TEENAGE PREGNANCY AND ITS EFFECTS ON ACADEMICS

CHAPTER ONE

PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

1.1              INTRODUCTION

The number of teenagers giving birth each year is shocking. In fact of the slight more than 10% of young mothers are teenagers. Nigerian birth rate for adolescent is one of the highest in the world and the prevalence among female adolescent in Nigeria of sexually transmitted infection including HIV is increasing rapidly. In an effect to reduce her high pregnancy rate by teenagers including other problems, Nigerians developed a national reproduction health policy in the year 2000 that focuses on preventing risk sexual behavior during adolescent (national Population Commission) Nigeria demographic and health survey 2004, Abuja Nigeria Commission 2006.

1.2   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In Nigeria, pregnancy and motherhood mark the end of school attendance and by 16 years,  21% of female adolescent are either pregnant or have given birth. Teenagers face daily pressure from peers, they are exposed to the influence of Television, movies, the music industry and internet etc. Unfortunately young ones are too inexperienced to handle the consequences of pregnancy.

1.3              STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

This research work is to look into the causes of teenage pregnancy among female students and its effects on academics. Millions of children return from school to an empty house because both parents are of the working class, which exposes many teenagers to lack of parental care. Dysfunction families have set the stage for pregnancy. Many parents feel that their young ones will be taught sex education in school while the schools have failed to meet that demand. So good the foundation of sex education both in school and at home, there is also the powerful influence of the media on teenagers because the usually tend to practice these behaviours in real life and have multiple sexual partners. In our computer age, children do not need to have computer in their homes before using an internet as mobile phones have internet connectivity, the use of the internet have increased in many country including Nigeria and sexual materials of all kinds are easily accessible through it. Unsupervised internet use may expose teenagers to pornographic and sex chart room, some teenagers are willing to accept sex if they are paid and some adult encourage teenage sex by deliberately taking advantages of their being poor.

Most parents fail to understand their children and do not have a close relationship with their children as a result; the children find it difficult to confide in their parents.

1.4     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

School age girls who have become pregnant come from all socio-economic classes, all race, and all part of the country. The purpose of this study therefore is designed to help many youth who face the dilemma of unwanted parenthood as well as practical suggestions for adolescents in avoiding the pitfalls of being pregnant and becoming parents suddenly.

1.5              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Is there any significant difference between negligence of children by parents and teenage pregnancy?

1. Is there any significant difference between knowledge of sex education either in school or at home and teenage pregnancy?
2. Is there any significant difference between exposure to media or computer and teenage pregnancy?
3. Is there any significance difference between parental background and teenage pregnancy?
4. Is there any significant relationship between teenage pregnancy and academic performance?
5. Is there any significance difference between peer group influence and teenage pregnancy?

1.6              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The necessity to have teenagers make the right decisions pick appropriate findings, view others with value or importance and become better mothers and fathers. Now that there is much controversy and confusion as regard sex and morals, this has made this study relevant to our moral society.

1.7              SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The study has weakness of limitation that may affect its result or interpretation. Non-random selection of participants in some schools may have resulted in a sample that did not present the population of secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. Furthermore, although Oruk Anam Local Government Area differs from other Local Government Areas in the country, students differ and their sexual behaviours and families differ. The study collected data from adolescents, in schools where less than third of those that attend the schools are adolescents; the result cannot be generalized to all adolescents nationwide. Finally, the study was strenuous, time consuming and there was lack of finance for transportation as a result of high cost of petroleum product and bad roads.

1.8              DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Adoption:   That act or process of adopting a child.

Abortion: Is the removal of expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus resulting in or caused by death.

Adolescent: A young person age 10-14 years.

Curiosity: The desire to know above a lot of different things.

Pregnancy: The condition of being pregnant or the period of time when a woman is pregnant.

Promiscuous: Having sex with a lot of people.

Peer Pressure: A strong pressure imposes by peer group.

Peer: Some one of the same age group, social class etc.

Sex Education: Education in school or at home about the physical processes and emotions involved in sex.

Teenage Motherhood: Someone who give birth between the age of 13 and 19 or a girl who give birth at her teenage age someone who is between 13 and 19 years old.