Childbirth at an early age. Teenage pregnancy: problems of young primiparous

12.07.2019

"Mom, I'm pregnant ..." - your schoolgirl says in a trembling voice, rubbing snot and swallowing tears. Your beloved and affectionate child. She played with dolls yesterday, and today adulthood has played a cruel joke with her. Even in a nightmare, mothers would not want to see their daughters in such a situation. But this happens all the time. Why is this happening? How to protect your child from such a problem as early pregnancy? Let's try to figure it out.

As you know, everything that happens on time is good. Early pregnancy (also called teenage) is considered to be the state of pregnancy in adolescent girls 13-19 years old. It is at this age that the girl undergoes hormonal changes in her body, when she is “no longer a girl, but not yet a woman,” as Britney Spears, the idol of all teenage girls, sang recently.

Of course, in an underdeveloped country in Africa or Asia, early, by our standards, pregnancy can be perceived by society as quite normal, but who in these countries attaches importance to the shocking indicators of infant mortality, including during childbirth? After all, in our, European latitudes, there is no urgent need to give birth to many children early in agricultural work, for example, for the cultivation of rice plantations, as it was in ancient China. And the early pregnancy of a teenage girl will not be considered a blessing of heaven, as is the case in some African villages.

In developed countries, the majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned and, as a result, 70% of cases end in abortion, moreover, at a later date, 15% - miscarriages and only 15% occur during childbirth. Why is there a problem of early pregnancy now, in our information age? The main reason is lack or insufficient sex education adolescents... Few people seriously think about the consequences of pregnancy in an immature organism, but there are many of them.

Health problem in early pregnancy

The main problem is that the body of a young woman is not ready to physically carry a child at such a young age.

The teenager is confused, does not know whether to end the pregnancy or continue. If a girl decides to have an abortion, she must understand that later gynecological problems may arise, including infertility. If she decides to give birth, she will subject herself to a serious test, because in the fragile body of a young woman, numerous complex changes will begin to occur that contribute to the intrauterine development of the fetus, prepare the body for childbirth and breastfeeding.

The body of a pregnant woman begins to accumulate building material for a growing body: nitrogen (for protein synthesis), fats (for the formation of fetal tissues), iron (for the formation of blood), potassium (for the work of the heart muscle), magnesium, cobalt, copper. And all this is an additional load on the organism of the expectant mother. Also, during pregnancy, the work of the cardiovascular system is significantly enhanced, which, in turn, makes the liver and kidneys work in an enhanced mode.

An unprepared body simply cannot cope with such a difficult task as carrying and giving birth to a healthy baby. Underweight babies or babies with birth defects are a common unfortunate result of teen pregnancy.

The psychological problem of early pregnancy

The psychological problem of early pregnancy is no less important. Upon learning of their situation, young girls experience shock and panic. Psychologists say that guilt, anger and reluctance to admit what happened are common reactions. This leads to dangerous consequences, because the girl may be left without the necessary and timely medical care.

This is not surprising, because there is a sharp transition from childhood to adulthood, the girl is faced with the first serious decision in her life. Moreover, she needs to make an important decision herself, young fathers, as a rule, immediately cease to be "tough guys" and prefer to step aside.

The social problem of early pregnancy

Even in the most progressive society, pregnant teenagers often face at least condemnation. The girl is often left alone with her problem, she is afraid to confess even to her parents. In addition, more often early pregnancy occurs in children from dysfunctional families, when there is no normal relationship between parents and children, not to mention some kind of upbringing. In addition, having become pregnant, the girl is forced to drop out of school or combine motherhood with education, which in most cases is unrealistic. Lack of education "puts an end to the girl's further self-realization, she has practically no chance of getting a good job or making a career." If there is no good job, it means that there is not enough money, which, in turn, pushes the young mother to commit crimes. Violence often leads to domestic violence, and hopelessness encourages alcoholism and drug use. These women often get pregnant again before they reach 20 years of age. And their children, in turn, turn out to be of no use to anyone and replenish the baby's homes.

Prevention of early pregnancy

"Knowledgeable means armed" - said the brave scouts. You can't argue with that: it is better to prevent the problem than to deal with the consequences later.

So, what teens and their parents need to know about early pregnancy.

First of all, you need to be in a trusting relationship, to talk with your child, not bypassing the so-called "forbidden" topics. This, of course, applies not only to the parents of girls. Boys also need this kind of companionship, especially from the father's side. You can give your child the necessary literature to read if you feel that you are not ready for such conversations. Throwing condoms on "parents' headache pills" to "teenagers" is not a bad option, but of course it is not enough. After all, only by combining the knowledge gained about sex education and methods of protection, teenage girls will be able to protect themselves from unwanted early pregnancy. Of course, here we are not talking about criminal cases, such as rape, from which, unfortunately, no one is immune. However, children should also be informed about this danger.

