Action Group on Adolescent Health- (AGAH) ABU, Zaria.



Every Lady should get pregnant only when she wants to. Timing is everything; it most times separates the right from the wrong, joy from sorrow, same with pregnancy, which is supposed to be a welcome and joyful experience. When it occurs, usually by “accident” at the wrong time, what trails is but a bitter experience for the parents, their families and the society at large.
When pregnancy occurs usually accidentally, when it is not desired it is termed unwanted, unintended or mistimed pregnancy. And this is peculiar to all women of reproductive age group, married or not. But the more pronounced physical, psychological and social effects are felt more on the adolescents.

In 2012, about one-fourth of Nigeria’s 9.2 million pregnancies were unintended —a rate of 59 unintended pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15–49.

W.H.O fact sheet of 2016 reported that about 21 million 15-19 year old girls in developing countries become pregnant every year, and nearly half of these pregnancies (49%) are unintended. 38 million 15-19 year old adolescent girls are at risk of pregnancy but do not want a child in the next two years, but only 40% are using a modern method of contraception. Sixteen million girls aged 15–19 give birth each year, which is approximately 11% of all births worldwide; 95% of these births occur in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Important regional differences exist; for example, births to adolescents as a percentage of all births range from approximately 2% in China, to 18%in Latin America and the Caribbean, to more than 50% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Pregnancy among very young mothers is a significant problem; in LMICs, about 10% of girls become mothers by age 16, with the highest rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Central and Southeast Asia . Pregnancies among unmarried adolescent mothers are more likely to be unintended and end in induced abortion; coerced sex (reported by 10% of girls who first had sex before age 15) contributes to unwanted adolescent pregnancies.

Among the risk factors and causes of the high prevalence of unwanted pregnancies are child marriage, early sexual debut and low use and inconsistency in use of contraceptives. According to Guttmacher, contraceptive use remains low in Nigeria. In 2013, only 16% of all women of reproductive age (15–49) were using any contraceptive method, and only 11% were using a modern method—levels that remain virtually unchanged since 2008. Most adolescents worldwide were found to have difficulty obtaining adequate information and services related to contraceptive use, these include cost implications, fear of violation of confidentiality, fear of parent finding out and difficulty in negotiating condom use with male partners (for females) and concerns about their side effects, this overall lead to unsafe sexual practices predisposing to both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Abortion is about the most common action following unintended pregnancy. According to Guttmacher, an estimated 1.25 million induced abortions occurred in Nigeria in 2012, more than half (56%) of the unintended pregnancies in Nigeria in 2012 ended in an induced abortion; 32% ended in an unplanned birth and 12% in a miscarriage. Abortion accounts for 20%–40% of maternal deaths in Nigeria. Abortion which still remain illegal in Nigeria unless under special circumstances, and most times out of desperation the pregnant mothers are forced to seek counsel and services of unskilled personnel and in an unfit environment, increasing risk of death from infections, bleeding among others and lifelong damages such as infertility, chronic renal failure and of course the guilt that never washes off among others.

Adolescents face a higher risk of complications and death as a result of pregnancy than older women. In Latin America, the risk of maternal death is four times higher in adolescents less than 16 years old than women in their twenties. In terms of complications, anaemia, malaria, HIV and other STIs, postpartum haemorrhage and mental disorders, such as depression, are associated with adolescent pregnancy. Pregnancy and delivery for girls who have not completed their body growth expose them to problems that are less common in adult women; more than half of women with obstetric fistula (Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) among other types) develop the condition as adolescents, with traumatic, often lifelong consequences.

Low socioeconomic status, substance abuse and likelihood of receiving low and/or inadequate antenatal care are associated with pregnant adolescents and poor outcomes for the offspring of adolescent mothers are well documented and include higher rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, asphyxia, perinatal and neonatal mortality.

Consequences also extend to increase rate of school dropout among such population and consequently the economic hardship that trails. Children born also to such mothers are at increased risk of psychological traumas, such as neglect, insufficient love and care, which leaves psychological marks on their children which manifest later in their lives. An impact no one would wish to leave their loved ones.

Prevention of unwanted pregnancy is pivotal towards achievement of the sustainable development goal (SDG) directly and indirectly. And girl child and women education including that on sexual and reproductive health education is the bed rock on which plans of achieving a healthy society can be built on.

Reproductive health is an aspect of health that ensures that people are well informed and are able to make healthy decisions as it relates to sexual and reproductive activities such as a safe sex life, the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Something I implore everyone to take charge of, especially the ladies.

The question I am leaving you with is, IS IT WORTH THE RISK? Take control of what happens in your sexual and reproductive life. ABSTINENCE, ABSTINENCE, ABSTINENCE AND CONTRACEPTION.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD


this article was written by me for the above named Association.. Thank you for reading.
meaningful Questions and contributions are welcomed.

lalasticlala where are thou. this need to be on FP.