A STUDY ON PREGNANT ADOLESCENTS RESIDING IN A GOVERNMENT HOME: COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AND THEIR VIEWS ON THE PREGNANCY

Background: Adolescent pregnancy has emerged to be a significant public health and social issue in Malaysia as itsprevalence is increasing in our population.Objectives: This study aimed to identify the common characteristics of pregnant adolescents residing in a governmentshelter home. Their reasons for pregnancy, sources of information on contraception, and views on abortion and future careof the baby were explored.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 26 universally sampled pregnant adolescents in the centre. Theadolescents responded to a set of self-administered questionnaire on their socio-demographic profiles, reasons of theirpregnancy, contraception and future plans including abortion as well as care of the newborn.Results: Almost all (92%) of the adolescents were unmarried. Majority of them were in late adolescence, age between 16to 19 years (73.1%), from urban areas (73.1%) and of low income families (53.8%). There were 69.3% of the adolescentswho were school dropouts. The reasons for pregnancy were consensual sexual activity (63.0%), coercion by boyfriend(18.5%), and rape (11.5%). The main sources of information on contraception were friends (50%), partners (50%) andthe internet or mass media (42.3%). 54% had considered abortion earlier, but majority (92.0%) disagreed that abortionshould be legalised in Malaysia. Most of the adolescents planned to parent their child with or without help from significantothers and only 42.3% planned to relinquish their child for adoption.Conclusion: To curb teenage pregnancy-related problems, efforts on educating the adolescents about sexual reproductivehealth and assertive communication skills should be implemented, especially to the late adolescents, school dropouts andthose from poor urban families. Parenthood support may be necessary to the pregnant adolescents who opted to care fortheir own child.