Also of great importance is sex education in school, giving lectures and showing films about human physiology and safe sexual relations.

The goal of sex education should by no means be boring, instructive conversations that adolescents in transitional age take "with hostility." Growing up children should be aware that, entering adulthood, they will have to learn to make decisions of a completely different level. When performing this or that action, the child must be responsible for the consequences. Early pregnancy can also be a choice for a teenager, but he must be conscious.

So, a girl who has begun sexual activity should clearly understand that she may become pregnant. How ready is she for this? Does he want to bear and give birth to a child? Naturally, all these issues must be resolved even before the onset of intimacy. If a girl is not ready for an early pregnancy, she needs to take care of contraception. Here parents should come to the rescue, providing their child with various and complete information on this serious issue. It is also very important to visit a doctor; a child needs to be instilled with respect for his health from childhood.

Every girl should know that with the appearance of the first menstruation, she can already become pregnant, even with a single sexual contact. Physiologically, early pregnancy is possible even with seemingly harmless petting.

Of course, it cannot be said that early pregnancy has only negative consequences. There are, of course, happy exceptions, such as the purposeful and unbreakable young Katya Tikhomirova from the beloved movie "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" performed by Vera Alentova. But are there many such Katya among us?

Still, it's better to be exceptional in something else.

Marina Oma

The article is provided by the site "My Children"

Discussion

Why, well, why contraception immediately?
Why doesn't anyone write about abstinence?
Why should a child be encouraged to need sex as a teenager?
Which films? What is the talk about safe sex? - children must remain children and their needs must be appropriate until they fully mature physically and acquire the fullness of legal rights and obligations, in order to also be full-fledged parents to their children.
If children are a danger, then they will never be conceived in love and joy, because where there is fear, there is no love!
Parents should protect children from molestation and obsessive pseudo-pedagogical conversations / films, etc. Telling a child about his body and the changes associated with growing up is yes, but, just not to form sexual interest - this is by no means!
It is easier for believers - they know that the human body is the Temple of God, and the temple cannot be desecrated, period. A secular upbringing can be built with an emphasis on the fact that you will hasten to become a mother (girls are in greater danger), you will be left out of success and prospects, you can play on the desire to live well and prosper, setting also on abstinence.
The main thing to remember is that safe sex is a myth, since you can get sick with anything (it is imperative to talk about this and that after having had syphilis, for example, they give birth to freaks afterwards), and you can get pregnant too, and you can upset the hormonal system, and get against this background, infertility from drugs. This is all to dose, but a teenager should know what the risks are.

05/21/2016 02:16:22, Zetta8

Well, they compared pregnancy at 13 and 19! Really no difference.
My husband and I had a very desired planned pregnancy at my 18th and my mother knew about our plans because we were proud to talk about them.
Somehow, nothing terrible happened to my health and psyche, it didn’t prevent me from getting education and wanting more children and planning.

Oops ... It turns out I had an early pregnancy. At the age of 19. But quite planned, oh horror! I occasionally discuss the result here - in general, a good boy has grown up ...
I, according to the author, should have been thinking about abortion, afraid to tell my parents what else is there? * -)))

Katya Tikhomirova's "happy example" is unsuccessful. She was far from a teenager.

Heartbreaking start. I went and read it. Two questions arose: in what year was the article written and is it really, the body of a 19-year-old girl is not ready to bear a child?

Comment on the article "Early Pregnancy, or What Happens When Children Play Adult Games"

My son has a pregnant girl .. Sports, hobbies. Teenagers. Upbringing and relationships with adolescent children: transitional age, problems at school, career guidance My son has a pregnant girl. Son 18, girl 15. Live gone to her, they are going to marry.

Discussion

Hammer in all the dirt that was poured here. Rejoice the baby. At one time, I refused from what God gave (later, of course, it was, but still), but now I am over 30 and my husband and I cannot give birth. As I bite my elbows to this day, and my mother dissuaded me from the child for a long time. Only over the years I understood the phrase "God gave a child, he will give to a child." Good luck, I wish you all the very best. P.S. My husband and I decided that if God gives children, and the situation is the same as yours, then we will only be happy and will help. It doesn't matter whether the daughter gets pregnant or the son brings the daughter-in-law.

01/17/2018 04:49:55, 61 region

Earns 30 thousand :) Well this is a super income. He leaves home himself, he knows what responsibility is - you have to rejoice that he will not hang around your neck until you retire. The wisdom of parenting is not only to educate but also to let go in time!

01/16/2018 13:41:43, Resedusha

A teenage girl is losing her hair. ... I find it difficult to choose a section. Teenagers. Parenting and Relationships with Adolescent Children: Adolescent Age A teenage girl is losing her hair. Good afternoon! My daughter turns 16 in 2 weeks.

