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Teenage Pregnancy: Driver of Malnutrition

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Category: Region Caraga

TeenagePregnancyBUTUAN CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the latest National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) revealing that fewer women aged 15 to 19 are getting pregnant. Teenage pregnancies declined to 5.4% in 2022 from 8.6% in 2012.

According to the NDHS, most teenage pregnancies occurred among 19 year-olds at 13.3% followed by 18 year-olds at 5.9%, 17 year-olds at 5.6% which rose from 4.9%, 16 year-olds at 1.7%, and 15 year-olds at 1.4% which rose 0.5%.

By region, Northern Mindanao ranked one in the highest number of teenage pregnancies at 10.9%, followed by Davao at 8.2%, Central Luzon at 8.0% and Caraga at 7.7%.

The survey also revealed that teenage pregnancy was common among who had only completed grade level one to six at 19.1%. Based on the gathered data, PSA said in an interview that the percentage of teenage pregnancy decreases as educational attainment increases.

Early pregnancy – Malnutrition Relationship

There are several determinants of childhood nutrition in the Philippines. Immediate determinants include [1] inadequate nutrient intake and [2] ill health. Underlying determinants include [3] poor access to health services, [4] inadequate access to diverse, nutrition foods, [5] unhealthy household environment and [6] inadequate care and nutritional practices for women. Basic determinants such as [7] poverty also generally contributes to teenage pregnancy and malnutrition.

In a recent publication released by the World Bank, percentage of “nutritionally-at-risk” pregnant women in the Philippines was about 23% in 2019. The publication also highlighted the Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) 2019 result which showed that pregnant women under the age of 20 are more likely to be deemed nutritionally-at-risk than women above the age of 20. The early marriage and teenage pregnancy can lead to higher maternal and neonatal mortality, low birthweight, and stunting in children.

Teenage pregnancy drives malnutrition basically because the body of a teenager is not physically ready to bear a child. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescent mothers aged 10-19 years face higher risk of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20-24 years, and babies of adolescent mothers face higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and severe neonatal condition. When these physiological disorders occur, it can greatly affect the nutritional well-being of the mother, thus affecting the nutritional well-being of the child. When the child’s health and nutritional well-being is interrupted, especially in its first 1000 days of life, brain (cognitive and behavioral) development may be compromised and may have irreversible effects later in life.

Addressing teenage pregnancy

In a December 2022 report of The Manila Standard, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) declared teenage pregnancies a national emergency. According to POPCOM, lack of access to the right information contributed to the incidence of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines. The agency exclaimed that right information is not enough. Access to right information is a vital component to avoid teenage pregnancies.

The Department of Health also pushes for stronger sex education among the population particularly the youth not only to prevent teenage pregnancy but also prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.  

It is also apparent that based on the results of the survey conducted by the PSA, an important component on addressing teenage pregnancy is ensuring that the right to education is ensured. Former President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order No. 141 S2021 which adopts a national policy on the implementation of measures to tackle the root causes of the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the country. Part of the measures is ensuring that every Filipino is able to reach an advanced educational level or finish scholastic education.

Also, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and POPCOM launched in 2021 the Social Protection Program for Teenage Mothers and their Children (SPPTMC). The two government agencies synergized to establish a sufficient and accessible measures to protect the well-being of teenage mothers and their children. This includes ensuring that the immediate and underlying factors of malnutrition are addressed such as ensuring the access to maternal care, ensuring that pregnant women completes 4 prenatal check-up and adequate micronutrient and dietary supplementation, and access to healthy, nutritious and diverse food is uninterrupted.

Ultimately, addressing the basic factors of teenage pregnancy and malnutrition such as poverty is crucial. Causes of teenage pregnancy that leads to drive malnutrition is multi-faceted and multi-sectoral and the Philippine government exerts so much efforts and programmatically address the causes of teenage pregnancy but a whole-of-a-nation, systematic approach is required to ensure effective and sustainable solutions are in place. This would mean that not only the government will assume the role of nation building and implement programs to address societal concerns. Families in each community must also contribute to guiding their children and raising a healthy and productive member of the society. #DMOIIRPOchavo

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