Teen Pregnancy

Nearly all teen pregnancies are unplanned. That is, teens

say they did not want to get pregnant or cause a
pregnancy. That alone is reason enough to care about
preventing teen pregnancy. But, it is also the case that
teen pregnancy is closely linked to a host of other critical
social issuespoverty and income, overall child well-
being, out-of-wedlock births, responsible fatherhood,
health issues, education, child welfare, and other risky
behavior. There are also substantial public costs
associated with adolescent childbearing. Consequently,
teen pregnancy should be viewed not only as a
reproductive health issue, but as one that works to
improve all of these measures.

Simply put, if more children in this country were born to

parents who are ready and able to care for them, we
would see a significant reduction in a host of social
problems afflicting children in the United States.
One in Ten Young Filipino Women Age 15 to 19 Is Already
A Mother or Pregnant With First Child (Final Results from
the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey)
Reference Number:
2014-057
Release Date:
Thursday, August 28, 2014

One in ten young Filipino women age 15-19 has begun childbearing: 8 percent are already mothers
and another 2 percent are pregnant with their first child according to the results of the 2013 National
Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Among young adult women age 20 to 24, 43 percent are
already mothers and 4 percent are pregnant with their first child.

Early pregnancy and motherhood varies by education, wealth quintile, and region. It is more common
among young adult women age 15 to 24 with less education than among those with higher education
(44 percent for women with elementary education versus 21 percent for women with college
education). Early childbearing is also more common in Caraga (38 percent) and Cagayan Valley (37
percent) than other regions. The proportion of young adult women who have begun childbearing is
higher among those classified as belonging to poor households than those in wealthier households (37
percent for young women in the lowest wealth quintile versus 13 percent for women in the highest
wealth quintile).

The survey also reveals that one in five (19 percent) young adult Filipino women age 18 to 24 years
had initiated their sexual activity before age 18. Some of them would have had their first intimate
sexual act before marriage. The survey reveals that 15 percent of young adult women age 20 to 24
had their first marriage or began living with their first spouse or partner by age 18. This proportion is
lower than the proportion (19 percent) earlier cited regarding initiation by young women of an intimate
sexual activity. Age at first marriage hardly changed over the years. A slightly higher proportion (17
percent) of older cohort of women (age group 40-49) had their first marriage at age 18.

Initiation of sexual activity before age 18 is more common among young adult women with less
education and those in poorer households. Over 40 percent of young adult women with some
elementary education, compared with only 7 percent of those with college education, reported having
their first intimate sexual act at age 18. Similarly, 36 percent of young adult women in the lowest
wealth quintile, compared with only 10 percent of those in the highest wealth quintile, had their first
intimate sexual act before age 18. Across regions, the proportion ranges from 11 percent in Cordillera
Administrative Region to 27 percent in Davao. The proportion of young adult women reporting first
intimate sexual act before age 18 is 22 percent for rural areas and 17 percent for urban areas. Among
young women age 15 to 24, 2 percent reported initiating their sexual activity before turning 15.

(Sgd) ROMEO S. RECIDE

(Interim Deputy National Statistician) Officer-in-Charge)

TEENAGE PREGNANCY
Teenage pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant of adolescence aged 10 to 19.
Those who are affected are the girl herself up to the national society. The victims of
teenage pregnancy are the girl herself, her child, her parents and relatives and the
national society as a whole. It will also probably make her economically vulnerable.

The national scope of the problem is alarming; the United Nation Population Fund
Agency (UNPFC) representative Ugochi Daniels claims that this could derail the
countrys Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Millennium Development
Goals are eight international development goals that the UN member states have
agreed to achieve by the year 2015. These MDG include eradicating extreme
poverty and attaining universal primary education. In fact, among the six ASEAN
major economies, the Philippines ranked the highest rate in teenage pregnancy.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM IN OUR SOCIETY?

Teen pregnancy is a communal problem, a family problem, and a personal
problem all rolled into one. It frequently goes hand in hand with premarital sex.
Problems come when the news needs to breach each parents party. A spring of
thought flash before ones eyes, and registers only two; whether, to back the hell up
abort the child or carry on with the pregnancy but sign up for adoption - or get the
hell in have the child with all its perks and consequences alike.

After which, these impressions simply serve no purpose but to put them off, and
deduce to mere nuisance to them when the truth of their situation slowly sinks in.
How do they provide for the child if their parents cut them short financially? Will
they be able to go to grad school? What will become of their future? What will
become of their childs future? By this time, they would have to contend with the
pressures of parenthood. Whatll truly bother them in the long run is the reality of
whether or not they can fulfill their obligation as parents, and the security of their
childs future. Teenage pregnancy is becoming a societal problem that branches out
to other problems.
Teenage Pregnancy in Philippines
In August 2014, the National Statistics Office (NSO) of the Philippines released the
final results of the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey.

The survey shows that 1 in 10 Filipino women between the ages of 15 and 19 is
already a mother or is pregnant with her first child.

Why the rise in teenage pregnancy in Philippines?

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about 16 million girls aged 15 to
19 and some 1 million girls under 15 give birth every year 95% of which occur in
low- and middle-income countries. The Philippines is classified by the World Bank as
having a lower-middle-income economy, thus the WHO survey extends to our
country, and is reflective of what we see happening here. This alarming rise in
teenage pregnancy in Philippines may be attributed to economic and educational
factors.

The NSO survey results state that early initiation of sexual activity and early
pregnancy is often seen among women belonging to lower income households. It is
also more common among those with little or no formal education.

Others may also claim that societal factors and the media may also play a role in
the rise of teenage pregnancies. Journalist Teddy Locsin Jr., in a 2014 editorial on
ANC, even blamed the rise of teenage pregnancy on showbiz. He cites the
prominence of sexual themes in television and movies, day in and day out, and
states this as the reason why the desire for physical contact is ingrained into the
minds of the youth.

While we can speculate on the true reasons behind it, the reality is that teenage
pregnancy in Philippines is becoming far too common. Not only this, but the
teenage moms are getting younger as well.