Discussion

change doctor
menstruation at 16 is not critical, it happens, but still very late
there are also breaks
why some kind of dyufaston (it is from what at all? in topics of pregnant women it seems to happen) when there are vitamin complexes to restore the cycle
before drinking hormones
hair can be tied, but not the main thing now, you need to understand that with menstruation, for the opportunity to give birth by 30, many are ready to sacrifice a lot more than hair

Discussion

What did your husband and brother do so bad to you that you treat them THAT? For the sake of some hmm ... a minor, are you ready to send them to jail, doom them to shame? She is exactly the same and will always be like this, certain mental disorders are perfectly transmitted, which lead to sexual disinhibition. Something can be done if the child is at home from birth, and even then not always. And here everything is hopeless. Neither priests nor psychologists will help.
On the subject: I had a girlfriend as a child. She was raised by her father's aunt. A father from a good family, he married a girl from the camp, but already settled. And after some time his wife went out on a spree, or what to call it, I don't know. She constantly left home, wandered for weeks and months, moreover, she did not drink and did not even seem to walk. The fact that my daughter was less than a year old (my friend) did not stop her. The father took the child and gave it to his childless aunt, who raised her with great love. But ... in adolescence, the same thing began. My friend, at the age of 16, began to wander, without drunkenness, drugs and gulk (raped, it was a case, but she-no-no). I just walked wherever everyone looked ... Her teacher died, she was terribly worried about everything. Moreover, her friend did not know her mother at all, she was raised by another woman, she met as an adult.
Now mother and daughter live together, they quit wandering. But they are more or less safe - no alcohol, no drugs, no men especially. So, will-free will is a priority. And in the case of your girl, everything is much worse.

08/19/2016 09:39:16, angry

They crushed the girl in the DD, no options, I had such a case with a friend - they adopted the girl and also had the same problems, only she almost blabbed immediately that she had a connection with the teacher, and he quit a year as he left, so go and find him .. . besides, the pedophile is now literate

08/18/2016 08:58:16, Alexander2016

Section: - get-togethers (12-year-old pregnant girl from Perm). State of emergency in Perm: 12-year-old adopted girl Minor pregnancy, violence, incest - it's all right in ours Is this about Valya? They have already given birth to the second. By the way, dad looks like a teenager there too ...

Discussion

Well, yes, underage girls sometimes get pregnant. Especially if physiology is not constrained by social superstructure and education. The girl in the family was two years old. Decades from DD are sometimes already quite familiar with gender relations. Sometimes not in theory.

Jealousy of a teenager for a baby. ... I find it difficult to choose a section. Teenagers. Jealousy of a teenager for a baby. Tell me, who has come across or knows in theory - so I can roughly imagine how jealous I am of a new you - an easy pregnancy and obedient children!

Discussion

we will have a difference of 15 years. Jealousy has already manifested itself - at one time yelled "you only think about your belly" (this is when I was lying in the hospital and asked not to bring me tantrums to a nervous breakdown). The money seems to have been sorted out. We agreed that now two very large purchases are being made of those that he wanted. then a break of a year and a half, but if someone really needs something, he will go and earn something for himself. Well, of course, I decomposed all the material component. And about the mortgage, which must be paid, and about the tutor for him - who will go to all the alimony. But we have a slightly different situation - the father of the second child is not native to the first. The elder has normal friendly relations with his own father and already has a half-sister - she is six. So the boy has some experience. Naturally, no one will take the elder's room - it is stipulated that this is only his room and he does what he wants in it. As for the restrictions on talking, we ask you to speak more quietly in the evenings, when we go to bed, because he communicates mainly on the Internet and yells in the heat so that his ears wither. But I am not at all a supporter of "tiptoeing" around a baby. Why whisper something? A healthy psyche will withstand any loud sounds one-time.

Not all pregnant women in adolescence are ready to become mothers, so their artificial termination becomes the lot of most early pregnancies. According to world statistics, 70% of young people at the onset of pregnancy, about 15% of pregnancies. And in about 15 cases out of 100, adolescents successfully carry. To avoid an unexpected pregnancy, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the comprehensive education of girls and boys under 18 years of age, but also to acquaint them with the possible problems of young expectant mothers.

Complications of early pregnancy

Early pregnancy is most often terminated due to material distress, lack of complete education, support from a partner and parents. A teenage pregnancy that occurs between the ages of 14 and 17 threatens not only the body, but also the child. This is due to the fact that the body of the expectant mother is itself in the process of development, for which the body of the pregnant woman needs vitamins and minerals. During pregnancy, a considerable share of nutrients will be taken by the fetus. Therefore, it is physically difficult to bear a baby under 17 years old.

