BACKGROUND

While adolescent pregnancies in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines have declined over the past five years, young mothers remain at risk of repeat pregnancies, which continue to expose them and their children to health and socioeconomic risks in this vulnerable region.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to collect baseline information on mothers who experienced early pregnancy in Eastern Visayas and to identify significant differences in maternal characteristics based on type of residence and age. The findings will be used by a nongovernmental organization to plan and develop targeted interventions for this vulnerable population.

METHODOLOGY

This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design to collect data on mothers who experienced early pregnancy in four selected provinces of Eastern Visayas. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, an independent t-test, and the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

A total of 296 mothers participated in the survey. Among them, 80.1% were in high school during their first pregnancy, and 88.2% were unemployed at the time of the study. The youngest age at first pregnancy was 12 years. The participants' male partners were at least five years older (39.8%) and ten years older (11.1%). Significant differences were observed in the use of family planning method, number and status of pregnancies, and history of preterm labor.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that adolescent pregnancy remains a public health concern in Eastern Visayas, particularly among lowincome teenagers with limited educational attainment, whose parents also had minimal education. The youngest reported age of pregnancy was 12 years. Therefore, efforts should focus on increasing access to family planning services, providing comprehensive reproductive health education, and enhancing maternal and child health services.

Human ; Adolescent Pregnancy ; Pregnancy In Adolescence ; Reproductive Health

INTRODUCTION

One significant challenge facing the Filipino youth today is adolescent pregnancy, as the nation having one of the highest rates of adolescent births rates in the ASEAN region. Various sociocultural, economic, and individual factors have been identified as contributing factors. However, the impact of family, including maternal intergenerational factors, has yet to be substantially explored. This study aimed to investigate the root cause of adolescent pregnancy in San Juan city through the identification and examination of common familial factors.

METHODS

This was an unmatched case-control study with a 1:2 ratio using a non-probability sampling. It included two groups of adolescent females: pregnant/ever pregnant and non-pregnant) aged 13 to 19. A three-part modified questionnaire was used to collect the data and was administered through a faceto-face interview.

RESULTS

This study revealed that adolescent women in grandparent-headed families are 4.47 (CI: 1.33, 15.0) times more likely to be pregnant as adolescents compared to the reference group. Adolescents with low educational attainment among their fathers and mothers are 4.25 (CI: 1.80, 10.10) and 3.30 (CI: 1.58, 6.93) times more likely to get pregnant, respectively. Additionally, if a mother is unemployed, they were 1.89 (CI: 1.09, 3.30) times more likely to get pregnant, and if their mother passed away, they were 4.24 (CI: 1.03, 17.42) times more likely to experience pregnancy. Moreover, they are 7.69 (CI: 4.21, 14.02) and 9.07 (CI: 2.74, 30.03) times more likely to get pregnant if their mother and sister have a history of adolescent pregnancy. There was also a significant association found between severe family dysfunctionality (p=0.0430) and adolescent pregnancy. Cases were 8.33 times less likely to have a severely dysfunctional family than controls.

CONCLUSION

A statistically significant association was found between adolescent pregnancy and several familial factors, including exposure to a grandparent-headed family structure, low parental educational attainment, maternal unemployment, maternal death, and a family history of early pregnancy involving the mother or an older sister. While moderate family dysfunction was also associated, this relationship was not statistically significant.

Human ; Female ; Adolescent Pregnancy ; Pregnancy In Adolescence

Introduction. Teen pregnancy in the Philippines is a public health concern. Contraception is viewed as key in controlling teen pregnancy brought by early sexual initiation. Unfortunately, among sexually active teenage girls, 68.7% are not using any form of contraception. Objectives. The study determined the predictors of Family Planning practice among teen mothers in Manila; specifically, regarding knowledge and attitude towards family planning, and social and informational support. Methods. The study utilized a descriptive correlational design. Purposive sampling was used for a target sample size of 188 teenage mothers from the City of Manila. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Multiple regression was employed to determine predictors of FP practice. Results. Of the 163 teenage mothers who participated, less than one-third (30.7%) were currently using a family planning method. Teen mothers who had two or more pregnancies were four times more likely to report FP practice, and those who received informational support on FP were six times more likely to report FP practice. Conclusion. The rate of FP practice among teen mothers is low. A comprehensive assessment of the physical, psychosocial, and environmental factors that impact teen mothers should be further studied.
Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Adolescent ; Family Planning Services ; Contraception

