Female Education and Early Pregnancy

The importance of an individual remaining in school and getting sound and quality education cannot be overemphasized. With the ever changing dynamics of our society and the direction it is taking, it makes education more important than it was about ten years ago. Anyone who is uneducated could be left behind. Those who are uneducated but somehow make it life will see that some doors will be closed permanently and key opportunities limited or restricted to the educated. For the females, education offers a route to rub shoulders with the biggest names. An uneducated female or a female who dropped out of school without actually getting as far as she wanted to school may leave with some regrets; many that cannot be changed.

It is therefore unfortunate that young girls have had their dreams cut short, not because they were not good enough to make it in school, but simply because they got pregnant too early while they were still teenagers. Many have had this forced on them either because of early marriages or due to their inability to wait for the right time to come. I have been alarmed by the rate of teenage or underage pregnancy in our society. The current rate is frightening and is escalating without showing any sign of slowing down.

One fateful Sunday morning, I walked into the hospital, ready for the day’s job.  As I walked into the hospital unsure of what the day will bring, I secretly hoped for a calm call. Just then, a little baby was rushed in, a ten hour old male neonate, struggling to stay alive. He was involved in a difficult delivery, one you could term obstructed labour. The little baby’s mother is just sixteen years old.  While the battle to keep the baby alive was on, different thoughts ran through my head. After some hours, we were quietly confident that the worst was over. 

In that moment, in the middle of all that chaos, I thought about the sixteen year old mother. She should be in school, trying to get good grades and also making plans about getting into the university; not making babies. The baby had also been subjected to the stress attached to delivery by a mother whose reproductive organs were perhaps inadequate to cope with the stress of delivery and/or pregnancy. Teenage girls having babies is no longer an uncommon event. Look around; check the records and you will realize there are so many under aged girls getting pregnant. It’s only when you sit back and analyze the stats will you realize that the figures are frightening. Unfortunately, that’s the trend and it seems like it’s here to stay. It is something we need to correct,.

Then I asked? Should all pregnancies be seen as a blessing from the creator? Whether you view it as a blessing or misfortune, the health risks involved with underage pregnancies are numerous. Young girls whose reproductive organs are not fully developed to withstand the stress of child birth could end up with obstructed labour like the girl mentioned above, where there is a cessation in the progress of labour despite adequate uterine contraction, usually caused by a mechanical factor. This, potentially, is a threat to the life of the mother and child. If there are serious injuries to vital reproductive organs of the girl, these organs could be damaged beyond repair, potentially limiting chances of future conception, especially when she becomes ready physically and psychologically. The damage may already have been done and there may be no second chance to right the wrongs of the past. In some cases, the mother and/or the baby could lose their lives. This should never happen.

Furthermore, the incidence of vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF)  is on the increase, especially in parts of the world where child marriage is seen as a normal part of the existing local culture and religion. To put it simply, it is a condition where there is an abnormal connection extending between the bladder and vagina that allows the continuous involuntary discharge or drainage of urine into the vaginal vault. It is usually common in area where the culture encourages marriage and conception at a young age before full pelvic development. It must be pointed out that this condition can occur in older women due to other causes but pregnancy in these very young girls is a leading and important cause. Consequently, girls who get pregnant at such tender ages are at risk of developing this terrible condition either due to early premarital or teenage sexual intercourse or even “legitimately” in these child marriages.

But most importantly, she is robbed of a chance to have a good education. Few fortunately can pick up the pieces and still get a good education but many are not so lucky. They are treated as outcasts by their nuclear and extended family and sometimes chased away to bear the consequences of their actions. The support they could get from their family is withdrawn and they are left to face the harsh realities of life. The future could be very bleak. It is common knowledge that they often get pregnant for young men with an uncertain future, who may actually be as young as they are or a little bit older, who most times do not have a clear idea or plan of what they want to do with their future, their pregnant lover and the unborn child. Don’t forget, a child born in such an uncertain environment already has a poor start. The possibility of getting quality education is slim and the little baby may grow up to constitute a nuisance to his parents, family and the society.

Finally, education offers a route to prosperity. The world we live in has changed greatly. Women should see this as an opportunity to take the bull by the horn and realize that they can be whatever they have dreamed of becoming. Under age pregnancy only takes them away from their goals and also limits their chances. Limitless opportunities are springing up every day waiting to be grabbed. The stakes are too high to miss out on these possibilities. The government has a role to play too. Hopefully, legislations and policies can be made which will make Education free especially for girls. Our girls should also be educated on the dangers of engaging in sexual practices especially when still in their teens and we must resist any policy that makes it legal for little girls to get married at such tender age.

By: Dr. Uche