PROBLEM OF UNWANTED PREGNANCY ON ADOLESCENT EDUCATION

1.1 Introduction

An unwanted pregnancy in a girl between the ages of 10 and 19 is referred to as a teenage pregnancy (Kiani et al., 2019). At least 777,000 girls under the age of 15 are born in these locations each year, accounting for almost 11% of all births worldwide (UNFPA, 2022; Ayanaw & Associates, 2017). An estimated 21 million women between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year, and 12 million of them give birth (WHO, 2022). Furthermore, over 90% of these births take place in nations with low and intermediate incomes (Ayanaw et al., 2017). Adolescent pregnancy is an important public health problem and a socio-economic challenge in diverse societies. As a tremendously important problem, this issue has caused major concerns, as it exposes adolescent girls to social isolation and physical and psychological harm.

This chapter will address the background information that motivated this study, the challenges that prompted it, its aim, and its objectives as a preface to subsequent sections of the study. Additional factors include the study's significance, scope, limitations, research questions and hypotheses, and the definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Unwanted adolescent pregnancies are a significant public health issue that provide socioeconomic difficulties for various countries (Osaikhuwuomwan et al., 2013). Pregnant teens and other women have pregnancy-related complications and issues. Furthermore, because they lack the physical strength to support pregnancy and labour, individuals under the age of fifteen are the subject of greater worry (Mayor et al., 2004). Unsafe abortions are performed on about 3.9 million females between the ages of 15 and 19 every year (Darroch et al., 2016). These adolescent mothers are at higher risk than women aged 20 to 24 for eclampsia, postpartum endometritis, and systemic infections (Loto et al., 2004; Ting et al., 2020).

According to Kanku et al. (2010), adolescent pregnancy increases the risk of poor mental health, premature birth, HIV, STDs, impaired schooling, and future unemployment. The main cause of mortality for females aged 15 to 19 in underdeveloped nations, according to the UN, is problems related to pregnancy and delivery. of the 50,000 deaths, UNICEF expects that the majority take place in low- and middle-income nations (WHO, 2022).

According to a research conducted in Indonesia by Rohmah et al. (2020), there are four major factors that influence adolescent pregnancy: age, economic situation, education level, and job status. According to the findings of a 2017 survey conducted in India, more than half of the schoolgirls (52.5%) had a generally positive attitude towards early marriage and pregnancy, whereas 59.6% of the female students had little awareness of these topics (Vandana et al., 2017).

The government and other pertinent parties have developed several initiatives in an attempt to control the incidence of adolescent pregnancy. Preventing and managing early pregnancy in schools is the goal of the Department of Education's (2007) "Measures for the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy" framework. Additionally, the government made Life Orientation a required course in schools. Life Orientation provides students with instruction in life skills; nevertheless, educators' failure to articulate life skills and their incapacity to talk about sex without passing judgement are obstacles to the program's effectiveness (Macleod & Tracey, 2010).

According to the World Health Organisation (2004), a teen is a person who is between the ages of 15 and 19. They stated that this is a time when a person is developing and getting ready for adult responsibilities. They also stated that there are benefits and drawbacks to becoming pregnant while still in your teenage years, with the benefits typically being linked to higher fertility, a healthier pregnancy, and a quicker recovery after giving birth. The drawback is that, just as your social life, education, and training are starting to take off in an intriguing direction, they might all be badly disrupted. Moreso, they said some teenagers are much more capable of looking after a child than the older women because late motherhood or late pregnancy has a greater risk of complications in the pregnancy and reduce fertility. Being older, they said can also be more exhausting looking after growing children.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to identify the Problem of Unwanted Pregnancy on Adolescent Education.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation showed that the worry over unwanted adolescent pregnancies has grown over time as more efforts have been directed towards controlling teenage pregnancies without any signs of immediate effectiveness. The government and other stakeholders have created youth-friendly clinics, conducted campaigns, and made interventions, yet the prevalence rates still increase. Other challenges include:

1. Adolescent girls do not have adequate knowledge of protecting themselves from unwanted pregnancy.
2. Adolescent girls leave school because of unwanted pregnancy.
3. Getting pregnant even when their reproductive organs have not fully developed.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to identify the Problem of Unwanted Pregnancy on Adolescent Education. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To analyze the mentality and awareness of adolescents towards unwanted pregnancy prevention;
2. To explore adolescents’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards unwanted pregnancy; and
3. To explore factors that affects and influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards unwanted teenage pregnancy prevention.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are adolescent girls aware about unwanted pregnancy preventions??
• How do they perceive teenage unwanted pregnancy?
• What are their attitudes toward unwanted pregnancy?
• What knowledge do adolescent girls have with regards to pregnancy?
• What are the factors that affects and influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards unwanted teenage pregnancy prevention?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There are no significant factors that affect and influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards unwanted pregnancy prevention
• H1: There are significant factors that affect and influence adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes towards unwanted pregnancy prevention

1.7 Significance of Study

The importance of this research is in the insights it provides on the best approaches to control and manage teenage pregnancy from the adolescents' own point of view, which are formed via the discussions they have with one another about pregnancy. It is essential to involve teens in the formulation of treatments that are suited to their needs. This ensures that behaviours and messaging are adopted by taking ownership of the intervention.

Furthermore, researchers will greatly benefit from this study, and non-researchers might utilize it to further their own research endeavours. This work advances knowledge and may function as a model for future research.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Problem of Unwanted Pregnancy on Adolescent Education using Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria as a case study.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:

1. Time Constraint:The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
4. Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Adolescents:

It refers to students between the ages ranges of 13 years old to 19 years old in secondary schools.

Sexuality Education:

It refers to the knowledge of participants with regard to sexual activities including safe and protected sexual intercourse, knowledge of STDs, and unprotected sexual intercourse.