Teenage motherhood and child outcomes: Evidence from South Africa

Background: Child development and life outcomes are partly linked to prenatal and maternal conditions such as mother’s age at birth. Thus, the issue of teenage motherhood has attracted significant concern from researchers and policymakers because of its potential implications for children. The existing literature on effects of teenage motherhood on children is typically limited to weight at childbirth. Other studies are mainly descriptive in nature and do not account for selection bias associated with teenage mothers and their deprived environment resulting in their children also being brought up in similar environment.Aim: This article examined the effects of teenage motherhood on child outcomes, specifically on children’s education, economic well-being, reported health status and body mass index (BMI).Setting: Children (0–14 years) of teenage mothers (less than 20 years at first birth) in National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) data constitute the subjects under investigation in this study.Methods: Using NIDS data, the study applied pooled regression, random effects model and propensity score matching (PSM) technique to examine the effect of teenage motherhood on child outcomes.Results: The study confirms that the PSM method is more robust to selection bias than pooled regression and random effect techniques. The findings from this study reveal that teenage motherhood significantly increases child grade repetition and economic dependency. However, teenage motherhood association with child health and BMI is found to be insignificant.Conclusions: Teenage motherhood has far-reaching effects on children outcomes, thus proactive, reactive and post-active policies and programmes focusing on minimising the effect of teenage motherhood and enhancing children’s welfare are recommended.

The Implementation of an Educational Re-Entry Policy for Girls after Teenage Pregnancy: A Case Study of Public Secondary Schools in the Kuria District, Kenya

<p>A new policy was introduced in Kenya in 1994 that enabled teenage mothers to continue schooling after delivery. The re-entry policy for girls who drop out of school after becoming pregnant while still at school is of international concern. The Kenyan government has already signed numerous international and regional declarations guaranteeing all children the right to education. However, it is not well known to what extent girls are taking advantage of the policy, how aware school mangers are of the policy, and what challenges they meet in its implementation. Little is known in the international literature about the girls‟ experiences in attempting or succeeding in being able to re-enter school. This study investigated the implementation of the re-entry policy for girls after school pregnancy. This study used critical theory in identifying the importance of the study which also aimed to sensitise stakeholders to the issues involved in teenage pregnancy by raising them for discussion. A qualitative method using a case study approach was chosen. Standard open-ended interviews were used to obtain in-depth information from the Ministry of Education (MOE) officials, head teachers, current students, teenage mothers and parents. Data were analysed thematically, using a social constructivist lens. Particular attention was given to the young girls‟ experiences by presenting them as narratives. The study revealed that there are conflicting views as to the value, nature and implementation of the policy. There was a concerning lack of awareness and understanding of both the policy and the guidelines. The findings further showed that many socio-cultural factors were important in preventing young mothers from returning to school. Hence there was a strong desire from the participants to be involved in any discussions about the policy. Findings from this study will help in creating awareness of the policy among all Kenyan stakeholders. The findings provide insights into inclusive policies, valuing and listening to voices not typically heard with an objective to enhancing the education of young mothers in Kenyan schools. They will also help in understanding the challenges in policy implementation in the context of limited resources, diverse viewpoints and expectations, and in studying the problems of pregnancy policy implementation in specific cultural settings. They will also contribute to the literature that calls for more understanding of the experiences of the young mothers.</p>

The Implementation of an Educational Re-Entry Policy for Girls after Teenage Pregnancy: A Case Study of Public Secondary Schools in the Kuria District, Kenya

<p>A new policy was introduced in Kenya in 1994 that enabled teenage mothers to continue schooling after delivery. The re-entry policy for girls who drop out of school after becoming pregnant while still at school is of international concern. The Kenyan government has already signed numerous international and regional declarations guaranteeing all children the right to education. However, it is not well known to what extent girls are taking advantage of the policy, how aware school mangers are of the policy, and what challenges they meet in its implementation. Little is known in the international literature about the girls‟ experiences in attempting or succeeding in being able to re-enter school. This study investigated the implementation of the re-entry policy for girls after school pregnancy. This study used critical theory in identifying the importance of the study which also aimed to sensitise stakeholders to the issues involved in teenage pregnancy by raising them for discussion. A qualitative method using a case study approach was chosen. Standard open-ended interviews were used to obtain in-depth information from the Ministry of Education (MOE) officials, head teachers, current students, teenage mothers and parents. Data were analysed thematically, using a social constructivist lens. Particular attention was given to the young girls‟ experiences by presenting them as narratives. The study revealed that there are conflicting views as to the value, nature and implementation of the policy. There was a concerning lack of awareness and understanding of both the policy and the guidelines. The findings further showed that many socio-cultural factors were important in preventing young mothers from returning to school. Hence there was a strong desire from the participants to be involved in any discussions about the policy. Findings from this study will help in creating awareness of the policy among all Kenyan stakeholders. The findings provide insights into inclusive policies, valuing and listening to voices not typically heard with an objective to enhancing the education of young mothers in Kenyan schools. They will also help in understanding the challenges in policy implementation in the context of limited resources, diverse viewpoints and expectations, and in studying the problems of pregnancy policy implementation in specific cultural settings. They will also contribute to the literature that calls for more understanding of the experiences of the young mothers.</p>