In adolescent pregnancy, toxicosis, fetal hypoxia, and anemia occur many times more often. Complications also concern the threat of miscarriage due to a possible rupture of the uterus. Children born as a result of early pregnancy often have developmental delays, physical disabilities, and defects. The mortality rate among teenage mothers is also higher. It is also worth noting that with early pregnancy, babies are often born prematurely, with low body weight. Do not forget about the risks to the mental and physical health of the mother.

Possible consequences of teenage pregnancy

Traditionally, with early pregnancy, the mother is registered late. In most cases, adolescents are faced with weak labor. There is a risk of death for both herself and the child.

Early pregnancy is also a misunderstanding on the part of loved ones, others, problems with social adaptation, future work activities. After an early birth, a mother may face the risks of uterine cancer, heart and vascular diseases, and obesity. After all, it is not easy for an unformed body to undergo hormonal changes, and for a mother to accept the situation, tune in to a successful childbirth.

An early pregnancy, by definition, occurs in a girl under the age of 18, and therefore is often called adolescent. But the problem of early pregnancy in this case is not social, its essence is not that the girl did not reach the age of majority at the time of conception, but that early pregnancy is very dangerous both for the fragile body of the girl and for the unborn child.

It is impossible to accurately determine the age range when early pregnancy is not dangerous, because the body of young people develops at different rates. The largest number of cases of early pregnancy in adolescents occurs at the age of 15-17 years.

What are the dangers of early pregnancy?

I will immediately reassure all future young mothers and grandmothers: very often teenage pregnancy ends happily for both the mother and the baby, and the presence of positive emotions in the life of a pregnant girl plays an important role in this. In my practice, there was a case when a 13-year-old schoolgirl became pregnant from an 18-year-old boy. The birth was successful, although the young family soon broke up, unable to withstand the problems of living together, and such cases are not rare. However, medical statistics show disappointing data on the health risks associated with early pregnancy in adolescents.

Teenage pregnancy, if the girl is not yet physiologically ready for motherhood, can lead to serious complications during the gestation and birth of a child.In early pregnancy, adolescents have a high rate of newborn mortality throughout the world, there is a high probability of death during childbirth and for a young mother.

Every girl should clearly know that after her first menstruation appears, she can become pregnant, and pregnancy can occur even after a single sexual contact.

The younger the girl, especially if she is under 15, the higher the risk to her health. At a young age, cases of a woman's inability to bear a child are recorded 2.5 times more often than in adult women. If the girl is not yet 14 years old, if there is a risk that the child will be born so weak that it will die within the first few months of life. Often, pregnant teenage girls have severe toxicosis, anemia, placental insufficiency, and the threat of termination of pregnancy.

During teenage pregnancy, both mother and baby do not receive many vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the growth and development of the body. As a result, a violation of the structure of bone tissue is diagnosed due to a lack of calcium and iron for both growing organisms. The cause of neuroses and frequent fainting is the instability of the adolescent's cardiovascular system, which cannot cope with the load.

Too young mothers have an 11% higher risk of having a child with congenital abnormalities of physical and mental development, for example, children diagnosed with "oligophrenia" in adolescent mothers are born five times more often than women over 40 years old.

Spontaneous miscarriages are common in adolescents during pregnancy. Moreover, in order to hide their pregnancy from friends and parents, girls sometimes terminate pregnancy artificially, with a huge risk to health and life.

If a girl, herself or under pressure from parents, circumstances, decides to have an abortion, then in the future she may never know what the happiness of motherhood is. When deciding whether to maintain or terminate a young daughter's pregnancy, parents should understand that early motherhood is much better for their daughter than regretting future infertility.

Abortion is a severe trauma for young people. After an abortion, the mental state of girls suffers especially, they are prone to depression, bouts of anxiety, anxiety, and guilt. An early abortion leads to hormonal and physiological disorders of the body, VVD diseases and breast cancer. Pregnant teenage women are seven times more likely to seriously consider suicide than other teenagers. So there is something to think about for parents and society as a whole.

The psychological problem of early pregnancy

An equally important aspect of the normal course of early pregnancy is the solution of psychological problems in adolescents. Upon learning about pregnancy, young girls are in a panic, they are shocked. A common reaction is anger, guilt, reluctance to admit what happened.

Research by scientists has shown that three factors are important for a good pregnancy:

good relations between relatives, especially between a girl and her mother;
lack of pessimism, which even badly affects the girl's immunity;
the expectant mother and child are negatively affected by increased anxiety, passive temperament, and lack of intellectual effort.

To reduce the girl's fears, to neutralize their negative consequences for the development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy, parents should assure the girl that she will not be left alone, that there are loving people nearby. Young fathers, as a rule, immediately cease to be "tough" and prefer to step aside.

Prevention of early pregnancy

You might be surprised, but many modern adolescents still have very little understanding of contraception, and it is this fact that leads to unplanned pregnancies at an early age. It is better to try to prevent the problem than to deal with its consequences, which is why today schools and medical institutions are actively promoting methods to prevent unplanned teenage pregnancies.

