Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital / by Lynneth A. Hernandez, Marinette B. Revilla, Ma. Carmencita P. Villeta and Marilyn S. Taccad

Special Problem (BS Nursing) Cavite State University.

Includes bibliographical references.

College of Nursing (CON)

HERNANDEZ, LYNNETH A., REVILLA, MARINETTE B., VILLETA, MA. CARMENCITA P., AND TACCAD, MARLYNN S. Factors Associated with Teenage Pregnancy in General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital. Undergraduate Thesis. Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite. April 2007. Advisers : Dr. Josefina R. Rint and Dr. Annie Mojica
A study was conducted among pregnant teens of General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital (GEAMH) in Trece Martires City to determine the factors associated with teenage pregnancy. Specifically, the study aimed to: describe the demographic profile of pregnant teenagers in GEAMH; determine the factors that lead them to their early pregnancy; and identify the coping mechanisms used by teens to deal with their pregnancy. Personal interviews with 80 pregnant teens, under the age of 20, who were having prenatal checkup in GEAMH, Trece Martires City at the time of interview served as the sample respondents of the study. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, mean, range, percentages and rank were used to answer the objectives of the study_ Findings of the study revealed that pregnant teens consulting at GEAMH generally had ages of 16 to 19. They were generally middle-born children in their family and were high. School graduates. There was no clear evidence to suggest that the number of boyfriends that the respondents had, the age of first sexual experience, the frequency of sexual intercourse, the respondents' exposure to coercive dysfunctional family relationships such as poor family interactions and connectedness, the respondents' exposure to physical punishment from their parents may encourage an early pregnancy and premature transition to parenthood amongst teens. Evidence suggests that the risk of a teenage pregnancy was highest amongst women who had early onset of menarche, started dating at the age of 15 to 16, and dated frequently with their boyfriends and performing fairly in schools. Among the family factors, teens who reported distant and problematic relationships with their parents tend to initiate sexual intercourse earlier, which also placed them at higher risk of pregnancy. Disrupted and problematic family relationships such as parents having engaged in prolonged arguments may in various ways place young women at an elevated risk of teenage pregnancy. It was also found out that most pregnant teens had parents whose supervision and monitoring was rather tolerant. Thus, there is a high risk of pregnancy amongst teens when parents are tolerant of their kids. Further, parents who strongly disapprove premarital/teen sex or were strongly against sex outside marriage or who do not talk about sexual matters with their teenage children had teens that were at high risk of being pregnant. In terms of peer factors, the affirmative attitudes of peers towards childbearing and permissive values about sex may have influenced the risk of teenage pregnancy since they were the -primary source of information of teenagers about sex. Pregnant teens also experienced pressure to lose virginity amongst their peers which is a clear indication that peer pressure could increase the risk of pregnancy among teens. As regards to boyfriend characteristics, most pregnant teens never discussed sexual risks, contraception, and pregnancy and STD prevention with their boyfriends. Respondents' boyfriends had limited contraceptive methods used/supported such as withdrawal, contraceptive pill and condoms, which suggest that they were not very open to other forms of contraception and therefore increases the risk of teenage pregnancy. In terms of media factors, television and videos, friends, and movies/films were the most common sources of information of respondents about sex and relationships, which might contribute to the incidence of teenage pregnancy. A large portion of the respondents were able to watch porno films at least once during their teen years which means that they were able to obtain sex information through pornographic films. The most common forms of coping mechanisms adopted by pregnant teens were regular check-up to the doctor, eating several small meals throughout the day than 3 large meals, regular walking, stretching and support from friends and family.

Submitted to the University Library 06/18/2007 SP-3602