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Teenage Pregnancies in Nigeria: Causes, Risks and Effects.
The sight of a pregnant girl is not a rare one in Nigeria, where young people constitute almost half of the entire population. Teenage pregnancy describes the occurrence of pregnancy in human females between the ages of 10 to 19 years.
Early marriage, especially in Northern Nigeria, Poverty, Lack of Education, Sexual assault (high incidence across the entire country), and Poor access to medical care have been implicated in the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the country.
Needless to say, a pregnant teenage girl faces a lot of medical, social and economic risks. According to National Institutes of Health, a pregnant teen has a higher risk of :
- Preeclampsia.
- Anemia.
- STDs.
- Premature delivery
- Low birth weight babies.
- Postpartum depression especially if there is a history of sexual assault, abuse, and poverty.
- Interrupted education.
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EFFECTS TO THE BABY:
- High risk of neonatal death.
- Low birth weight.
- Poor nutrition.
- Exposure to domestic abuse and social vices.
- Poor education and quality of life.
WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR A PREGNANT TEEN?
- Ensure access to quality antenatal and postnatal care.
- Solicit for support from family members
- Offer financial help if needed.
- Provide professional guidance and counselling services.
