PERCEIVED FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Because of the early age at which teenagers participate in sexual activities and the outcome of unplanned and unexpected pregnancies connected with the danger and issue of early motherhood, teenage pregnancy continues to garner growing attention in both developing and developed nations. Adolescents become sexually active at a young age due to a lack of proper knowledge, education, and communication about reproductive health services, as well as the recurring worry in many regions of the globe, resulting in a high frequency of teenage pregnancy today. Around half of the population in many developing nations is under the age of 15. These age groups are more likely to engage in sexual behavior, which has resulted in many teenage pregnancies while also costing the teenager their educational opportunities (Gyan, 2013). In Edo state as a whole, unwed pregnancy and motherhood are discouraged. When a teenage pregnancy is permitted to continue, it might put the health of the young mother at jeopardy due to insufficient parental care. As a result, the woman and her kid will be at a significant danger following delivery. Infanticide, baby abandonment, and child maltreatment may be on the rise as a result of these situations. Pregnancies among teens are causing worry in many developed nations nowadays for these reasons. WHO (World Health Organization) (2000).

According to Van (2007), who believes that economic factors play a role in adolescent pregnancy, teens from lower-income homes are more likely to report having sexual intercourse, regardless of family structure or race. It's also worth noting that teens from single-parent families are more likely to report having a family, especially given Nigeria's current education system's high cost of school fees. These have introduced females to sexual intercourse in order to figure out how to deal with their school price issue. This conduct was sometimes the outcome of a bad familial history. Van went on to say that drug misuse has long been regarded as one of the most serious health and societal issues, with adolescent pregnancies as a consequence of teens engaging in sexual activity without thinking things through because they are under the influence of alcohol.

There are various hazards for newborns born into an environment that lacks life's fundamental necessities, in addition to the risk of being born by a teenage mother. In everyday life, the baby and the mother are frequently at a disadvantage. Teenage women are often portrayed as inept parents (BuchHoiz, 2003), and their children are considered to be at high risk of mistreatment. The degree of danger posed to children by adolescent parents, on the other hand, may be largely influenced by the financial, social, and emotional strains that these families are under. The availability of resources is the most important aspect, followed by support and encouragement. In most industrialized nations, there are several social programs and supports accessible to pregnant teens in acknowledgement of the documented challenges of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood. Family welfare programs are a collection of measures created at the executive level to give tangible assistance and services for the progress of groups and people in order to bring about social change, family planning, education welfare services, food and nutrition, and other issues. The culture and history of a nation, as well as its values, traditions, and social structure, as well as its resources and awareness, influence the shape and substance of a program, as well as its organization and administration. The notion of social health arose from the World Health Organization's (WHO) comprehensive definition of health, which is "a state of full physical, social, and mental well-being of a person, not only the absence of illnesses or infirmities." Man is commonly recognized to be a sociable animal, according to Chijioke (2010), and therefore thrives through socializing with his fellow humans. Similarly, Oguguo (2004) argues that man's nature, which cannot be properly satisfied without inter and intra relationships, has also caused various societal issues, ranging from enmity to others, which have been bred and fostered by the "jet age." According to Ogugo (2004), these issues are the negative consequences of man's social awareness, which health educators have labeled social health. According to Asogwa (2000), some of these social health concerns are referred to as social health difficulties. This is because, in his opinion, their solution necessitates community involvement, professional expertise, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and more effort and time. Teenage pregnancy, drunkenness, drug addiction, and sexual promiscuity, among other social health issues, are often connected with teenagers, according to Nwachukwu (2009).

According to Chauhan (1999), development is a continuous process that starts at conception in the mother's womb and continues until death. Adolescence, on the other hand, is the era of life that occurs between the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. According to Njoku (2008), adolescence is the period of time when boys and girls psychologically, emotionally, socially, and physically transition from childhood to maturity. The duration of the time varies by culture and encompasses the adolescent years. Ene and Nnamani, who are in their teenage years in Nigeria, are between the ages of 12 and 20. (2000). The majority of teens go through a phase of fast development known as the adolescent growth spurt. The development of reproductive organs, as well as secondary sex traits including breast expansion in females, beards in boys, and the advent of pubic hairs in general, accompany this growth. Puberty, characterised by the formation of sperm cells in males and ovum and subsequent menstruation in girls, concluded these changes. Adolescents experience both pride and humiliation as a result of the physical changes that follow sexual maturity. According to Ajiboye (2007), adolescence is a time when children acquire heterosexual emotions. This kind of emotion might contribute to a child's developing a strong attachment to others. This might explain why teenagers desire to go out, participate in social activities, attend religious services, and put on a variety of personal displays. Such adolescent social interactions produce an environment conducive to personal emotions, love, and even sexual intercourse. The sex hormones already in their bloodstreams act as a great force in their bodies, causing them to have sex desires and cravings.

