Teenage Pregnancies

Teenage Pregnancies

The presenting case is of a 17-year-old female with suspected pregnancy accompanied by her 18-year-old boyfriend. Educating her on teen pregnancy prevention programs, contraceptive use, and other reproductive health services may be valuable in promoting her health. Teen pregnancy prevention programs are valuable in educating teens on the risk of early pregnancies and what they can do to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Educating teens on these resources may help them mitigate the risks associated with teen pregnancies. Reproductive health services such as contraceptive use and female counseling on their reproductive health are also essential for all teens. Providing reproductive health services to this client may help them better understand how to circumvent subsequent teen pregnancies. Several resources can also be adopted by teens to help them better understand their reproductive health. Teen pregnancy prevention programs, local health clinics, maternity homes, and trusted family members may also be helpful to the client.

Compliance with reproductive health services is integral to teenage pregnancy prevention. Using teenage-friendly communication techniques, partnering with the patient in providing care, constant follow-ups, and providing social support to the patient may encourage them to comply with the health service offered to them. Youth-friendly language is especially important in this regard. It helps them understand the health provisions and may help in establishing a therapeutic relationship with them. Teenage-friendly language is devoid of complex terms, is clear, and utilizes appropriate non-verbal cues to enhance teen understanding of medical provisions. Constant follow-ups and social support are also valuable in this regard. Social support eliminates the aspect of isolation by allowing them to share with others. These interventions may encourage teenagers to adopt health services provided to them.

Several risks have been associated with teenage pregnancies. The patient, in this case, faces a high risk for health and social problems. Eclampsia, systemic infections, maternal mortality, obstetric fistula, and puerperal endometriosis are some of the health risks the patient may encounter (Mathewos & Mekuria, 2018). Interrupted education and stigma are social problems that have been experienced in teenage pregnancies. Pregnancy forces several teenagers out of school. It has also been linked with stigma and social isolation. This may affect teenagers’ mental wellness and drive them into depression. Mathewos & Mekuria (2018) report that adolescent pregnancies are a risk factor for mental health illnesses such as depression. Teenage pregnancies, especially in urban settlements, predispose teenage girls to adverse mental and psychosocial outcomes with mental health illnesses. This necessitates the need to address teen pregnancies and to provide quality, sensitive care to all young women presenting with pregnancies.

Providing quality care while being sensitive to the stigma associated with teenage pregnancy is a priority point of care for all healthcare providers. This can be attained by developing recognition of healthcare practices centered on respect for adolescents and their well-being and enhancing the adolescent’s capacity to be a mother (Kola et al., 2020). Recognition healthcare practice acknowledges that despite their pregnancy, teenagers preserve their dignity as humans. Healthcare providers, in this regard, will play a role in equipping the client with the best pre- and post-natal care and child-handling skills. They will also be expected to eliminate any bias accustomed to teen pregnancy by treating her with respect. Through their advocacy roles, healthcare providers can also maintain sensitivity to the stigma surrounding teenage pregnancies by advocating for policies and services that lower the marginalization and stigmatization of teenage mothers.

References

Kola, L., Bennett, I. M., Bhat, A., Ayinde, O. O., Oladeji, B. D., Abiona, D., Abdumalik, J., Faregh, N., Collins, P. Y., & Gureje, O. (2020). Stigma and utilization of treatment for adolescent perinatal depression in Ibadan Nigeria. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-02970-4

Mathewos, S., & Mekuria, A. (2018). Teenage pregnancy and its associated factors among school adolescents of Arba Minch Town, southern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 28(3), 287. https://doi.org/10.4314/

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You have a 17-year-old female who comes in with a suspected pregnancy and limited family support. She is accompanied by her 18-year-old boyfriend who is the e father of the child.

While knowing she needs prenatal care, what resources and education would you try to provide, and how would you encourage compliance in this vulnerable patient? What are some of the biggest risk factors that this patient faces, and how can you provide quality care while being sensitive to the stigma that comes with teen pregnancy?