If we as a nation are to break the cycle of poverty, crime and the growing underclass of young people ill equipped to be productive citizens, we need not implement effective programmes to prevent teen pregnancy, but we must also help those who have already given birth so that they become effective, nurturing, bonding parents.
– Jane Fonda, American actress and political activist
Teen pregnancy is considered a somewhat taboo topic to discuss in our country. According to reports, the numbers have been declining over the years for the country overall, however for Sarawak, the numbers have been increasing since 2012.
In 2018, the number of teenage pregnancies rose to 2,153 cases from 2017, which in contrast, had 2,130 cases. This is a 1.08 per cent rise in cases, or 23 cases, since 2017 (Social Development Council, 2018).
For some, the numbers may seem as if the problem is not worrisome, however, if not dealt with correctly, it may snowball out of control. For many, there is fear that these numbers will continue to rise.
In 2018, Kuching recorded 556 cases of teen pregnancies. This is a 49.5 per cent increase compared to 2017, which only had 372 cases. Last week, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, added that the rising number of teen pregnancy is a cause to be alarmed, and thus needs to be dealt with accordingly.
The problem with teen pregnancy is that it brings with it more problems. Pregnant teens usually drop out of school once it is known to many that they are pregnant, whereas some will drop out from school due to expulsion, or to raise the child.
This is problematic as most of these teens do not come from a well-to-do family, and usually do not have anyone else supporting them. This will cause them to be trapped in the cycle of poverty, and unable to advance economically.
Another thing is that some of these teen pregnancies are a result of rape as well as incest.
Due to the law in Malaysia, where government hospitals are strictly prohibited from performing abortions, the only other option that these desperate teens have is abortion in secret.
Private hospitals do provide the service, however as most teens undergo these procedures in secret, they usually shun going to clinics for fear of their parents finding out.
Instead, they tend to choose to purchase shady abortion pills online. Many of these pills turn out to be toxic substances, which lead to the death of both mother and child. At times, these teens will decide to use traditional methods, such as consuming pineapples or drinking coke.
When all does not succeed, things then tend to take a turn for the worse, and this is where the horrific action of baby dumping comes in.
If this problem is not dealt with appropriately, it may result in the loss of young workforce, which will have detrimental impacts on our country. What can we do in order to tackle this problem?
First of all, sexual education should be made compulsory in all secondary schools. Nowadays, with so many sexually suggestive and raunchy scenes in the mainstream media, it is expected that the teens who witness this will feel curious and be compelled to experience the “scenes” for themselves.
It is also important to note that adolescents will typically be more curious and experimentative during the teenage years, as most of them would be undergoing puberty.
Curiosity, coupled with raging hormones, is more the reason why they must be properly educated about their bodies.
Secondly, proper help and counselling should be given to these pregnant teens. By right, they should be allowed to continue their studies, and should also be convinced to do so.
Such counselling can or may touch on subjects such as after birth care and so on, so that the teens may make a swift recovery and return to studying after labour.
Campaigns that shine a light on teen pregnancy may also prove useful. These campaigns may advocate mandatory sex education, as well as bring awareness to this teenage pregnancy problem that is sweeping the nation.
Campaigns and school programmes such as the Social Intervention Programme: Sexual Education Advocation and Awareness programme that the state government has recently held in numerous state secondary schools aims to tackle the teen pregnancy problem once and for all.
It is vital that we nib the issue in the bud, as the wellbeing of our youth as well as the state may be at risk. These teens must be given proper guidance to ensure a good quality of life, and become useful members of society, for the future of our nation.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