The field of sex is one where urge regularly clashes with moral norms, and violations of these values may result in significant emotions of guilt. This is particularly true if the consequence is an illicit pregnancy in an adolescent. However, in a traditional Nigerian culture, sex is seen as highly intimate and exclusive, and any thoughtless or reckless allusion to it, whether in words or acts, is considered immoral and irresponsible. As a result, there seems to be an unspoken prohibition against making blatant references to sex. As a result, females avoided pre-marital sex since it was considered a virtue for both the bride and groom to be free of sexual actions until after married. This limited attitude toward sexual manifestations and involvement was also expanded by Christianity. According to Nnadi (2003), missionaries established and ran schools and enforced extremely strict standards of behavior on heterosexual activity. The goal of the mission was to prevent youngsters from admitting any form of sex activity, which was seen as unethical and a transgression against God. The situation altered dramatically following the civil war, when the Nigerian federal and state governments took control of schools. Many co-educational institutions were developed to provide greater opportunity for young boys and girls to connect with one another. It's worth noting that, according to Ngwu (2005), the Western World had embraced a profoundly free societal attitude about sex previous to this age. He noticed that sexual intercourse has been glorified and marketed, and that all forms of behavior, including nudity, homosexuality, and premarital sex, may be freely and openly exhibited. As a result, according to Ngwu (2005), pornographic periodicals, blue films, and love literature and novels, among other things, are nearly authorized nowadays. These may explain why Okoro (2010) found that the effects of civil war, as well as the establishment of corresponding viability of satisfactory knowledge and acceptance of birth control methods, increased the incidence of teenage pregnancy, abortions, veneral diseases, drug addictions, promiscuity, and other social health problems. According to Onyia (2000), the pregnant adolescent is typically maladjusted because she believes she has done a crime, and as a result, she feels humiliated, guilty, and is not always accepted by friends, parents, relatives, and even society to some level. Teenage pregnancy is one of the causes behind today's high incidence of school dropout. According to Castle (2009), pregnant teens commit a disproportionate amount of studies all across the globe. In addition, teens who are compelled to marry due to pregnancy in society are subjected to brutality and mistreatment. He went on to list the following elements that are linked to adolescent pregnancy. These include social, economic, psychological, and teenage sexual behavior and its effects. According to Singh (2010), teenagers have a natural predisposition to participate in impulsive behavior due to their developmental stage and lack of understanding at the time. This act raises the risk of sexual activity even more.

Teenage pregnancies do not happen by itself; they are heavily influenced by a variety of multi-dimensional circumstances. Some scholars have suggested economic, social, and psychological reasons as probable causes of adolescent pregnancy. However, empirical proof is required. This research is aimed at determining the variables that cause teenage pregnancies among secondary school students in Edo State in order to determine the factors that cause teenage pregnancies among secondary school students in Edo State.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

According to Ude (2010), following the civil war in Nigeria, the rate at which teens get pregnant has increased dramatically. According to him, the situation grew in scope over time, and others became aware of these youngsters' rowdy behavior. According to Igiebor (2009), the pervasiveness of moral decadence has transformed sex, which was once considered taboo, into a symbol of sophistication in modern societies. Explicit expression of sexuality in various forms, as well as sexually suggestive music, is permitted, simulating teenagers' curiosity and resulting in teenage pregnancy.

Concerned people carried out health education and preached against these blatant expressions of sexuality, but none of these efforts had significant results in terms of halting the threat. Rather, Aneke (2012) claims that many more teens are drawn to "goodies" and are completely introduced into heterosexual relationships, resulting in a rise in the number of teenagers becoming pregnant each year. According to Nokidu (2011), the problem is quite serious, as teen pregnancies continue to rise.

According to Ani (2010), adolescent parenting is a mirror of society. Ani went on to say that it is a regular event that is quickly attempting to become a part of our society rather than a taboo. According to Ezugwu (2000), youths who are victims of this condition are frequently ashamed, agitated, and disappointed, and become completely detached and disillusioned with life. He came to the conclusion that those who would be leaders' futures are completely shattered. As a result, the purpose of this research is to look at the variables that are thought to be responsible for adolescent pregnancies among secondary school students in Edo state.

1.3   OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The major objective of this study is to examine the perceived factors responsible for  teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state. Specifically, this study will be guided by the following:

1.      To examine if parents economic status is responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state.

2.      To evaluate the effect of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students on their academic performance in Edo state.

3.        To ascertain if adolescent sexual behaviour is responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state

4.     To find out the strategies to curb teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions have been prepared for the study:

1.        Do  parents economic status is responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state?

2.        What are the effect of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students on their academic performance in Edo state?

3.        Is adolescent sexual behaviour responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state?

4.        What are the strategies to curb teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state?

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research will be of immense significance to teachers, social workers, government and the students as well as school administrators. The findings generated by this study would help the government to use all available resources to organize a programme to educate both parents and the youths on needs and importance of sex education. This programme will go a long way to discourage early marriage and teenage pregnancy among the youths, which will in turn, stand to develop the youths and make them to be useful to the society at large.

This study will be of interest to the students who are the future of the nation, because the study of this nature will expose them to the bad implication of teenage pregnancy and this will motivate them to see reasons of studying and forsake anything like distraction among their peers.

Furthermore, the findings of this study will help the social workers in the area of counseling to know the absolute counseling activities and techniques needed to adopt for the benefit of the students. This will help school authorities and administrators to know the economic (monetary) needs of their students and communicate same to their parents on their economic responsibilities towards their wards in the secondary school during the Parent-Teachers-Association (P.T.A) meetings. Finally, this will also help social scientists to identify the causes of this social problem called teenage pregnancy and proffer lasting solution to the problem.

1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine if parents economic status is responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state. The study will also evaluate the effect of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students on their academic performance in Edo state. The study will further ascertain if adolescent sexual behaviour is responsible for teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state. Lastly, the study will find out the strategies to curb teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Edo state. Hence the study is delimited to some selected secondary schools in Benin city, Edo state.

1.7   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

Just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data.

Financial constraint, was faced by  the researcher, in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher.

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