Research called for in teen pregnancy

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 8

Research called for in teen pregnancy

PA Wellington Research is needed into the reasons behind New Zealand’s high rate of unplanned teen-age pregnancy, according to a Christchurch family-plan-ning nurse, Mrs Jeane Nuthall.

Writing in the latest “Nursing Journal,” she said that ignorance about contraception did not seem to be a major factor, in an age of high contraceptive knowledge and expertise.

The reasons for unplanned pregnancy included ignorance of contraception, and where to go for information, but ilso ' rba- at ad-

aib embarrassment at admitting sexual activity, unwillingness to plan for sex, the belief that if premarital sex was wrong premeditated contraception was even worse, and the assumption that the girl was too young to get pregnant, Mrs Nuthall said.

Some young women 'Wanted to get pregnant, for a wide variety of unconsidered and often inappropriate reasons. It was important not to judge the people involved, but to work to increase understanding of the situation. Research had shown

that a child’s health and development could be impaired if bom to teen-age parents, and the medical risks to the mother were also higher.

The child itself would be more likely to become an adolescent parent. Adoption would bring the parents similar grief to that which they would suffer if the child died, and they might regret their decision if they chose to marry later, she said.

As well, adopted children often seemed more prone to emotional disturbances.

Mrs Nuthall said that New Zealand’s abortion statistics were low compared with those countries with similar fertility rates, but more than a quarter of abortions performed in 1983 were on women aged under 20. New Zealand was among countries with the highest incidence of live births to women aged under 20, according to overseas research, Mrs Nuttall said. As well as research into the background of teenage pregnancies, more information and education were needed on contraception, she said.