FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL FEMALE STUDENTS IN ODEDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Teenage pregnancy is the pregnancy of young immature girls of secondary school age, usually ranging from thirteen to nineteen years of age (Oguguo, 1996). It is usually that pregnancy which occurs between the onset of puberty and late adolescence. This is a period characterized by great sexual drive in both boys and girls. It is also described as an out of wedlock pregnancy. According to Maliki (2012), teenage pregnancy is considered not a blessing but a curse. This is so because most of the children of these pregnancies will grow up fatherless and at high risk of various social and behavioural problems, while the education and work lives of their mothers will be impaired. Jessor (1982) agreed that engaging in socially appropriate and undesirable behaviour is one aspect of developmental transition of adolescents. This explains why adolescents or teenagers become overwhelmingly infatuated in love with the opposite sex. Oguguo (1996) posited that teenage pregnancy is usually frowned at by members of the society and that it normally results into indifferent attitude from the society to the pregnant person in question but also makes pregnancy an unhappy thing for unmarried girls.

Globally, people regard teenage pregnancy as a social and moral problem which often results in shame and distress to the teenager, discrimination against her illegitimate child, and added responsibility and expenses to the teenagers’ families and society in general. Indeed teenage pregnancy results from accidents and therefore, is seen as a social problem (Oguguo, 1996). In the past times, pregnancy was limited to married couples but this has changed. Today, some teenage pregnancies and teen births are to unmarried girls. These girls lack maturity, the skills and the assistance that are necessary for good parenting. Teenagers engage in more sex at earlier ages and without contraceptives. Guttmacher Institute (2004) revealed that 60% of girls have their first sexual intercourse before their 13th birthday.

Teenage pregnancy is an important public health problem as it oen occurs in the context of poor social support and material well being. Poverty leads to teenage pregnancy sometimes, young girls are forced to engage in sex as a means of paying the debts which the parents borrowed and promised to pay back or give their daughters which are between the age of thirteen and fourteen years to marriage. In most cases, this is done without the consent of the child and some parents are so poor that they cannot aord to pay for the education of their children. In such cases, where financial capacity is limited the boys are given preference since they will inherit their parents’ assets and keep the family name and the girls are married out early to provide money for the education of the boys. Religion is another major factor that influences teenage pregnancy. In some countries in the world, education of female children is considered a ‘taboo’ because of religious indoctrination. In the Northern part of Nigeria, for example, female children are usually given out for marriage prematurely (I.e. before 18 years) because of the associated ‘bride price’. Female children are thus considered as tickets for wealth making in this part of the country. Other causes include childhood environment, media influences, sexual abuse, lack of proper sex education, among others.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Morbidity, health and social problems from teenage pregnancies need not to be overemphasized. Teenage pregnancy has medical, psychological and social implications and can be for teenagers which are the beginning of social deviance. This study is therefore highly relevant as it will allow intervention to reduce risk behaviour among teenagers. It is against this background that this study sought to ascertain the factors responsible for teenage pregnancy among selected secondary school female students in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State.

1.3. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors responsible for teenage pregnancy among selected secondary school female students in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State. This study is also to: 1 . Access the difference between negligence of children by parents and teenage pregnancy. 2. Examine the difference between knowledge of sex education and teenage pregnancy. 3. Investigate the difference between exposures of teenagers to information communication technology and teenage pregnancy. 4. Access the difference between parental background and teenage pregnancy. 5. Examine the difference between peer group influence and teenage pregnancy.