pregnancy and motherhood is not
encouraged in Owerri North community at large. When teenage pregnancy is
allowed to continue, at times it places the teenage mother’s health in danger
because of inadequate parental care received by the teenage mother. So, after
birth, the risk of the mother and her child will be high. Those circumstances
may be responsible for increase in infanticide, baby abandonment and child
abuse. For these reasons, pregnancies among teenagers are creating concern for
many industrialized countries today WHO, (2000).
Van, (2007),
perceived economic factor as a cause of teenage pregnancy, he indicated that
teenagers from lower income families are more likely to report having sexual
intercourse regardless of the family structure or race. It is further pointed
out that teenagers from single parent family homes are more likely to report
having the family in combination with the high rate of schools fees in the
present school system in Nigeria.
These have exposed girls to sexual intercourse in order to make out ways to
solve their problem of school fees in the school. This act at times occurred as
a result of poor family background. Van further indicated that substance abuse
was long recognized as one of the greatest health and social problems which
resulted in teenage pregnancies because teenagers engage in sexual intercourse
without making calculated decisions due to the influence of alcohol.
Added to the risk
of being born by teenage mother, there also exist other associated risks for
babies born into an environment that lacks life’s basic needs. Baby and mother
usually stand disadvantaged and handicapped in day-to-day living. Teenage
mothers are typically depicted as inadequate parents (BuchHoiz, 2003), then
their children are thought to be a significant risk for maltreatments. However,
the degree of risk to children teenage parents may be well determined by the
financial, social and emotional stresses these families face. The critical
factor being the availability of resources which after support and
encouragement.
In recognition of
the identified problems of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood, there are
many welfare programmes and services available to pregnant adolescents in most
of the developed countries. Family welfare programmes are considered as a set
of measures formulated at the executive level to provide concrete support and
services for the advancement of groups and individuals in order to bring about
social change, family planning, education welfare services, food and nutrition.
The form and content of a programme as well as its organization and
administration depends on the culture and history of a given country including
its values, customs and social structure as well as its resources and
awareness.
The concept of
social health emanated from the multifaceted view of health which according to
World Health Organization (WHO) is a state of complete physical, social and
mental well-being of an individual and not merely the absence of diseases or
infirmities. According to Chijioke (2010), man is well known to be a social
animal and therefore lives by interacting with his fellow human beings.
Similarly, Oguguo (2004) observes that man’s nature, which cannot be
effectively fulfilled without inter and intra relationship has equally created
some social problems ranging from hatred to others, breed and nurtured by the
so called jet age. These problems according to Ogugo (2004) are the evil
effects of man’s social consciousness which health educators have designated
social health. Some of these problems emanating from social health according to
Asogwa (2000) are called social health problems. This is because according to
him, their solution require community efforts, professional know how,
co-operation of other disciplines and greater effort and time. Nwachukwu (2009)
identified teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, drug addicton, sexual promiscuity
among others as social health problems which are usually associated with the
adolescents.
Chauhan (1999)
asserted that development is a continuous process, which begins from time of
conception in the womb of the mother and continues till death. However, that
period of life that lies between the end of childhood and the beginning of
adulthood is termed adolescence. Njoku (2008) pointed out that adolescent is
that spam of years during which boys and girls move from childhood to
adulthood, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically. The period varies in
length from culture to culture and includes the teenage years. During the
adolescent years which spans between the ages of 12 and 20 years in Nigeria, Ene
and Nnamani, (2000). Most teenagers experience a period of very rapid growth
and adolescent growth spurt. This growth is accompanied by the development of
reproductive organs and such secondary sex characteristics as breast
enlargement in girls, beards in boys and appearance of pubic hairs generally.
These changes culminated in puberty marked by the development of sperm cells in
boys, ovum and subsequent menstruation in girls. The bodily changes that
accompany sexual maturity are sources of both pride and embarrassment in the
adolescents. Ajiboye (2007) remarked that adolescent is a period when the
youngsters develop heterosexual feelings. This sort of feeling may lead the
youngster to develop passionate affection for others. This may be attributed to
why adolescents want to go out, engage in social activities, attend church
services and carryout all sorts of personal exhibitions of themselves. Such
teenage social interactions tend to create an atmosphere for personal
affections, love which may even result in sexual intercourse. The sex hormones
already in their blood streams constitutes a powerful force, which generates
the sex drives and craving in them.
Sex is one area
in which impulse most frequently conflict with moral standard and violation of
their standards may generate strong feelings of guilt. This is especially so,
if it results in an illegitimate pregnancy in a teenager. But in traditional
Nigerian setting, sex is regarded as being very personal and exclusive, and any
careless reference to it without caution, both in words or deeds is deemed
immoral and irresponsible.
Thus, there is an
apparent silent ban on the direct reference to sex. Consequently, girls
abstained from pre-marital sex for it was a virtue for both the bride and groom
to be innocent of sexual acts until after wedlock. Christianity also extended
this restrictive attitude towards sexual expressions and participation. Nnadi
(2003) reported that schools were built and managed by missionaries who imposed
very stringent codes of conduct on heterosexual activities. The mission was aimed
at preventing children from acknowledging any type of sex activities which was
collectively regarded as acts of immorality and sin against God.
