CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria is a fast developing nation in all aspects of sophistication which should not be limited to building structures but with how people think, reason, feel and understand among their fellow human beings. The period of physical, social, and psychological development of the child, which extends from the ages of about 13 to 20 years is ordinarily referred to as the teenage years or the period of adolescence. Physically this period is characterized by a rapid spurt of growth, the maturing of the reproductive system, and the development of secondary sex characteristics. Various endocrine glands are exerting strong influence during these years. A girl is considered to have reached puberty when she has her first menstrual period which usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 14 years. Socially children of this age group like adventures and sometimes make approaches to members of the opposite sex for friendship. As they interact with their mates they admire gangs which they use to taste some items enjoyed by adults such as cigarettes, marijuana, beer and sometimes attempt sexual activities. According to Akimgba (1977), teenage pregnancy is described as a pregnancy that occurs during the teenage period (i.e. between 13 – 19 years of age) regardless of whether the teenager is married or not. Pauls (1974) is of the option that all early marriages, from 13 – 20 years, in which pregnancy occurs is inclusive in the teenage pregnancy. McCarthy (1979) opined that teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy that is unplanned and sporadic in the teen years i.e. (13 – 19 years).In this study teenage pregnancy will be defined as an out–of – wedlock pregnancy (i.e., pregnancy outside marriage) occurring in a teenager. Teenage pregnancy is generally regarded by a greater percentage of Nigerians and people all over the world as a grave social and moral problem that often results in shame and distress to the teenager, discrimination against her, an illegitimate child for her, and the added responsibility and expense to the teenager’s family and the society in general (Row, 1966). In some communities, tribes, and societies, where a girl must prove that she is fertile before she can be married by a man, teenage pregnancy might be seen as a moral course of the event. A typical example is in the Daura Local Government Area of Kastina State where it is being practiced. (Kola, 1991). In very many other societies in Nigeria, it is seen not only as a social problem but as a taboo as well as a family disaster. In other words, teenage pregnancy as perceived by different groups of people and communities is informed by the norms and values of the people in question. In obstetrics, pregnancy in the teenage period is classified under ‘at risk’ because the teenager is not fully mature to undergo the stress of labour as the pelvis is not yet very adequate. The pelvis forms a bony canal through which the fetus must pass during the process of birth. If the pelvis is not mature, and adequate, it will be difficult for the baby to pass through during labour. With a pelvis that is not fully developed, the pregnant teenager as she approaches labor, is faced with the danger of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and recto – vaginal fistula (RVF), VVF occurs as a result of prolonged and difficult labour, and there forms an abnormal opening between the bladder and vagina while RVF is an abnormal opening between the rectum and vagina. In either case, there is leakage of urine or feces into the vagina. These conditions are usually very distressing and uncomfortable to the young woman. Pregnancy at this stage is a burden rather than a joy both to the teenager and her family, probably because it was generally unplanned and sporadic. This is in contrast to a pregnancy that is planned and is received with joy. An adult who is married expects her baby with joy, buys things, and waits in anticipation. She keeps herself in good physical and mental condition by going to antenatal clinics in order to have a live baby without complications. Some pregnant teenagers may even try to remove the baby or terminate the pregnancy by the use of dangerous drugs and by criminal abortion. This puts the life of the mother and baby at risk in that the mother may die during the attempt or lose a lot of blood or have irreparable life–long damage of the reproductive organs or the intestines. If fortunately, labour goes well, the baby might fall victim to abandonment in a bush or may be given to motherless babies home or even for rituals. The teenager might also engage in a marriage that is unplanned or runs away from home and join the band of prostitutes or robbers. However, this period in life is usually the time most teenagers are in secondary school or even university. Pregnancy at this time costs the teenager her education in which she might not have the opportunity of schooling again as a result of dismissal from school, which is usually the case. Enugu North Local Government which was chosen for this study is situated in the heart of Enugu metropolis and has all the characteristics of most urban cities which include promiscuity and indulgence of the youth in exercise smoking, drinking, and gambling.

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