Naidu Calls for Strict Action on Rising Teen Pregnancies

The increasing teen pregnancy cases are raising concern of parents and doctors alike in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu urged the officials to be alert and ensure that the teenage pregnancy average in the state is reduced to 0%. Currently, the teen pregnancy average in AP is at 8.8%

It was found that girls, aged between 13 and 19 years, are failing to achieve their goals, once they are getting trapped in pregnancy and family life. Teen pregnancy would have an adverse impact not only on the state’s progress, but also social and economic systems, said experts.

According to officials, there has been a sharp increase in teen pregnancy cases in all the 25 districts in the state, particularly in the Rayalaseema and coastal regions. Pregnancy is associated with a lot of responsibility. When young girls become pregnant, they not only have to take care of themselves but also of the infants inside their womb. In addition, they also will have to bear the burden of managing the household, if they are married.

Child marriages, rapes or impulsive behavior are leading to pregnancies at a very young age. As the girls are young and cannot take care of their health itself, the child mortality rate was also found to be more in teen pregnancy. Also, both the new mothers and infants were also detected to be suffering from various health issues as the body of the girls is usually not capable of handling the stress due to the pregnancy.

Abortions and C-sections could also have a harmful effect on the health of the young girls. Excessive bleeding during delivery could also lead to death of the young mother. At times, the young girls could also deliver underdeveloped babies as their bodies have not grown completely to support an infant in the womb.

If girls become pregnant, their body would become weak after delivery due to which they would lose interest in living a normal life. Lack of nutrition, and anaemic conditions could lead to underweight issues also. The main factors leading to teen pregnancy is illiteracy and economically poor conditions of families that could prompt the parents to get their daughters married off at a very young age. Other factors include failure of the officials concerned in curbing child marriages.

It is advisable for parents and even the teenage girls to take a proper decision about when to get into the wedlock and start a family, rather than invite more problems by taking hasty decisions in their life.