BACKGROUND: Adolescent pregnancy remains a significant public health problem in the Philippines wherein teenage pregnancy has been declared as a National Social Emergency. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify the received services and interventions during prenatal and postnatal visits and investigate the relationships between the received services and interventions during visits and the completeness of received services to neonatal death among adolescent pregnancies in the Cordillera Administrative Region. METHODS: This study used a descriptive correlational study design. A survey questionnaire was distributed to target participants among selected municipalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region and asked about the received services/interventions during and after pregnancy. Responses were analyzed using frequency and percentage, Chi-square and Phi Correlation Coefficient. RESULTS: The study showed that a high incidence of neonatal deaths occurs during the first delivery while decreasing prenatal and post-natal visits have been noted. It was also observed that neonatal mortality is high particularly among the category of middle adolescents. The study also demonstrated a significant correlation between Blood Testing and Measurement of the Abdomen or fundal height measurement provided to the respondents and neonatal mortality in the third trimester. However, no significant correlation coefficients have been noted between neonatal mortality and completeness of prenatal and postnatal services. CONCLUSION: Policies and programs on adolescent health development should be enhanced, first, to focus on preventing adolescent pregnancy and repeat pregnancies during the adolescent period, while strengthening the access to health services for all pregnant women, especially adolescent mothers.
Pregnancy ; Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Infant Mortality ; Adolescent Health Services ; Primary Health Care

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent pregnancy is enduringly perceived as posing a considerable social threat in the Philippines. Recent data from the Commission on Population and Development shows that over 40,000 births annually are from adolescent mothers aged 10 to 14 years, with many of these early pregnancies potentially linked to rape, forced sex, and abuse. Most studies in the past focus on causes and prevention. Limited research explores the lived experiences of early adolescent mothers, especially in the context of unwanted pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to determine the lived experiences of unwanted pregnancy among early adolescents age 12 to 15 years old in Zamboanga City.

METHODOLOGY

The study employed an Interpretative Phenomenological Study Design which involved understanding how the adolescents make sense of events, emotions, and interactions in their experiences. Ten (10) adolescent girls with experience of unwanted pregnancy were interviewed.

RESULTS

Analysis of transcripts generated three superordinate themes: (1) Living in the challenges of the present, (2) Facing the future with resilience, (3) Escaping the past. After identifying similarities across cases, two cross-case themes were generated: (1) Dysfunctional family background as a contributor to early pregnancy, and (2) The importance of relying on significant others for support.

CONCLUSION

The study revealed that unwanted pregnancies were influenced by dysfunctional family environments, socioeconomic challenges, and, in some cases, sexual exploitation. The participants faced emotional distress, financial instability, and social stigma, with support from family playing a critical role in the coping process. Despite the initial adversity, participants demonstrated resilience, finding ways to endure, adapt, and thrive.

Human ; Female ; Child: 6-12 Yrs Old ; Adolescent: 13-18 Yrs Old ; Adolescent Pregnancy ; Pregnancy In Adolescence

The purpose of this study was to investigate pregnancy, abortion and delivery rates among Korean teenagers. The subjects of this study were 11,433 teenagers aged 13-19 year in Seoul, Pusan, Taegu, Kwangju, Insheon, Taejeon and Ansan, Korea. Data were collected from Feb. 1994 to May 1995, 16 months, by schoolnurses or the researchers. The results showed pregnancy rate was 7.2 per 1,000 teenagers, the abortion rate was 4.3 per 1,000 teenagers, and delivery rate was 1.2 per 1,000 teenagers. In the pregnancy experience, the main factors related to teenage pregnancy were love or marriage engagement. In the abortion experience, 53.9% of teenagers had more than two abortion experiences, 38.1% midtrimester abortion, 22% complications after abortion. In the delivery experience, 64.3% of teenagers delivered with no prenatal care and 42.9% had a delay in realizing they were pregnant. Fifty percent were delivered by non-professionals in non-medical institutions.
Abortion, Induced ; Adolescent* ; Birth Rate ; Busan ; Daegu ; Daejeon ; Female ; Gwangju ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Love ; Marriage ; Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Pregnancy Rate ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Prenatal Care ; Seoul

