Teenage Pregnancy: Chapter 1 Introduction

CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND This chapter deals with the background of the study, hypothesis, importance of the study, scope and limitation, and statement of the problem.
INTRODUCTION
Teenage pregnancy refers to pregnancy in a female under the age of 20. Lack of awareness about the causes and effects of teenage pregnancy is more often than not, a result of lack of proper communication between teenagers and their parents. Government statistics on female adolescent pregnancies indicate that the total number of annual births changed little over the preceding 10 years, but the number of teenage pregnancies rose 70 percent, from 114,205 in 1999 to 195,662 in 2009. The children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely with a low birth weight, predisposing them to many other lifelong conditions. The hardships do not stop at birth for these children. The children are at higher risk and are usually plagued by intellectual, language, and socio-emotional delays.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This study aims the readers to be aware about teenage pregnancy. Some causes of teenage pregnancy are customs and traditions that lead to early marriage (developing countries), adolescent sexual behavior which may also be influenced by alcohol and drugs, lack of education and information about reproductive sexual health including lack of access to tools that prevent pregnancies, peer pressure to engage in sexual activity, incorrect use of contraception, sexual abuse that leads to rape, poverty, exposure to abuse, violence and family strife at home, low self-esteem, and low educational ambitions and goals.
HYPOTHESIS
This research study is entitled ‘Future vs Pleasure’ meaning, this study wants to know the perspectives of people about teenage pregnancy. The researchers want to find out if the students like them are aware of teenage pregnancy. Students need guidance from their parents, in order for them to know the possibilities and their responsibilities when this situation comes to their lives, but this situation can be avoid by not having sexual intercourse with someone, because sometimes they used contraceptives but contraceptives didn’t work. This situation may lead to suicide because of depression.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study is significant to all teenagers, for them to be aware of it, to know the real meaning of teenage pregnancy, and to know how to avoid it. Nowadays, preventing unwanted pregnancy in teenagers has become a high priority for health care purchasers and providers.
SCOPE AND LIMITATION The study ‘Future vs Pleasure’ is conducted inside Technological University of the Philippines- Taguig Campus only. The respondents are the students in the said university.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The study ‘Future vs Pleasure’ is a way of the researchers to find out if the students like them are aware of teenage pregnancy, to know if the students are knowledgeable about it, to know the factor causes it, to know if the students know how to avoid it and to know if their community is conducting seminar about it.