18-year old G3P2 mother

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She wasn't the only kind of patient I would encounter in my clinics. This 18-year old pregnant girl went to the main health center yesterday to have her first ever pre-natal check up...for her third pregnancy! Her previous two pregnancies were delivered by a traditional birth attendant at home and she never had any history of prenatal check up. Her visit yesterday to my health center was her second prenatal visit already. When one of my midwives heard that there was this 18-year old girl who is pregnant and never had any prenatal check ups in her life, she immediately advised the girl to proceed to the main health center and start her prenatal check up. Her expected date is already this June 13, 2009.

She is one of many in the countryside who get pregnant early either by choice or by "accident". She first got pregnant at the age of 15 years old. She is no longer studying and her supposed "husband" is in Bacolod working. According to her, her "husband" is 24 years old. I asked her why she decided to go have her prenatal check ups, she said because she was told about her risky condition and that prenatal check ups are very important. I asked her where she would want to deliver her baby, she said at the Main health center. I asked her why and she replied because hilots are no longer allowed. At least she is aware of our policy on facility-based deliveries.

That is why we really pushed to promote abstinence among the young in order to make them aware of the possible outcomes when they go into early sexual relationships. It is no joke starting a family at the age of 15 years old. Other than the physical hazards, there are social and emotional aspects to consider as well. Teaching them to use contraception may be the easiest way out, more convenient for both the health worker and the patient, but we are only correcting the physical problem. We are not really modifying the psychological disposition towards sex. Why are the young people into premarital sex in the first place? If we address that question, then I believe there is no need for aggressive campaigning for condoms and pills among the youth.

This encounter with this young pregnant girl has all the more inspired me to push the agenda of sexual abstinence among the young. I am planning to do a follow-up on a core-group of participants of the camp and to check on them and ask how they have been advocates of the It Can Wait philosophy. Hopefully, these young people can bring about a cultural change among their peers.



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