ABSTRACT
Teenage pregnancy may have a huge negative social and medical influence on mothers’ and children’s health globally. Compared to adult primigravida, young women experience more harmful perinatal problems, such as premature births, neonatal fatalities and stillbirths, and the delivery of children with low birth weight. With negative perinatal outcomes, in The Philippines, teenage pregnancy is still a widespread and important public health issue that needs urgent attention. One of the main causes of mortality for females between the ages of 15 and 19 is pregnancy and delivery problems. The health of young women in the Philippines is, therefore, seriously threatened by adolescent pregnancies. Neonatal and maternal difficulties are more common when a teen gets pregnant. To bring about change, avert problems, and lower the risk of maternal death, specialized antenatal care (ANC) and health education are crucial. To prevent this, there is a need to focus on teenage education regarding safe sexual practices and pregnancy complications.
CAUSES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY
Teenage pregnancy is a common problem that is more likely to affect vulnerable populations due to factors including poverty, illiteracy, and a lack of job prospects. It continues to be a significant factor in infant mortality and maternal mortality, as well as intergenerational cycles of illness and poverty. Teenage pregnancy incidences were shown to be mostly caused by a lack of education, lack of access to contraception and health information, and autonomy in making decisions. Teenage pregnancy is greatly influenced by early marriage, rape, or sexual abuse of married or unmarried females. Unwanted births and the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are both facilitated by the partner’s refusal or resistance to use any kind of contraception
EFFECTS OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY
For a young mother and her child, life may be challenging. Teenage moms are more likely to leave school for childcare compared to other females. Due to her little schooling, a teen mother may lack the skills necessary for work, making it challenging for her to find and maintain a career and establish her source of income. Young mothers who have children may become financially dependent on their families or government support. The aforementioned factors make teen mothers more likely to be poor. Whatever the circumstances, becoming pregnant is a challenge for every woman. The crisis, however, is far more intense for the teenager since it adds yet another degree of complexity to a physically and emotionally stressful time. Due to financial strain, societal stigmas, or a lack of support from her family and community, the young mother may also experience mental health problems, including stress, sadness, and suicidal thoughts. They encounter loneliness, guilt that causes stress and despair, poor self-esteem that causes them to lose interest in their studies, few career opportunities, and a lack of a support system
ANEMIA
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anemia is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin or red blood cells. Hemoglobin levels under 7 g/dL are considered severe anemia during pregnancy, moderate anemia is defined as 7-9.99 g/dL, and mild anemia is defined as levels under 11 g/dL. Due to the higher iron requirements during a specific stage of fast growth where significant biological changes are taking place, pregnant teenagers are more likely to experience anemia. This may result in iron deficiency, which might harm both fetuses and teenagers physically and cognitively. The WHO recommends that beginning of pregnancy and continuing for three months after delivery, every pregnant woman should take a preventative supplement containing 40 mg of elemental iron.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
Hepatitis B, trichomoniasis, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, herpes simplex viruses, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are STIs that are frequently spread during teenage sexual contact. Vertical transmission of these STIs can cause injury to the fetus. Due to a lack of early sex education, adolescents are noticeably more vulnerable to STIs. Additional elements contributing to the spread of diseases include drug usage, gender, socioeconomic inequalities, and false beliefs among teenagers.
PREECLAMPSIA
Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder characterized by increasing hypertension that can affect several organs and have adverse consequences on both the mother and the fetus, is more prevalent in young mothers, particularly those who are primigravid. Since an underdeveloped uterus and irregular menstrual cycles might affect decidualization, deep placentation, and spiral artery remodeling, preeclampsia can be connected to these conditions. The only effective therapy for preeclampsia is the delivery of the fetus. Fetal prematurity can be a major issue if preeclampsia develops before 37 weeks of pregnancy. To avoid the major side effects of the illness, preeclamptic women must undergo attentive screening and monitoring of signs and symptoms
MEMBRANE RUPTURE
According to the definition, premature membrane rupture is when the membranes of the sac burst before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Some of the numerous elements that may contribute to the pathophysiology include race and social position, smoking, sexual behavior, malnutrition, vaginal bleeding, and genital tract infections. Girls in adolescence are more prone to infections that result in membrane rupture by raising inflammatory markers such as interleukins and prostaglandins. Adolescent girls had much higher rates of premature membrane rupture, according to a study’s findings. Additionally, it should be emphasized that teenage girls had a higher rate of preterm membrane rupture during term births. Membrane rupture can be diagnosed by direct speculum inspection, detecting leaking amniotic fluid, nitrazine test, crystallography, and ultrasound. Premature membrane rupture can be effectively managed with the support of the mother’s use of antibiotics, gestational age-appropriate corticosteroid dosage, magnesium sulfate for fetal neuroprotection, tocolytic medications, and the best time and mode of delivery.
NEONATAL COMPLICATIONS/LBW
A frequent issue with pregnancy at a young age is preterm birth. Prematurity is a contributing factor to the physical, mental, behavioral, auditory, visual, and social-emotional development abnormalities as well as respiratory emergencies, immunological diseases, and central nervous system diseases in children. Preterm birth is the delivery of a child before 37 weeks of gestation, according to the WHO.
Another often-occurring side effect of teenage pregnancy is LBW. LBW is defined as a birth weight of 2,500 g or less at delivery by the WHO [28]. Proper dietary supplements, along with routine, on-time checkups, must be taken into consideration to prevent LBW. During teenage pregnancies, neonatal mortality is higher. Infant fatalities that occur within the first 28 days of life are referred to as “neonatal mortality”. Mothers and infants should get extra care and nutrition in order to lower neonatal mortality.