Sex Education #5: Teenagers and Abortion - November 2024

To read the Malay version, click here. Teenage abortions are surprisingly common in today’s world, and it is a controversial issue. Sex for teens is not taboo anymore. According to the Feminist Women’s Health Center, a sexually active teenage girl who doesn’t use protection has a 90% chance of getting pregnant. According to the statistic in the states, around 51% of teenage girls are sexually active, and 4 out of 5 Americans experienced sex before the age of 20, and the average age they lose their virginity is at the age of 17. There are 78% unintended pregnancy. The abortion rate among teenagers at the age of 15 to 19 declined by 67% in the year 1990 and 2011. Abortion is a forceful, traumatic and stressful situation. Abortion takes place when they remove the embryo or the fetus from the uterus. There are several reasons why adolescent chooses to abort: Teenagers choose to abort when they are not ready to commit and take responsibility for the child. They have a budget and are lack of money to care for the expenses and to raise the child. There’s no family support Partner refuses to take responsibility Pregnancy due to rape credit: Mum In The Madhouse Primary reasons to why they choose abortion To Continue Education or Not? This is one of the primary reason for abortion. They worry that having a baby will change their lives for good and are scared of commitment. Most teen mothers are impacted negatively by their pregnancy emotionally and physically. They will not be able to continue their academic plans, and their future will change. Teen mothers who choose to abort will be likely to be more successful compared to those who decided not to. According to research, teen moms are less likely to complete high school and only 40% of young women who give birth before age 18 earn a diploma as compared to others and less than 2% of teen mothers who give birth before age 18 receive a degree when they turn 30. Let’s talk about family support Support from the family is essential because for a teenager to undergo pregnancy, they need all the support they have from her family, and when the child is born, it is a life-altering decision. When there is no support given from the family, she will feel pressure. credit: Yahoo Abortion Methods Abortion can happen both either surgically or medically. If the teenager is in her first trimester, medical termination of pregnancy is the most common. Medication is either admitted orally or vaginally. For teenagers in the second trimester, abortion is conducted by removing the fetus from the uterus using a vacuum or electrical pump. Third-trimester abortions are not advised unless the mother’s life is in danger or there is any other medical emergency related to the unborn child. Abortion remains a controversial topic, and a pregnant teen considering abortion often finds herself in a hard situation. To read more articles about our #SEXEDUCATION series, please stay tuned! For more parenting tips and tricks, as well as the best promotions in baby products, visit Motherhood.com.my now! Share with us in the comments what you would like to read about next!

Family Planning by

Family Fun By Sunway Malls

Motherhood Panel of Experts

More Stories

AskMeDoctor! Season 3 Episode 5 – Growing Up in a Pandemic: Impact on Children’s Development