The situation
however changed remarkably after the civil war with the take-over of schools by
the federal and state government of Nigeria. Many co-educational
institutions were established such that teenage males and females had more
opportunities to interact with one another. It is worthy of note that prior to
this era according to Ngwu (2005), the Western World had adopted radically
liberated social attitude towards sex. He observed that sexual intercourse has
become glorified and commercialized and all types of behaviour such as nudity,
homosexuality and premarital sex recklessly and publicly expressed with impunity.
Consequently,
Ngwu (2005) reported that today pornographic magazines, blue films and romantic
books and novels among others are almost legalized. These could however be the
reason why Okoro (2010) observed that effects of civil war, establishment of
corresponding viability of satisfactory knowledge and acceptance use of birth
control methods heightened the incidence of teenage pregnancy, abortions,
veneral diseases, drug addictions, promiscuity, and other social health
problems. Onyia (2000) had earlier reported that the pregnant teenager is
usually maladjusted because she feels that she has committed a crime,
consequently, she feels ashamed, guilty, not always accepted by peers parents,
relatives and even to a considerate extent by the society.
One of the
reasons for the high rate of school drop-out in the present is teenage
pregnancy. According to Castle (2009), a disproportionate number of studies are
committed by pregnant teenagers all over the world. Added to this are instances
of violence and neglect suffered by teenagers forced to marry because of
pregnancy in societies. He further outlined the following as the factors
associated with teenage pregnancy. These are social factors, economic,
psychological, adolescent sexual behaviour with reference to its consequences.
Singh (2010) states that the normal tendency of adolescents is to engage in
impulsive behaviour, simple by reason of their developmental stage and lack of
knowledge at the particular period. This act, further facilitate the risk of sexual
activities.
Definitely
teenage pregnancies do not come about on their own; it is strongly rooted on
numerous possible multi-dimensional factors. Some authors have proffered
possible factors associated with teenage pregnancies such as economic, social,
and psychological factors. But there is need to be empirically sure. In order to
ascertain the factors associated with teenage pregnancies among secondary
school students in Owerri North Local Government Area, therefore this study is geared
towards finding the factors associated with teenage pregnancies among secondary
school students in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.
Ude (2010)
described the ramping with which teenagers get pregnant in Nigeria after
the civil war. According to him, the problem assumed a large dimension with
time and people started being aware of such unruly tendency on the part of
these teenagers. According to Igiebor (2009), the pervasiveness of moral
decadence has turned sex which used to be a taboo in the olden days to be seen
as a symbol of sophistication by the modern societies, explicit expression of
sexuality in various forms and sexually suggestive music are allowed which
simulates teenagers’ curiocity and enhanced sexual intercourse which results in
teenage pregnancy.
With these
explicit expression of sexuality, health education and preaching against it
were carried out by concerned individuals but all these did not bear much
fruits as to stop the menace. Rather, according to Aneke (2012), many more
teenagers get attracted to some “goodies” and were fully initiated into
heterosexual relationship leading to increase in the number of teenagers
getting pregnant every year. Nokidu (2011), observed that the problem is pretty
serious as according to him, teenage pregnancies continue to be on the
increase.
The teenage
parenthood according to Ani (2010) is a reflection of the society. Ani further
stated that it is a common occurrence and is fast trying to become part of our
culture instead of a taboo. It is however a general observation according to
Ezugwu (2000), that teenagers who fall prey to this problem usually get so
embarrassed, disturbed, frustrated and become totally dislodged and disillusioned
in life. He concluded that the future of those who would be leaders is
completely shattered. This study therefore examines the perceived causes of
teenage pregnancies among secondary school students in Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State so as to proffer solution to reduce its occurrence.
The major purpose
of this study is to examine the perceived causes of teenage pregnancies among
secondary school students in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. Specifically,
this study will examine:
1.
The economic factors associated with teenage pregnancy
among secondary school students in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo
State.
2.
The social and psychological factors associated with
teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State.
3.
Ascertain adolescent sexual behaviour associated with
teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State.
4.
The consequences of teenage pregnancy among secondary
school students in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.
This research will
be of immense significance to teachers, social workers, government and the
students as well as school administrators. The findings generated by this study
would help the government to use all available resources to organize a
programme to educate both parents and the youths on needs and importance of sex
education. This programme will go a long way to discourage early marriage and
teenage pregnancy among the youths, which will in turn, stand to develop the
youths and make them to be useful to the society at large.
This study will
be of interest to the students who are the future of the nation, because the
study of this nature will expose them to the bad implication of teenage
pregnancy and this will motivate them to see reasons of studying and forsake
anything like distraction among their peers.
Furthermore, the
findings of this study will help the social workers in the area of counseling
to know the absolute counseling activities and techniques needed to adopt for
the benefit of the students. This will help school authorities and
administrators to know the economic (monetary) needs of their students and
communicate same to their parents on their economic responsibilities towards
their wards in the secondary school during the Parent-Teachers-Association (P.T.A)
meetings. Finally, this will also help social scientists to identify the causes
of this social problem called teenage pregnancy and proffer lasting solution to
the problem.
This study was
delimited to the following: Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. It
was delimited to secondary school students (SS1-SS3). The context covered: the
concept of teenage pregnancy, adolescent factors, social factors, economic
factor and psychological factors of teenage pregnancy and consequences.
The following research questions were
formulated to guide the study:
1.
What are the economic factors associated with teenage
pregnancy among secondary school students in Owerri North Local Government Area
of Imo State?
2.
What are the social and psychological factors associated
with teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State?
3.
What are the adolescent sexual behaviours associated with
teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State?
4.
What are the consequences of teenage pregnancy among
secondary school students in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State?
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