Atunah Amanda - Bumpy Grounds

When problems develop, love may or may not be strong enough to overcome item. The thrill one experiences when they are allied with someone they value, leading them to likely choose marriage and procreation.

Youngsters may find love or lust that can influence their actions. Sex becomes a mantra for arousing a partner's feelings. Teenage females are people that are 10 to 19 years old. In either their junior or senior year of high school, most definitely. With a shaky sense of boy propositions, as well as nostalgia and a desire to start dating. The implications of having sex without protection are hardly understood by most teenagers, and some choose to do it nevertheless by forgoing "condoms."

They assert that having intercourse without using condoms is more pleasurable. Others rely on the calculation of safe periods as well, but it doesn't work. They fail to use emergency contraception and end up getting pregnant as a result. Others also employ the pull-out technique, which is typically not particularly secure. Unaware of the sexually transmitted illnesses they may contract. Many of the other women who are definite betrothed to men who are old enough to be their dads are also set to marry at relatively young ages. Definitely, teen pregnancy is a sure sign of poverty. Teenagers are under pressure to meet their basic necessities, therefore they often adopt the strategy of using what they already have to obtain their goals. And, unfortunately, are rarely informed of the repercussions on improper contraceptive use. Teenage pregnancy is more common among teenagers who use drugs and drink frequently because they become unaware of their environment.

Between January and February of this year, the Ashaiman Municipality documented 124 occurrences of teen pregnancy, which works out to an average of 2.1 teenage girls becoming pregnant each day. In 2020, there were a total of 671 teenage pregnancies reported in the municipality; in 2021, there were 793 occurrences. The figures are rising daily.

In the Ashaiman community, where I spent time researching, the majority of adolescent women became pregnant during their junior year of high school and their first year of senior high school. When majority of these teenagers have flourished and developed endowed traits. While the majority of them end in abortion, some claim that their parents learned of it in time for them to have uttered the act while others claim they are too afraid to. It is disheartening to realize that the majority of them relied solely on what the guys had told them about the pull-out technique and were unaware of the risks associated with unprotected intercourse. Most of them did it in exchange for cash and presents.

Numerous physical and mental issues affect teen mothers. the mockery of some of their friends and the fear they experience when faced with people's judging glances. Teenage mothers are unable to meet their own demands and become prey to their parents. They most likely would have been sexually abused by some of their co-workers. The parents of these boys also spoon-feed them. What kind of support would they give you? They lack parental abilities, which is a terrible fact. It's obvious that all new mothers need to master these skills, but these teen mothers struggle since they weren't quite ready for such a complexity.

Not to mention the significant risks associated with childbirth at such a young age. In fact, babies born to moms under the age of 20 are more likely to be preterm, have low birth weights, develop neonatal disorders, anaemia, and get STDs, among other dangers.

The terrible part is that they continue to have affairs and become pregnant even after having a child. I came to see that it was no longer a case of ignorance but rather a conscious effort to get married to these men who cause them to become pregnant. Most of them are unable to continue their education. One must work hard to provide for their children, mostly because of poverty. There is absolutely no chance, but some people make it a point to sleep with wealthy guys in order to obtain some support and eventually become pregnant again. Some people deal with mental health issues that could get worse. A woman may have symptoms for one to two weeks after giving birth, as in the case of baby blues. Mood fluctuations, difficulty sleeping, and difficulty eating are some of these symptoms. They become lanky when they don't receive adequate assistance.

They are subtly depressive as well. Can you imagine becoming pregnant before 37 weeks? Some new-borns require incubation. Teenage mothers who experience postpartum depression may feel like harming themselves or the child after giving birth. with sorrow and embarrassment engulfing them. Panic attacks do occur occasionally. How were you going to face the world? How will you fare? Will the man eventually adapt? Are you ever going to return to school? Are you going to live your entire life wishing you had handled things differently?

Sex education ought to be a key priority in schools. Additionally, sex education is about more than just abstinence. Teenagers will continue to be influenced and to have sex regardless of what happens. Abstinence is viewed in the Ghanaian community as a sign of contentment. Everything else is a doorway to disaster. I believe that teaching teens how to use contraception, use condoms correctly, and what to do in the event of any unprotected sex will significantly reduce the number of teenage pregnancies.

I saw that several of these young mothers were brilliant and incredibly attractive. I could have sworn they would excel in education, but they are now trapped with kids. Others have resorted to hawking goods on the streets while their children were around by them in the sweltering heat to make ends meet. The majority are undoubtedly ready to return to school, but where will they get their support?

Will there ever be hope??

Amanda Atunah, is the 2022 CSA Student Online Journalist of the Year and a Student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ)