Awareness about Consequence of Teenage Pregnancy.

Corresponding Author:
Dr. N. Hephzibah Kirubamani,
Professor,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Saveetha Medical College and Hospital,
Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
E-mail: hepsi1002@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

In a developing country like India, due to certain traditional customs, there are girls who become pregnant due to early marriage. There are multiple complications which could occur to the mother who has become pregnant at an adolescent age and to the foetus too. Various factors like educational status, religion, marital status, occupation, and type of family have an influence on this awareness. It also depends on the source of knowledge, respondents age of getting pregnant, knowledge about the consequences and the attitude and practice towards pregnancy.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. A total of 122 women  were included in the study. After institutional ethical clearance and after informed consent, women between the age of 23 years and 35 years and from both urban and rural background were interviewed with semi structured questions. Women who did not fall in this age group, women with psychiatric illness and not able to communicate, were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

Of the 122 participants in the study the maximum participants were in the age group of 23-27 (80.32%) followed by 28-31 years age group (14.75%). The respondents’ maximum source of information regarding awareness and consequences of adolescent pregnancy was from friends and peers (30.32 %). The most common cause for reduced adolescent pregnancy awareness was found to be lack of formal education (91%).  Most of the respondents felt that they would allow the girl to make her choice (97%) whether to continue her pregnancy or not.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness about the consequences of adolescent pregnancy was more among women who had formal school education and the source of information was mostly from the radio. The knowledge about consequences of adolescence pregnancy should be brought about by school education and by way of mass media propaganda.

KEY WORDS

Adolescent Pregnancy, Awareness, Risks of Adolescent Pregnancy, Risk to Mother and Child in Adolescent Pregnancy, Attitude and Practice Regarding Adolescent Pregnancy