Challenges of underage and unwanted pregnancy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13112/pc.1036Keywords:
PREGNANCY, UNWANTED; PREGNANCY IN ADOLESCENCE; CONTRACEPTIONAbstract
Young girls and adolescents during puberty are exposed to numerous challenges, one of which is certainly underage and unwanted pregnancy, which girls at that developmental age are most often not ready for. The aim of the paper is to raise awareness of the importance of education, support, and systematic changes in solving the problem of underage and unwanted pregnancy. Underage pregnancy refers to a pregnancy in which the pregnant woman is not of legal age, which can vary depending on the country, but usually means 18 years. Inadequate or insufficiently present sex education in schools is a significant problem with underage and unwanted pregnancy. Also, the lack of access to contraception, due to financial circumstances or stigmatization, significantly contributes to this problem. Furthermore, in societies where sexual health topics are taboo, insufficient care for women's reproductive health is expected. It is important to avoid any form of stigmatization of unwanted or underage pregnancy so that the person does not feel ashamed and further damages their mental health. The primary emphasis should be on prevention, promotion of sexual and health education in schools, availability of contraception, and education of young people. When an unwanted or underage pregnancy does occur, emotional and psychological support for the mother is crucial and essential, as she deals with the complex, newly emerging situation and the numerous challenges and emotions at a young age.
References
1. World Health Organization.Adolescent pregnancy. 2024. Dostupno na: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy. pristupljeno 12.2.2025.
2. Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo. Odjel za promicanje spolnog i reproduktivnog zdravlja. Dostupno na : https://www.hzjz.hr/sluzba-promicanje-zdravlja/odjel-za-promicanje-odgovornog-spolnog-ponasanja/vise-o-odjelu/ pristupljeno 21.1.2025.
3. UNFPA. Adolescent pregnancy. UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund [Internet]. Dostupno na: https://www.unfpa.org/adolescent-pregnancy. pristupljeno 21.1.2025.
4. Demirci O, Yılmaz E, Tosun Ö, et al. Effect of young maternal age on obstetric and perinatal outcomes: Results from the tertiary center in Turkey. Balkan Med J. 2016;33:344-9.
5. Darroch JE, Woog V, Bankole A. Adding it up : Costs and Benefits of Meeting the Contraceptive Needs of Adolescents. New York Guttmacher Inst. 2016:1-16.
6. Impactnations rescuing lives. The challenges of teen pregnancy and how to help teen mothers.2020. Dostupno na: https://www.impactnations.com/articles/article-the-challenges-of-teen-pregnancy-and-how-to-help-teen-mothers pristupljeno 21.1.2025.
7. Health Core Clinic. The Physical and Emotional Effects of Teen Pregnancy on the Mother. 2023. Dostupno na: https://healthcoreclinic.org/2023/10/03/the-physical-and-emotional-effects-of-teen-pregnancy-on-the-mother/ pristupljeno 12.2.2025.
8. Kumarjit D, Somnath N, Dilip KD, Niladri B. Exploring challenges of teenage pregnancy and motherhood from beneficiaries and providers’ perspectives: A qualitative study in a rural area of Purba Bardhaman District, West Bengal. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022;11:7272-9. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_689_22.
9. Boath EH, Henshaw C, Bradley E. Meeting the challenges of teenage mothers with postpartum depression: overcoming stigma through support. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2013;31:352–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2013.800635
10. Chakole S, Akre S, Sharma K, Wasnik P, Wanjari MB. Unwanted teenage pregnancy and its complications: A narrative review. Cureus 2022;14:e32662. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32662.
11. Mark DEN, Wu LL. More comprehensive sex education reduced teen births: Quasi-experimental evidence. PNAS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022; 119:e2113144119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2113144119
12. Mreža za izgradnju mira. Spolni odgoj- što možemo naučiti od Nizozemske.2025. Dostupno na:https://www.mreza-mira.net/vijesti/obrazovanje/spolni-odgoj-sto-mozemo-nauciti-od-nizozemske/ pristupljeno 12.2.2025.
13. Pietrasa J, Jarząbek-Bieleckab G, Mizgierc M, Markowskaa A. Adolescent pregnancy – medical, legal and social issues. Adolescent pregnancy – medical, legal and social issues. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2024;37.https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2024.2391490
14. Raya-Diez E, Serrano-Martínez C, Pedro EDS, Montañés-Muro P. Risk factors and social consequences of early pregnancy: A systematic review. SAGE Open 2024;14.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241271324
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kristina Kužnik, Ivana Horvat, Monika Obradović, Daniela Mikić
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
By publishing in Paediatria Croatica, authors retain the copyright to their work and grant others the right to use, reproduce, and share their research articles in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which allows others to distribute and build upon the work as long as they credit the author for the original creation.
