Author:
Sulaiman Shameer Khan,Idris Idayu Badilla,Hod Rozita,Abdullah Nik Nairan,Hod Rafidah,Shamsusah Nadia Aqilla
Abstract
Pregnant adolescents have been shown to have a higher incidence of health and non-health-related complications that affect both mothers and infants. These include increased risk of pregnancy-related diseases such as anemia and pre-eclampsia, preterm and low-birth-weight babies, as well as other social consequences such as educational and financial difficulties. This mini review evaluates selected articles which explain the attitudes, knowledge, behavior and other risk factors associated with pregnancy among adolescents in developing countries. It also revealed that inadequate knowledge among adolescents about reproductive and sexual health, other social, cultural and peer influences, parenting values, and poor financial and educational status were factors that contribute to adolescent pregnancy. Likewise, a lack of support from parents, educators and healthcare workers had negative impacts on healthy sexual behavior among adolescents, which may ultimately lead to adolescent pregnancy. We conclude that the factors discussed in this review need to be evaluated and taken into consideration by policymakers and healthcare workers when formulating strategies to prevent pregnancies among adolescents.
Publisher
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Reference58 articles.
1. 1. World Health Organization. Adolescent pregnancy fact sheet (No.WHO/RHR/14.08).202014. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/112320/WHO_RHR_14.08_eng.p df.
2. 2. Edwards J. Teen pregnancy is not a public health crisis in the United States. It is time we made it one. Int J Epidemiol. 2002; 555-6. doi: 10.1093/ije/31.3.555.
3. 3. Jamaludin Z, Bakar ZA, Abdullah WARKW. Adolescent pregnancy: factors and solution in Islamic perspective. Adv Nat Appl Sci. 2013; 7(4):373-7.
4. 4. Blencowe H, Cousens S, Chou D, Oestergaard M, Say L, Moller AB, et al. Born too soon: the global epidemiology of 15 million preterm births. Rep Health. 2013; 10: S2. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-10-S1-S2.
5. 5. Awang H, Low WY, Tong WT, Tan LY, Cheah WL, Lasimbang HB, et al. Differentials in sexual and reproductive health knowledge among east Malaysian adolescents. Journal of Biosocial Science. 2018; 1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0021932018000214.