Teenage Pregnancy in Malaysia
TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN MALAYSIA
Introduction
News headlines such as “The trials of teen mothers” and “Teen probed for throwing baby from window” can be seen in our papers every other week as we are faced with the ever-growing problem of teenage pregnancy. In most reported cases, these hapless young women even attempt to abandon their new-borns in the most harrowing ways. Sexuality without social maturity often leads to pregnancy. These mothers are at high risk of not finishing school which often leads to them and their children living in poverty. Teenage pregnancy has become a rampant social issue and it has emerged to become a very disturbing trend in Malaysia. A large number of girls have seek help from the Welfare Department about their predicament. Why has this social issue decreased rapidly in the last few years? Is there any co-contributing factor that has allowed this social problem to cause so much concerned to many people in Malaysia? We shall look into all the aspects and dissect the theories and approach behind this social issue that has plunged our society with devastation.
Definition of Teenage Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is defined as a teenage girl, usually within the ages of 13-19, becoming pregnant. The term in everyday speech usually refers to girls who have not reached legal adulthood, which varies across the world, who become pregnant. A pregnancy can take place at any time after puberty, with menarche (first menstrual period) normally taking place around the ages 12 or 13, and being the stage at which a female becomes potentially fertile. Teenage pregnancy depends on a number of societal and personal factors. Teenage pregnancy carries social stigma in many cultures of a developing country and it is mostly outside of marriage. It brings about high risk of
Introduction
News headlines such as “The trials of teen mothers” and “Teen probed for throwing baby from window” can be seen in our papers every other week as we are faced with the ever-growing problem of teenage pregnancy. In most reported cases, these hapless young women even attempt to abandon their new-borns in the most harrowing ways. Sexuality without social maturity often leads to pregnancy. These mothers are at high risk of not finishing school which often leads to them and their children living in poverty. Teenage pregnancy has become a rampant social issue and it has emerged to become a very disturbing trend in Malaysia. A large number of girls have seek help from the Welfare Department about their predicament. Why has this social issue decreased rapidly in the last few years? Is there any co-contributing factor that has allowed this social problem to cause so much concerned to many people in Malaysia? We shall look into all the aspects and dissect the theories and approach behind this social issue that has plunged our society with devastation.
Definition of Teenage Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is defined as a teenage girl, usually within the ages of 13-19, becoming pregnant. The term in everyday speech usually refers to girls who have not reached legal adulthood, which varies across the world, who become pregnant. A pregnancy can take place at any time after puberty, with menarche (first menstrual period) normally taking place around the ages 12 or 13, and being the stage at which a female becomes potentially fertile. Teenage pregnancy depends on a number of societal and personal factors. Teenage pregnancy carries social stigma in many cultures of a developing country and it is mostly outside of marriage. It brings about high risk of