CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Adolescenes is a sage where teenagers adjust in their peers rather than with their

parents due to strong peer pressure. Early Adolescenes also represent the period of

sexual maturation. One of the issue that they encounter is teenage pregnancy which

causes dropouts among female secondary students (Brindis and Philber 2003).

Teenage pregnancy is one of the major factors that affect population growth

in the Philippines. It is considered as one of the major problems of the Government

statistics records, teenage pregnancy cases rise up to 70% over 10 years only.

These alarming cases caught the attention of some lawmakers. The very best

example solution that the government made this year was the passage of RH Bill or

the Reproductive Health Bill. This bill aims to free access of use of contraceptives,

fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care. has raised large numbers of

campaigns and awareness to lessen its occurrence. The total number of this

phenomenon is increasing each year. Philippines is one of the Asian countries

which shares similar situation. In a study conducted by the National Demographic

and Health Survey in 2013, one out of every young Filipino women age 15 to 19 is
already a mother or pregnant with a first child. Therefore, the government in

partnership with the different non-government agencies should exert efforts in

resolving this issue. Teenage Pregnancies are often associated with social

development issues such as lack of sufficient education and poverty. This often

results to single parenthood which catalyzes conditions that renders the mothers to

become irresponsible. Hence, it conveys a social stigma in various countries and

cultures. This study would like to focus on exploring the lived experiences of

Filipino teenage mothers in their pre and post-natal stage on how they prepare and

accept their new roles as mothers. Teenage pregnancy has two aspects, and both

could occur concurrently within the same country, whether developed or

developing. On the one hand, high teenage pregnancy rates may result from the

culturally sanctioned practice of early marriage and early marital childbearing, and

on the other, from premarital intercourse and unintended pregnancy. Research

evidence points to a shift in behaviors among young people in patterns of sexual

activity such that early childbearing is becoming more a consequence of early

intercourse.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The ultimate purpose of this qualitative case study is to assess the

awareness of learners about the prevention of Teenage Pregnancy through

sexuality education program. In Brgy.Sto Niño and delve into the lived

experienced early pregnancy without the benefit of marriage were chosen

through purposive sampling. In-depth interview, observation, and field notes

were utilized in the gathering of data. Using thematic analysis, major findings

disclosed that pregnant students experienced physical and emotional distress,

anxiety of the unknown, shame and humiliation, changes and prohibitions,

love and support of significant others. Pregnant students tried to cope the

situation by means of apathy, tenacity and turning to support systems. Along

with the realizations of pregnant students, the study highlighted that regrets

and remorse always come to fore, early pregnancy is a momentary setback,

young girls should know better about life, love and sex, and that love and

acceptance prevail in the end.

RESEARCH QUESTION
This study analyzed how Teenage Pregnancy affects the current lives of
Filipinos. Thus, the following research questions was formulated:

1. How does Teenage Pregnancy affect teens?

Theoretical Lens
This study would like to focus on exploring the lived experiences of

Filipino teenage mothers in their pre and post-natal stage on how they

prepare and accept their new roles as mothers. The gathered data from the

methods were analyzed and interpreted according to qualitative content

analysis. As a result, this generated emergent themes which depicted the

experiences of the participants. Teenage Pregnancy had been a worldwide

issue, and has raised large numbers of campaigns and awareness to lessen its

occurrence. The total number of this phenomenon is increasing each year.

Philippines is one of the Asian countries which shares similar situation. In a

study conducted by the National Demographic and Health Survey in 2013,

one out of every young Filipino women age 15 to 19 is already a mother or

pregnant with a first child. Therefore, the government in partnership with the

different non-government agencies should exert efforts in resolving this

issue. Teenage Pregnancies are often associated with social development

issues such as lack of sufficient education and poverty. This often results to

single parenthood which catalyzes conditions that renders the mothers to

become irresponsible. Hence, it conveys a social stigma in various countries

and cultures. this qualitative multiple case study was to describe the teenage

pregnancy in secondary schools in the Philippines and delve into the lived

experiences of the participants involved in the study. Five secondary school

students who experienced early pregnancy without the benefit of marriage

were chosen through purposive sampling. In-depth interview, observations,

and field notes were utilized in the gathering of data. Using thematic analysis,

major findings disclosed that pregnant students experienced physical and

emotional distress, anxiety of the unknown, shame and humiliation, changes

and prohibitions, love and support of significant others. Pregnant students

tried to cope the situation by means of apathy, tenacity and turning to support

systems. Along with the realizations of pregnant students, the study

highlighted that regrets and remorse always come to fore, early pregnancy is

a momentary setback, young girls should know better about life, love and

sex, and that love and acceptance prevail in the end.

Preface teenage pregnancy is the period where children between ages 13-20

become pregnant. Teenage pregnancy is really a quit higher in our barangay

compare to other places. As a result teenage pregnancy has become defined

as a family problem rather than anything else. Teen mother have lower

chance of completing their high school or college, especially if their first

child before 18. They are not able to complete their basic education. New

labor has focused on ensuring more teenage mothers enter education, training

or work, in order that they may avoid ‘long term social exclusion’. This

conceptualization of the route to social inclusion is problematic for young

mothers in that it ignores the structural and contextual barriers to them

gaining inclusion, it discounts full-time mothering as a valid option, and it

neglects the social and moral elements of their exclusion, while in fact

contributing to this. A broader understanding of social inclusion is therefore

advocated, which emphasizes the significances of social belongingness and

community participants, along-side economic self-sufficiency. Data are

drawn from interviews from 14 young mothers who act as volunteer ‘peer

educators’ in school sex education, to illustrate the way which this wider

conceptualization of social inclusion might be more useful in meeting the

needs of this group.

DEFINITION OF TERMS