To prevent early pregnancy, parents first of all need to have a trusting relationship with their children, to find time to talk to their child more often, to communicate with him on "forbidden" topics. This should be understood not only by the parents of girls. Boys, no less than girls, need such communication, and a father is especially important here. If you feel that you are not ready for conversations on intimate topics, you can give your child good literature to read. By leveraging the knowledge gained in the family about sex education after becoming familiar with contraceptive methods, adolescent girls are more likely to be able to protect themselves from unwanted early pregnancies. Unfortunately, no one is immune from criminal incidents such as rape, but children should be informed about this danger too.

Sex education of young people in school is of great importance, while it is important not to reduce education to reading boring, edifying morality. Teenagers should be aware that in adulthood they will have to learn how to make decisions, be responsible for the consequences of their actions.

A girl who has begun sexual activity should understand that as a result of even one unprotected intercourse, pregnancy is possible. Is she ready for this? Will she want to have a baby? The girl must solve all these questions for herself even before the onset of intimacy. A very important point is also a visit to a doctor; it is necessary to instill in the child a respect for health from childhood.

Early pregnancy is something that scares almost all parents whose children are approaching adolescence. What do doctors mean by this term, and what does such a pregnancy threaten in the future?

Definition

It is impossible to clearly define the boundaries of early, timely and late pregnancy. Each woman is unique, and someone may well endure a baby at 16, while for another organism it will turn out to be an unbearable load.

Traditionally, it is believed that the period from 13 to 18 years old is the time when it is too early to become pregnant. Although 17-18-year-old mothers can hardly surprise anyone. At this age, motherhood is often conscious. But at 13-16 years of age, pregnancy is clearly considered early.

Medicine knows cases when conception occurred at the age of 6, and even ended in childbirth. However, this can be attributed to casuistry.

In recent years, in the territory of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries, there has been a decrease in the age of first pregnancy, and sometimes girls become expectant mothers as early as 11–12 years old.

The reasons for this phenomenon are quite diverse.

Causes

The main reason for untimely pregnancy is always the early onset of sexual activity. The following factors contribute to this:

Lack of trusting relationships between parents and children.
Self-doubt, especially in girls.
Striving to look mature among teenagers.
Free access to information of a different nature, including erotic and pornographic.
Excess free time, lack of hobbies, sports interests.
Low literacy in matters of the structure and functioning of one's own body and the relationship between the sexes.
Ignorance of the basics of contraception, inability to use contraceptives.
Irresponsibility associated with a young age.
Common myths about pregnancy.

Numerous surveys of adolescents have shown that the main reason that prompts them to start sexual activity at the age of 14-16 is by no means expressed sexual desire. For most boys and girls at this age, friendly or platonic-romantic relationships are enough.

However, the desire to stand out among peers, to gain authority in one's reference group turns out to be stronger than common sense. At the same time, young people completely do not take into account their unpreparedness for future parenting - both physical and psychological.

Physical readiness

Carrying a child, even at the age of 17-18, does not always proceed easily and without complications. And at the age of 13-16, the risk of dangerous situations increases significantly.

Pregnancy is a period of global hormonal changes. In addition to female sex hormones, prolactin is actively produced, which is responsible for the growth and development of the mammary glands, preparing them for lactation. This leads to breast enlargement. Due to the rapid stretching of the skin in this area, stretch marks can form, which does not add beauty to the girl's body.

Sometimes, by the time of pregnancy, the breast is not sufficiently formed, and then a young mother may face difficulties in lactation - a lack of milk, flat nipples, and too sensitive skin.

Also, during gestation, most pregnant women have an increase in body weight. It is often significant. This can further affect the teenager's metabolism and cause a lot of weight problems for the girl.

For nine months, relaxin is produced in the body of the expectant mother. This is a special hormone that helps to soften the ligaments, improve their extensibility. Even with a normal, timely pregnancy, a woman's gait is disturbed, her joints become mobile.

In adolescents, however, hypermobility of the joints is already a frequent phenomenon, and in combination with the action of relaxin, this can lead to subluxation or dislocation.

The pelvis of a teenage girl, as a rule, is still narrow for the birth of a baby, so often obstetricians have to resort to caesarean section.

The cardiovascular system at the age of 12-14 is not always able to cope with the doubled load, for the expectant mother this can result in a violation of the heart rhythm, problems with blood pressure. Excessive iron intake by a growing fetus can aggravate the anemia that often occurs in young girls. Calcium consumption entails problems with the still unformed fully musculoskeletal system of a teenager, tooth decay, hair loss and brittleness.

Psychological readiness

Few teenagers are planning a pregnancy consciously or at least seriously considering such a possibility. Most of them are sure that this will not happen to them. Girls and boys aged 14–17 are not inclined to present themselves as parents without a serious need.