Comparison of Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Teenage and Reproductive Age Pregnancy at Tertiary Hospital in West Java, Indonesia

Aim: This study was aimed to compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes among teenage and reproductive-age pregnancies. Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional study of pregnant mothers in Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, the tertiary referral hospital in West Java, Indonesia. Patients who gave birth during January 2015-December 2018 were included and divided into two groups (teenage and reproductive-age pregnancy). Their medical record data then were evaluated to compare both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Results: The incidence of teenage pregnancy was 10.05%. A total of 3810 patients were recruited. The teenage mothers were 522 subjects and reproductive-age mothers were 3288 subjects. The incidence of eclampsia (5.2% vs 1.9%, p<0.001), anaemia (18.4% vs 14.9%, p=0.040), and preterm delivery (27.2% vs 18.6%, p<0.001) were more frequent in teenage pregnancies. Teenage mothers also had a higher percentage of low-birth-weight babies (42.3% vs 36.2%, p=0.007). Conclusion: Teenage pregnancies also had a higher risk of eclampsia, anaemia, preterm delivery, and having low-birth-weight babies. More efforts to prevent teenage and high-risk pregnancy are needed, especially in rural areas.

Teenage Mothers in Yaoundé, Cameroon—Risk Factors and Prevalence of Perinatal Depression Symptoms

Background: Perinatal depression is defined as a non-psychotic depressive episode occurring during pregnancy or during the first year following childbirth. This depressive disorder is highly prevalent among teenage women but there is a lack of data in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to provide baseline data on the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant teenagers or teenage mothers in an urban zone in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Risk factors were assessed, and prevalence of depressive disorders was determined. Methods: Women aged 20 years old or less in the perinatal period were invited to participate in the study. A total of 1344 women participated in the four-stage data collection process involving a questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic background, an assessment of their risk of perinatal depression using the EPDS questionnaire (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), a clinical interview based on the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and a final section focusing on risk factors of perinatal depression. Results: The EPDS score was obtained for 1307 women. The prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms among teenage or young pregnant women is estimated to be 70.0%. This risk is significantly increased by different factors including unintended or unplanned pregnancy (aOR: 1.33, 1.14–1.56 CI95%), being separated or single (aOR: 1.34, 1.12–1.60 CI95%), experiencing depression and anxiety before childbirth (aOR: 1.50, 1.02–2.27 CI95%), abortion experience (aOR: 2.60, 1.03–7.14 CI95%) and domestic violence (aOR: 1.76, 1.12–2.83 CI95%). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a high prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms within the study population. These findings highlight the need to develop maternal care programs to support both mothers and their infants.

Exploring The Challenges Facing Teenage Mothers in School and How They Cope in the Wa West District

Education is a built-in mechanism that retains its essential value as a human right, not as a static commodity to be viewed in isolation from its larger context. Every person has the right to quality education and the ability to guarantee their human rights are secure for the long term. This research examined teenage mothers' struggles in school. The study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach. Twelve teenage mothers were selected, using a snowball sampling approach. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from these teenage mothers by audio taping. The data was transcribed, pursued and analysed thematically. The research revealed that teenage mothers in school face various difficulties in school, including lack of financial support, poor time management, low self-esteem, and emotional instability. The further revealed that majority of teenage mothers in school employ direct problem solving, cognitive decision-making, understanding, and constructive cognitive restructuring to cope with the challenges they face.

The Effect of Social Skills Training on Self Concept of Teenage Mothers, A case study of Training College in Kenya

Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of social skills training on enhancing self-concept of teenage mothers in Kibera. Because teenage pregnancy is considered as a global issue. A large proportion of teenage mothers give up on themselves and struggle with negative emotions resulting from societal stigma, rejection and isolation from friends and families, which can lead to poor self-concept. Methodology: The study was anchored on person centered theory of Carl Rogers and Bandura`s social cognitive theory. Mixed method sequential explanatory design was adopted for the study. The target population was 150 teenage mothers. Quantitative data was collected from participants using self-concept and social skills questionnaires. An interview guide was used to collect data from one social worker and one school administration for the qualitative study. The data were analyzed utilizing narratives and correlations. We used SPSS version 21 to examine the first round of quantitative data. After analyzing the quantitative data, individuals with mean scores between 1.0 and 2.5 were chosen for the qualitative investigation. Main Finding: The study found out that social skills training has improved self-concept of teenage mothers in Kibera. The qualitative study revealed that teenage mothers go through psychological and emotional challenges in the hands of their parents. The study generally concludes that self-concept of teenage mothers is being affected by lack of psychological support, forgiveness and acceptance from the family. Intervention suggested included being emotionally present, psychological support, and love by parents to teenage mothers. Research Implication: The study's findings suggested that rules on guidance and counseling services for parents and teenage mothers be strengthened in order to improve assertiveness. It is critical for social workers to focus on policy development in low-income households, particularly in the area of education, in order to prevent adolescent pregnancy. Novelty/Originality of this study: Based on the findings, this study proposes a novel approach to dealing with teen pregnancy and offering psychological support. In addition, the parents provide social support and love.