Teen pregnancy remains a significant
problem in Bhutanese society but there are steps that can help teens take
responsibility for their sexual activity and avoid unintended pregnancy.
According to my knowledge, 90% of all Bhutanese have sexual intercourse before
the age of 20. 1 out of 20 females between the ages of 15 and 19 ends up
carrying an unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancies fuel an abortion rate
that some argue is murder and all agreed emotionally traumatizes all of the
parties involved.
Teenage pregnancy is a large and growing problem in Bhutan,
today. There are almost a thousand pregnancies of women aged between, 15-19.
Some few of those end up with death for the baby, through miscarriage or
abortion. The abortion in Bhutan is not famous for young girls. Abortion is
unlawful and government does not encourage abortion anyways. That ends up the
death of teenage mother for their child, whatever may be.
Physically, a woman is able to bear a child once she has gone through puberty. However, pregnancy and parenthood can be more emotionally, physically, and financially taxing than expected.
Young Bhutanese teenagers know the importance of life but
still they do not stop their misbehavior to avoid teenage pregnancy. The rate
of teenage pregnancy is increasing yearly according to Bhutan Living Standard
Survey (BLSS) Report 2012, total of 611 teenagers were victim of unintended
pregnancy.
The teenage pregnancy was more prominent in urban areas and
rural areas due illiteracy. 132 teenagers in urban gave birth to the child and
479 teenagers in rural area gave birth too, which is almost triple than urban.
For example; Giving up a
kid, whether to abortion or adoption, is a hard alternative which can lead to
many problems. Many times a teenage mother is living at home and must make the
choice to tell their parents. In a personal case, the child told the mother
that they were pregnant and didn't want to give up the baby. This woman was
then kicked out of her house and had to find her own work. She didn't go on to
college and doesn't know the father.
Therefore, our
government and other concern authorities like NGOs work hard for the benefit of
teenagers. They advertise merits and demerits of teenage pregnancy in
broadcasting service like Bhutan Broadcasting Service and even in printed
Medias.
This gives information
to the teenagers these days and keeps them informed, but the teenagers in rural
and far flung areas do not reach with information. Thus, rural girls get
engaged in teenage sex and ultimately ruin their life in unintended pregnancy.
The campaign in BBS and
print Medias help reach information and educate teenagers in every respect. The
campaign was more involved with trying to use peer pressure and negatives to
stop teens from having sex.
These days, television
and social Medias play an important role; the celebrities in television and
unanimous users posts photos with several children. They share what is good and
they do not share their hardship of being mother. It showed a happy teen on top
of the world and had no worries with lots of children.
Pregnancies can be
unexpected, resulting, for instance, from the failure of a contraceptive
method. However, many teens do not have the facts regarding teenage pregnancy,
and instead of asking their doctor, they ask their friends-who can be a
tremendous source of misinformation.
Society benefits from
educated and economically productive teens. Teens struggling to handle an
unintended pregnancy are less economically productive, their education suffers
and their potential is inhibited. The parents of unintended pregnancies often
end up on welfare. Society pays costs of welfare and healthcare for parents and
children involved with unintended pregnancies. The parents that have unintended
pregnancies often had multiple kids and the parents and kids are caught in a
welfare cycle.
Limited resources stop their progress causing their social status to remain static, resulting in limited education that produces more unintended pregnancy.
Conclusion
Bhutanese society
suffers from teenage pregnancies and other teenage related problems. Haa is one
of the smallest districts have highest teenage pregnancy rate – 6.7 percent and
followed by Paro – 4.9. Dagana comes third with 3.6 percent and followed by
Mongar -3.4 percent. Therefore, teenage pregnancy is more prominent in rural
areas when compared to urban areas. However, with education and health the
popularizing over the country will help avoid teenage pregnancy.