Of course, if there are brothers or sisters, especially younger ones, a teenager has an idea of what a small child is and what difficulties parents' life is associated with. Moreover, using the example of her own mother, the girl sees how the pregnancy proceeds, what changes the woman's body undergoes. However, this is only an outside observation, which does not replace practical experience and does not add strength.

Most adolescents are not psychologically ready to become parents, to take full care of a newborn. For them, caring for a baby is to some extent a continuation of playing with dolls. As soon as they realize that they need to take care of the baby day after day, 24 hours a day, moral and physical fatigue, exhaustion, emotional burnout appear.

If there is no support from grandparents, teenage parents have a very difficult time, which inevitably affects their relationship with their own child.

For a girl aged 13–17, pregnancy may not be the most pleasant period. Any hardships and unpleasant sensations are perceived exaggeratedly, cause irritability and emotional lability. Adolescents are capable of not listening to medical recommendations, ignoring their appointments, even if this is harmful to the unborn child. Childbirth is also difficult at this age.

Childbirth

Childbirth is a difficult stage at any age. Even adult women during this period are able to become confused due to severe pain or fear. With a teenager, things are much more complicated.

The girl's body may simply not be ready for natural childbirth due to a narrow pelvis or other reasons.

Often at this age, there is a discoordinated labor activity or its primary and secondary weakness. Also, a child can be born much earlier than the term, which threatens not only his health and further development, but also his life.

A young woman in labor may experience premature discharge of amniotic fluid, weakness of the persistent period.

Failure to cope with pain and to heed the advice of a doctor leads to inappropriate behavior during childbirth. This is fraught with physical exhaustion and rapid fatigability, which is most dangerous in the tense period, when the successful birth of the child depends on the efforts of the woman in labor.

At the age of 13-16, childbirth may be accompanied by an inadequate expression of emotions - aggression, hysteria, or, on the contrary, depression.

Increased vulnerability of tissues at this age leads to tears in the perineal region and the need for preventive episiotomy.

Medical aspects

There are also medical aspects of early pregnancy. In addition to physical and psychological immaturity, doctors have long noticed that the early age of the mother increases the risk of having children with chromosomal abnormalities. This is especially true for Down syndrome.

The legislative framework

The majority in the Russian Federation comes at the age of 18. However, it is allowed to have sex by mutual consent from the age of 16. It is believed that at this age, adolescents can more consciously control their desires and take care of contraception.

If the girl is 13-15 years old, and the young man is an adult, he is threatened with criminal prosecution, no matter how mutual the desire for sex of this couple was. Young people should always remember this and show conscientiousness and discretion in such serious matters.

In a situation where both partners have not reached the permissible age, but at the same time are sexually active, no punishment is provided for them by law.

However, if there is coercion to have sex - moral and physical, violent actions on the part of one of the partners, he will be criminally liable for this from the moment he turns 14.

In matters of the beginning of sexual activity and consent between a young man and a girl, the law is quite harsh, and one cannot count on his leniency, regardless of age.

In addition to possible criminal liability, adolescents may face other problems in case of early pregnancy.

Possible problems

Despite the widespread freedom of morals and sexual life in recent years, early pregnancy continues to be condemned by society and the parents of the teenager himself.

Often, a girl who finds out about her situation is left without any support. Fathers-to-be often choose to break off a difficult relationship and shirk their responsibilities towards the newborn and his mother.

Fear of a possible negative reaction from her parents forces the girl to hide her pregnancy. Because of this, the expectant mother turns to the doctor late, which is fraught with the development of various complications or even an interruption in the second or third trimester.

Modern society also prefers to condemn such a teenager. A pregnant girl may have problems in school and society associated with the negative reaction of others.

Teenagers should remember that early pregnancy in many cases is a cross on future studies, good work and career.

The young mother will be able to continue her studies only with the support of her relatives. But grandparents are not always ready to sacrifice their time for the sake of their grandson. And most of them by the time of his birth are still young enough to build their careers.

Even in the absence of medical problems, a teenage girl can easily turn out to be a young single mother, struggling to make ends meet and without any prospects for further professional success and financial independence.

That is why, when the first thoughts about sex appear, 13–16-year-old partners should carefully study the possibilities of modern contraception.

Contraception

Correct use of contraceptives is important at any age, but for adolescents it is most important. The following methods help protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy:

Barrier (condoms and caps).
Intrauterine device.
Hormonal drugs (pills, injections, vaginal rings).
Chemical (spermicidal ointments, gels).

In adolescence, it is preferable to use condoms. They protect not only from conception, but also from sexually transmitted infections. This is especially important for those boys and girls who often change partners.

In addition, condoms are convenient and easy to use compared to caps that are placed in the cervical region.

