Preventing Teenage Pregnancy

How can teenage pregnancy be prevented?

Abstinence

This is when a person decides not to have sex until they are married.

Some think this is old-fashioned, others think it is morally the best thing to do. Don’t worry what other’s think - what do you think?

Delaying Sex

Many people feel that they don’t want to wait until marriage before having sex.

At the same time they don’t want to rush into it and make costly mistakes. So they decide to delay having sex until they are older, more responsible, in a stable relationship with one partner, have a job, or have become independent of their parents.

Does this sound reasonable to you?

If you choose either abstinence or delaying sex, there are some further steps that will help to protect you:

• Choose you friends carefully. Friends should want what is best for you, and they should respect your decision not to have sex. Beware of friends who try and pressure you into having sex.
• Beware of situations, like a group of friends drinking or taking drugs that could lead to unsafe sex.
• Beware of partners who claim ‘You must sleep with me to prove you love me.’
• Listen and learn from those who have gone through teenage pregnancy. They know the mistakes and disadvantages, and can help you to avoid making the same mistakes.
• Listen and learn from your parents about their life experiences. If they put restrictions on you, it is not necessarily because they want to make you suffer. Usually, it is because they want the best for you, so they do it to help and protect you.

If you decide that abstinence and delay sex are not the best decisions for you, and you’d rather not wait before having sex, then you should take time and effort to learn about the best means of protection:

Contraception

Contraception simply means using a method (mechanical or chemical) to prevent pregnancy. There are various contraceptives that work in different ways, but they are all designed to prevent pregnancy. Even if you wish to practice abstinence of delay sex, it’s important to learn as much as you can about contraception – knowledge is power.

Methods

• Oral Contraception…… “the pill”
• Implanon
• Injectable contraception…..”the injection”
• Male and female condoms
• Dual protection
• Emergency contraception (should be used within 5 days of unprotected sex, or condom breakage)- Toll free no: 0800246432
• Male and female sterilisation

For more information visit your nearest clinic

Know your HIV status

What can I do if I’m pregnant?

Take someone you trust with you and visit the Clinic to start antenatal care at 8 weeks (2 months) of pregnancy [rather – "miss one period and go to your nearest clinic and check if you are pregnant or not" and start ANC] Why is this necessary?

Benefits of starting Antenatal care early

• Receive knowledge about pregnancy and HIV
• Voluntary counseling and HIV testing
• Health care worker will assist in developing a plan that is suitable for you and your baby during antenatal, delivery and postnatal and you have to put this plan into practice as soon a you can.
• Prevention mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) is available for all HIV positive pregnant women.
• Eat healthy nutritious food, exercise, and get plenty of sleep.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol
• Prevent further sexually transmitted infections (STI’S, HIV) during Pregnancy
• Practice safe sex, use a condom
• Infant feeding counselling

If the pregnancy is unwanted : ask at your nearest clinic about your options.

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