TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN COLOMBIA

Most complicated pregnancies are not characteristic of women who have stable homes constituted, but girls who have not achieved the completion of his physical development are facing a situation that is becoming more common.

Previously, family life education for adolescents was the responsibility of the family. There were also rites of passage that prepared the young people for responsible life. However, this is no longer true: most young people become sexually active before they reach the age of fifteen without being aware of the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, or be facing a pregnancy when they have the maturity physically or emotionally to take the arrival of a child.

According to statistics from the health authorities in Colombia each year, about 400 000 young people between 15 and 19 are pregnant or already mothers. Likewise, it is estimated that abortions in the same age bordering 300 000 per year. This phenomenon is growing and is not the sole responsibility of the schools: parents with training and loving example, are those who have to take the proper development of the sexuality of their sons and daughters.

Pregnancies in adolescence are often due to lack of reliable information on reproductive health. Furthermore, exists reserves between community members and parents to provide sex education.

According to Profamilia, 97.2% of women between 15 and 19 years knows the risk of HIV AIDS. Just a little over 3% admitted that you can catch this disease.

RESULT OF THE IMMATURITY

In teenage pregnancy are involved sociocultural and economic factors that compromise the mother and child. At this stage,  a set of physiological changes, social and emotional have an impact, that according to the age of the adolescent and the time elapsed between their development and pregnancy, may generate more or fewer complications.
For example if the girl is under 15 years, there is a greater risk of abortion, preterm delivery, preeclampsia (the most common illness in teenage pregnancy) or cesarean delivery for physiological immaturity.

If  the girl is over 15 years, the pregnant woman has the same risk as an adult patient, unless she is malnourished or are in a situation of abandonment by her partner or family. Most likely the teen is not emotionally ready to take on the commitment of a baby and need more support. Hence the need for promoting information and awareness for the responsibility of their sexuality.

CONSEQUENCES

These pregnancies bring lot of school problems, hamper the integration into the world of work and interfere with the ability to get sufficient income. On the educational possibilities able to get a good education in adolescent mothers are diminished, they are much more frequent school problems and dropout.

The low academic performance and dropout probabilities can bring social and economic consequences, such as those with no alternative than a couple of "kids parents" may have to meet at least their basic needs and those of his son because its low level of education and its usually little or no work experience. The economic uncertainty remains even several years after pregnancy.

On the aspect of relationships, parenting adolescents can lead to problems of social rejection, not only by her partner, but also by some of his friends, neighbors or relatives. This deprives the young mother of a very important part of their sources of support, this makes it difficult for the young to establish a stable relationship.