Sometimes it is wiser to use hormonal drugs. This applies to those adolescents who have a close relationship with only one partner. Often, doctors prescribe such pills in order to correct the hormonal imbalance in a girl.

The intrauterine device is usually not installed in adolescence.

Spermicidal ointments have a relatively low efficiency, therefore, it is undesirable to use them as the only contraceptive.

As for such natural methods of protection against pregnancy as coitus interruptus (PAP) and the calendar method, you should not use them in adolescence (and any other) age. They are the ones that regularly cause unwanted early pregnancy.

But if it does come, the interaction of the doctor, the teenage girl and her parents is necessary in order to avoid unpleasant consequences and health problems.

Tactics

What is the best course of action in case of early pregnancy? Medical tactics are developed individually, depending on the age of the expectant mother and her state of health.

Currently, most doctors do their best to preserve the pregnancy. This is connected not so much with the ethical problem of abortion, as with their extremely negative impact on the reproductive system of a teenager in the future.

Too often, after a single termination of pregnancy in adolescence, a woman can never have children again. Abortion is one of the most significant causes of female infertility. And the younger the patient is during this procedure, the higher the risk of such a complication.

Unfortunately, sometimes the girl's concomitant diseases or constitutional features do not allow her to endure pregnancy at the age of 13-15. In such a situation, interruption is a necessary measure. But, although there is usually no other way out, this often inflicts severe psychological trauma on the adolescent. It can result in neurosis or depression.

Teenage pregnancy almost always entails a lot of difficulties for parents-to-be. It seriously changes their lives and affects their relationships. That is why the decision to start sex life at a young age should be balanced and deliberate. And you can start it only after selecting the optimal contraceptive.

"I'm pregnant ..." - wonderful words! Is not it? Someone pronounces them with anxious expectation of the appearance of a small miracle in the light, after the allotted time. Well, and someone - with joyful despair, plunging into shock their parents. In the latter case, we are talking about future young mothers who, due to certain circumstances, became pregnant at the "wrong" age.

When do people talk about early pregnancy?

It is believed that the onset of pregnancy in a minor teenage girl from 13 to 18 years old is an early or adolescent pregnancy.

However, sometimes the lower limit goes down.

The upper bound is under discussion. Since it is believed that the body of a young woman is formed, and is also ready to bear and give birth to a child only by the age of 20.

According to statistics, there are 30 adolescent births per 1000 live births in Russia.

Unfortunately, the same unforgiving statistics show that about 70% of all teenage pregnancies end in medical abortion, 15% in miscarriages, and only 15% in childbirth.

At the same time, 50% of the number of expectant young mothers who decide to give birth report a "planned" pregnancy.

A bit of history ...

For several centuries, the concept of "early pregnancy" did not exist at all. Since the girl was considered capable of conceiving and giving birth to a child, as soon as she had her first menstruation.

Therefore, girls were married at 13-14 years old, and at 15-16 years old, most of them already became mothers. This trend was due to the high mortality rate among children and adults. And, in the opinion of society, for the survival of the clan, a woman had to start fulfilling her “mission” as early as possible.

Therefore, in Russia and Europe, a girl who did not marry and did not give birth to at least one child under the age of 18 was considered "overdone". And over 20 years old - a hopeless old maid, whom only an "old" widower 40 years old with a large family could be interested in.

Moreover, in those years early labor was biologically sound. The fact is that women suffered from anemia due to monthly bleeding, which no one corrected. Unfortunately, she progressed with age. And anemia, as you know, reduces the ability to normally bear and give birth to a healthy child.

Modern society: attitudes towards early pregnancy

In some developed countries, as a rule, early pregnancy occurs out of marriage, therefore, can often be condemned by society.

Whereas in other countries (especially developing ones) it occurs most often within the framework of marriage, so there are no social “labels”. However, there are medical aspects: the physical and psychological readiness of the adolescent girl to become a mother.

A bit of physiology ...

Normal average age the onset of the first menstruation(menarche) the girl has a period from 11 to 14 years.

However, a lot depends on certain factors: the girl's ethnicity, her body weight (the less it is, the later the menarche comes), nutrition, past diseases, and so on. Therefore, this interval may vary slightly up or down.

Physiologically menstruating girl capable of conception from the moment of menarche, and even after a single intercourse. However, conceiving is one thing, but bearing a child is another. After all, the body of a teenage girl is not ready to increase the load.

Whereas by the age of 20-25, organs and systems are formed in a young woman, and the balance of hormones in the body is also established. Therefore, she has more chances to endure and give birth to a healthy child.

However, late childbirth is associated with some risks: the birth of children with genetic pathology, the presence of chronic diseases in the mother, and so on.

Meanwhile, much depends not only on the physical readiness of a woman to become a mother. After all, it also happens that a woman, for example, at the age of 20-25 is not psychologically and emotionally ready for motherhood. Whereas a teenage girl quite consciously takes this step.