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate sexual behavior, pregnancy and contraception knowledge among teenage. METHOD: The subjects were 627 of teenaged girls from 14 to 19 years old who lived in a capital city. Data was collected by questionnaire surveys used the convenience sampling. The instrument used for this study was contraception knowledge tool. The collected data was analysed by using descriptive statics, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test for post hoc with SPSS program. RESULT: The finding of Sex experience was kiss and petting experience 196 (32%), sex intercourse 44 (7.2%) and pregnancy 6 (1%). Average of contraception knowledge was 3.8 score (total 15). Statically significant general characteristics variable related to sex experience were age, school type, smoking and alcohol use. Statically significant general characteristics variable related to contraception knowledge were age, school type, previous sex education and contraception education. CONCLUSION: These results of this study provided health professional informations to develop intervention programs to reduce teenage pregnancy.
Adolescent* ; Contraception* ; Education ; Female* ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Pregnancy* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sex Education ; Sexual Behavior* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Young Adult

Abortion, Induced ; statistics & numerical data ; Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Sexual Partners ; Single Person ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The steady rise in the number of teenage pregnancies in Los Baños, Laguna was identified as a public health concern that needs to be addressed immediately given the numerous complications to the teenage mother and her infant.

METHODS: The study used a multicomponent strategy which included 1) a survey of Grades 7-12 students, 2) training of midwives, and 3) advocacy for parents to enhance existing projects on teenage pregnancy.

RESULTS: The survey showed that students value the opinion of friends of the same gender but prefer to get information from a health professional.

CONCLUSION: The students did not see their parents as a preferred source of information for sexual health. Approximately one-third of the respondents mistakingly believed that teenagers will never get pregnant during their first sexual encounter. Recommendations include training teachers to provide professional advice, inclusion of more schools for the survey, further training on other counselling techniques, and extension of advocacy to other pertinent sectors of the community.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent (a Person 13-18 Years Of Age) ; Pregnancy In Adolescence ; Public Health ; Sexual Behavior

OBJECTIVETo find out the rate of repeated induced abortion among unmarried abortion women and to study the relevant risk factors.

METHODSFrom July to September 2005, we used the method of hospital based descriptive epidemiological study to investigate 2295 abortion women below 25 years of age in Beijing, Shanghai and Zhengzhou. Case-control study was used as the method. We considered the women with history of repeated abortion as case group (736 women) and considered the women without history of repeated abortion as control group (1559 women).

RESULTSThe mean age of respondents was 21.92 years with minimal age as 15 years. 17.2 % aborted women aged below 20 years with 32. 1% of them were ever having a history of previous induced abortion. Among 736 women with repeated abortion, 75.3 % of them had one time of induced abortion previously, 18.1% having two times, 4.2% having 3 times, 13 women having 4 times and 4 women having 5 times and one even with the maximum of having 8 times of previous abortion. In comparison with control group, the case group had higher rate among women whose first sex was below 18 years (16.2% vs. 9.4% , P<0.01). There were higher rates of women under following conditions: having exposed to sexual behavior for more than 3 years (33.6% vs. 6.6 % , P<0.01), having cohabited with male partner for over 1 year (64.6% vs. 23.9%, P <0.01), having regular sexual life (48.5 % vs. 37. 1%, P < 0.05), having multiple sexual partners (36.0% vs. 15.0%,P<0.01) having unwanted sex (6.0% vs. 3.9%, P<0.05), whose current pregnancy resulted from contraceptive failure (39.3% vs. 31.6%, P< 0.01), having a history of high-risk abortion (30.8% vs. 3.1%, P< 0.01) etc. In comparison with the control group, the case group showed higher rates of male partners not supporting this induced abortion, male partner not participating in decision-making on abortion and male partner not accompanying the female partners to seek for abortion service (rates of the three major factors in case group and in control group were 10.3% vs. 5.9%, P< 0.01, 30.3% vs. 24.0%, and 27.5% vs. 23.5%, P<0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of repeated induced abortion among unmarried abortion women was relatively high. The risk factors for females would include: younger age of sex debut, longer duration from the beginning of first sex to the current abortion, cohabitation, regular sexual life, multiple sexual partners, unwanted sex, contraceptive failure and high risk induced abortion. Meanwhile, unmarried but repeated abortion was related to the differences of gender between males and females and male partner's concern on induced abortion.

Abortion, Induced ; statistics & numerical data ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy in Adolescence ; Pregnancy, Unwanted ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Sexual Behavior ; Single Person ; Young Adult