Essay Sample on Teenage Pregnancy in Rural Areas

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy is a critical socio-medical and economic challenge, not only in developing nations but also in developed countries. Current demographic statistics demonstrates that the prevalence rates of teenage pregnancies are relatively higher in rural areas, as compared to urban communities (Mutanana and Mutara 1). Increasing rates of teenage pregnancies, especially in rural regions is problematic since it hampers the implementation of policies on eradication of literacy levels and empowerment of a girl child, mostly in developing countries. According to the findings by World Health Organization in 2017, about one million girls (10-11 years) and 16 million girls (15-19 years) give birth year, with the largest percentage of pregnancies occurring in rural regions of developing countries. The escalating prevalence rates of teenage pregnancies in rural areas can be resolved once the poor socioeconomic background issues are addressed.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

According to the recent reports by the World Health Organization (WHO), teenage pregnancy is a critical socioeconomic issue across all regions, but it is relatively more prevalent in rural areas as compared to urban areas. Poverty is a primary socioeconomic factor which has highly contributed to the rising cases of teenage pregnancies in rural areas (Mutanana and Mutara 2). The detrimental impact of teenage pregnancy includes deterioration in socio-demographic development of young people and poor maternal and child indices, thus hindering the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in developing African countries. Different factors such as limited sex education, unemployment and failure to access basic needs, are caused by poverty which in turn increases the vulnerability of the teenagers towards early pregnancies.

Poverty levels are higher in rural areas than in urban regions. In 2017, a study was performed in South Africa to establish the relationship between teenage pregnancy in rural areas and poverty. The research revealed that poverty, which is the highest amongst children, is the primary cause of teenage pregnancy in rural areas, which has prompted the government to introduce Child Support Grants (Lambani 172). South Africa typifies countries whose rural areas have high rates of poverty. A high percentage of the pregnant teenagers interviewed in the survey considered Child Support Grants as a temporary solution to the poverty they were facing (Lambani 172). This is an indication that the relevant bodies need to identify suitable policies of eradicating high levels of poverty in rural areas, which are contributing to increasing prevalence rates of teenage pregnancies.

The participants in the study were asked about the factors causing increased birth rate in their community. Responses from participants reveal that CSG has become a motivation for increased childbirth. Ten out of fifteen participants indicated that CSGs increased pregnancies among young women. Whilst the remaining five participants disagreed that CSG was responsible for increased pregnancies (Tangwe and Gatura 5).

In developed countries like the United States, the rates of teenage pregnancies are relatively lower. For example, the prevalence of birth rate in Pennsylvania between 1991 and 2017 reduced by 66%. (State Profile 1). "Although pregnancy rates in rural areas are comparable to urban areas, the availability of teen-focused services is disproportionate..." (Brown 11). As a developed country, US expenditure on adolescent expenditure is more than countries Sub-Saharan regions and some regions in the Middle East and Asia. This implies that developed nations have invested significantly in sex education, both in rural and urban centers, thus leading to a decline in the prevailing rates of teenage pregnancy. For example, in the United States, there are initiatives such as the Teen Outreach program, which focuses on the provision of adolescent-focused care to pregnant and parenting teens. Reports indicate that since the introduction of these programs, teen pregnancy rates in rural areas of Pennsylvania have declined (Brown 12). It follows that the eradication of poverty should be prioritized when it comes to resolving the challenge of teenage pregnancies, especially in rural areas.

Conversely, teenage pregnancy in rural areas is not necessarily caused by socioeconomic factors (poverty) but sociocultural factors. In 2017, Kaphagawani and Kalipeni conducted a study in the Zomba district of Malawi to establish the impact of various sociocultural practices and associated risks on unplanned teenage pregnancies, especially in rural areas (p.4). The research revealed that some of the cultural practices, which are common in the majority of rural communities highly contributed to high rates of teenage pregnancies in rural areas. Early exposure to sex and forced marriages, and taboos against the use of contraceptives were identified to be the primary cause of teenage pregnancy in rural areas (Kaphagawani and Kalipeni 6). Rape and sexual abuse is another factor which promotes teenage pregnancies in rural areas. For example, in Guatemala, higher rates of adolescent pregnancies in rural areas is caused by rape cases, where perpetrators rarely get punished (Reuters 3). This implies that when addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy in rural areas, it is imperative to look beyond the challenge of poverty, by focusing on sociocultural practices in a particular community.

Regardless of a significant decline in teenage pregnancy, especially in developed countries like the U.S., eradication of adolescent birth rates in rural areas should be highly prioritized. There is a need for addressing the detrimental impact of poverty on adolescents since it is identified as the primary cause of teenage pregnancies in rural areas. For example, Latin America, Caribbean and Sub-Saharan countries in Africa are the nations with a higher number of teenage pregnancies in rural areas (Garwood, Mellisa and Katie 4). Through child protection agencies and programs, relevant authorities should intensify their efforts in empowering teenagers. Adequate funds should be channeled towards sex education. Balanced and realistic sex education programs will encourage teenagers to refrain from sexual activities until they are old enough (Garwood, Mellisa and Katie 5). Sex education also advocates for the safer sex practices such as the use of contraceptives amongst the sexually active teenagers.

The preventive approaches towards eradication of the teenage pregnancies in rural areas should involve all stakeholders in the community. Members of the society, especially parents, should take a central role in resolving the issue. Parents are advised to hold regular talks with their children regarding the significance of sex, thus shunning the taboos and stereotypes that are retrogressive (Tangwe and Gatura 6). Involvement of the community will also facilitate sensitization against rape and sexual abuses, which are the leading cause of teenage pregnancies in regions such as Guatemala (Reuters 3). Intensification of the campaigns against early pregnancies in rural areas, which are often conservative on sexual matters, will play an integral role in ending high prevalent rates of teenage pregnancies in rural areas.

Conclusion

Teenage pregnancy in rural areas is a cause of concern for the development of adolescents. Poverty, which hinders the implementation of adequate policies and programs to empower teenagers, is the critical factor contributing to teenage pregnancies, in rural and urban areas, globally. It is therefore imperative to adopt effective socioeconomic approaches, which can promote safer sex practices amongst teenagers to prevent child pregnancies and other health-related complications.

Works Cited

Garwood, Sarah K, Jonson-Reid Melissa and Plax Katie. "More than Poverty-Teen Pregnancy Risk and Reports of Child Abuse Reports and Neglect." Journal of Adolescent Health (2016): 164-168. Print.

Kaphagawani, Caroline and Ezekiel Kalipeni. "Sociocultural factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in Zomba district, Malawi." An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice (2017): 1-20. Print.

Lambani, Nancy. "Poverty the Cause of Teenage Pregnancy in Thulamela Municipality." Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology (2017): 171-176. Web.

Mutanana, Ngonidzashe and Godfrey Mutara. "Factors Contributing to Teenage Pregnancies in a Rural Community of Zimbabwe." Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare (2015): 1-7. print .

Reuters . "Rape fuelling teen pregnancies." Health24 (2016): 1-5. Web.

State Profile . "Pennsylvania Data ." State Profile (2018): 1-3. Web.

Tangwe, Pius and Priscilla Gutura. "Influence of Child Support Grants on Increased Birth Rate among Women of Childbearing Age in Alice Town, South Africa." Journal of HumanEcology (2017): 1-11. Print.