TEENAGE

PREGNANCY

By:
Nevinia Ann Robert
Supervisor:
Dr. Liew Nyan Chin

Defination
The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2006)
defines teenage pregnancy as a teenaged
or under-aged girl (usually within the ages
of 1319 years old) becoming pregnant.
The term usually refers to women who
become pregnant, who have not reached
legal adulthood;
However legal adulthood varies in different
countries.

Introduction
WHO statistics show that annually there are
14-15 million births worldwide to teenage
girls, accounting for more than 10% births.
The UK has one of the highest teenage
pregnancy rates in Western Europe; 24
births per 1000 women.
Malaysias teenage pregnancy rate is 13
births per 1000 women (WHO 2008).
The USA possesses the highest rate in the
world at 43 births per 1000 women.

Risk Factors

Social deprivation
Lower socioeconomic group
Low educational achievement
Having had teenage parents
Being in the care of social services
Poor transition from school to work at 16
years of age
Sexual abuse
Mental health problems

Risks associated with

teenage pregnancy

Premature delivery
Small-for-gestational-age infants
Low birthweight
Increased neonatal mortality
Anaemia
Pregnancy-induced hypertension
Postnatal depression
Sexually transmitted infections
Offspring of adolescents have:
poorer cognitive development
lower educational attainment
more frequent criminal activity
higher risks of abuse, neglect and behavioural problems
during childhood

Antenatal Management in
Teenage Pregnancy
10 weeks : Booking visit
16 weeks :
Discuss results of antenatal tests
Investigate haemoglobin <11 g/d
Discuss contraception
20 weeks :
Anomaly USS
discuss contraception

25 weeks
Discuss preterm delivery

28 weeks
Offer second screening for anaemia and atypical
red cell allo-antibodies
Discuss contraception

31 weeks
Discuss results of 28-week investigations
Measure and plot symphysis - fundal height using
a customized growth chart

34 weeks :
Measure and plot symphysis - fundal height using
a
customized growth chart
Provide information on labour, pain relief and
discuss a birth plan

36, 38, 40 and 41 weeks

Advice on fetal movements

Factors influencing non-attendance for antenatal care

Antenatal care deemed not important

Difficulty accessing care - appointment
times,transport
Financial problems
Fear of medical procedures
Fear of care providers
Embarrassment of unplanned pregnancy

Challenges

In the UK there is a broad consensus that good

quality sex and relationship education should be
provided in schools, that parents should talk to
their children about personal, social & health
education (PSHE) and that confidential
contraceptive services should be available

UNICEF Malaysia, (2008) notes that

Malaysian society disapproves of premarital sex and that there is a belief that
sex education should not be discussed.
As a result, young people have limited or no
access to education and information on
reproductive sexual health care.
Policies often restrict adolescents access to
information and services, by for example
limiting family planning to married couples

How is Malaysia dealing with

the issues?
There have been strategies implemented in
parts of Malaysia to try to prevent further
abandonment of babies.
In 2010, in Kuala Lumpur, a nongovernmental organisation opened the
countrys first baby hatch a place where
mothers can safely and anonymously leave
their unwanted child

In the same year, the state of Malacca

opened a school for teenage mothers, Sekolah
Harapan, Rumah Harapan(school of hope,house
of hope).The girls are taught the standard
Secondary school curriculum.

Conclusion
A teenage pregnancy impacts on the health of
the teenager, her social circumstances,
pregnancy outcome, and the long-term
development of her child.
A multidisciplinary approach must be
implemented in the delivery of maternity care to
teenagers and should include liaison with other
services and agencies to provide support with
finances, housing, and education is important. In
providing this care, the quality of life and
outcome for the teenage mother and her child
can be improved.