Teenage Pregnancy

Last Monday, I had a couple waiting for me in my clinic. The secretary said the girl is sick or at least looked sick. When I arrived, I saw a 15 yr old girl clinging to her 16 yr old ‘husband’. She said she’s been having hypogastric pains since August last year. She never volunteered information unless I asked her. In the end I found out she had irregular menses since last year after undergoing dilatation and curettage ....at the age of 14, unknown to their parents. Her last menstrual period was March and prior to that was September 2007. I had to do pregnancy test .... it was positive.

Teenage pregnancy is not uncommon these days. I always advise the children with a smile. I make them feel they can trust me and that as a doctor I will support them medically. I make them feel I am their friend and they do what I say. Diet and nutrition are very important. Physiologically, the teenager’s body is not mature enough but they can be taught to choose the right food and proper exercise.

After a long friendly conversation, I told my patient to come back with results of her CBC, urinalysis and HBsAg (Hepatitis B screening) . My next problem is how to convince them to tell their parents, which I thought I’d do when they come back.

I’ve seen cases like this for the nth time. I just can’t get use to it. It’s either I feel sad that a baby will be born from a little girl whose future is unsure or I pity the girl and wonder how she would cope with the demands of motherhood. They’re just high school students! I could see love and affection in their eyes but until when? What will they do if the hormones start to go haywire?

It is during such time when I fear for my son’s future. Perhaps, I could raise him well and yet what if girls start flirting around him? What if one day he comes home telling me that his girl is pregnant? Or I may not be able to raise him well and he’d end up wasting his life? I know it’s premature to think of such things but hey, I’m a mother...