Is early pregnancy a problem?

Many "terrible" facts have been written and told about teenage pregnancy. Indeed, it carries within itself many aspects: social, medical, material, psychological and so on.

For instance, one of the first difficulties- How to tell a teenage girl's parents about her pregnancy? After all, it is rare that a future grandmother in the first minutes will be happy to see her very young daughter become a mother. Rather, on the contrary, there is unconscious aggression and accusations: “I’m not ready to babysit my grandchildren,” “they ruined my property,” and so on.

Therefore, a young expectant mother often postpones a serious conversation for an indefinite time with her parents and a gynecologist, hiding the pregnancy until a long time.

Although there are times when, on the contrary, the future grandmother stubbornly repeats: "We will give birth." Even despite the fact that pregnancy sometimes occurs as a result of rape or the presence of possible risks to both the health of the expectant mother and the fetus. Although this approach is a bit illogical. Therefore, it may make sense for the future grandmother to consult with a psychologist.

In addition, it is also necessary to tell the future father about the upcoming replenishment, which is also not easy. After all, he can simply run away from responsibility.

Also, some issues should be resolved: further education at school, obtaining a profession, and others.

Why does early pregnancy occur?

At first glance, it seems that the whole world (parents, teachers, relatives and friends) has turned its back on a pregnant teenage girl. However, in fact, this "world" turned away from her much earlier: when it ceased to understand and pay enough attention, or began to overly patronize. That is, the onset of early pregnancy is more of a consequence than a cause.

The most common situations that lead to early pregnancy

Rape

This is a terrible fate for a woman of any age, not just for a teenage girl.

And it should be noted that the act of violence is most often committed not by maniacs, but by people whom the teenage girl completely trusts: friends and acquaintances (sometimes mothers).

Even if a teenage girl has been attacked by a stranger, the question must be asked: why was she alone in the wrong place, and also at the wrong time? Indeed, quite often a girl simply runs away from a "cozy" house because of a conflict situation that has arisen, or she is kicked out of it. That is, parents are initially indifferent to the fate of their daughter.

Of course, there are more circumstances in which a teenage girl can be raped. And the fault of the parents is not always the case. After all, there are a lot of inadequate and mentally unbalanced people capable of attacking.

However, regardless of the situation in which a teenage girl has been subjected to violence, it is necessary to take preventive measures. Unfortunately, this does not happen, so an unwanted early pregnancy occurs. Because, due to certain circumstances, a teenage girl does not tell her parents about the tragedy that happened to her.

"Accidental" pregnancy

It comes out of ignorance, when, even in our enlightened time, a teenage girl does not know what she is doing. Since she does not have sufficient knowledge about the methods of contraception, because there was no one to enlighten her in this matter. Or she is counting on a more "experienced" and "senior" partner. Especially if she is 13-14 years old, and he is already 16-18 years old!

As a result, the expectant young mother does not in any way connect the failure of the menstrual cycle with the intimacy that has occurred. In addition, she sometimes goes on a diet due to an increase in her waist. Meanwhile, vitamins and nutrients are necessary both for the development of the fetus and for the body of a young pregnant woman.

That is, the "missed" teenage pregnancy is a consequence of insufficient sexual education, as well as a dialogue in the family on the topic of sexual relationships.

Challenging behavior

In this case, a teenage girl falls into "bad company". Because, as a rule, he feels lonely, as well as rejected by his family and loved ones. As a result, she begins to seek "understanding" from others, and also unconsciously chooses a more risky and protest type of behavior.

"Planned" pregnancy

It comes when a teenage girl seeks to establish herself in such an unusual way, as well as to solve her psychological problems. The rationale behind such an act may be different.

For example, when parents unrestrainedly overprotect their daughter, but psychologically do not hear and do not delve into her experiences. In this case, the expectant young mother expresses her protest with her pregnancy. Thus, proving to the parents that she is already "adult", so her opinion should be taken into account.

However, sometimes a teenage girl, on the contrary, does not receive enough attention and warmth from her parents. Therefore, she thinks that she will give birth to a baby for herself who will love her.

That is, as you can see, initially there is no emotional contact, as well as mutual understanding between the parents and the teenage girl. Moreover, material wealth in the family can play a negative role. Since parents are often busy with their lives, believing that their daughter will receive sex education at school, and learn about contraception from the Internet or print media. As a result, the teenager is often on his own.

Of course, there are more situations that result in early pregnancy. Moreover, sexual maturation in adolescents and attraction to the opposite sex occurs early. And it is possible that a teenage girl makes the decision to become a mother quite consciously (as much as possible at such a young age). Since she sincerely loves her chosen one, who reciprocates her. Yes, and parents perceive the shocking news adequately, supporting and helping in a difficult period.

doctor-resident of the children's department