What you need to know for 16 years. How to react to early pregnancy. If your teenage daughter wants an abortion
Pregnancy at 16 years old is a serious life test for a girl and her parents.
For a potential mother - psychological discomfort and not always good condition health. For prospective grandparents, this is another child in the family who needs to be provided for. Moreover, there are many cases when the father of an unborn child renounces his paternity, and there are a lot of such cases. But we must understand that not every girl can physically develop by this age and bear a healthy baby.
No matter how old a woman is, during the period of gestation a double burden falls on her body, and at the age of 16 it is sometimes very difficult to cope with it. Pregnancy at this age can significantly harm the health of the expectant mother - a teenager.
Barroso talks about how a psychologist should approach them so they know "they won't judge" and then some confidence is achieved in people they don't know when they can count on, for example, your partner insulting or pushing you. The professional's work alleviates the victim's suffering in this first request for help, helping him to "realize his situation" in the "very important phase of containing his emotions and anguish", where the psychologist explains to Diana, It helps to express your emotions and understand them.
"One of the most serious situations that can be suffered"
Psychologist Olga Barroso offers a definition of gender-based violence that is as succinct as it is compelling: it is a traumatic process that goes beyond the natural resources that people need to be healthy. We must recover from humiliation and abuse, “one of the most serious situations that people can suffer,” worse than torture in war, says Olga Barroso, because in intimate relationships violence comes from someone who is supposed to protect, and yet it hurts you, someone who, moreover, the victim chose to be with.
I got pregnant at 16, what should I do?
Of course, the situation is very complex and must be resolved individually and strictly. If you want to keep the child, then do so. You shouldn’t be afraid to be left alone, to raise a child without a father. Abortion is the most extreme measures (if the fetus threatens your health), for example, your reluctance to give birth. Before you decide on it, weigh all the pros and cons. It all depends on you. Do not forget that 70% of 100% of girls after the first abortion do not get pregnant in the future, they become infertile. Also think about the moral side of such a decision: do you want to kill (rudely but truthfully) the unborn baby, your little blood?
If you still decide to give birth, then no matter how your parents support you, realize the seriousness of the situation: you are the expectant mother, it is you who will have to bear responsibility for the child, even if the parents help.
To fully recover from a gender-based violence relationship, special attention is needed that makes the victim reflect and gain a good conceptualization of herself. The restoration process will take at least nine months and one year. “No profile, this could happen to anyone.”
There is no “it can happen to anyone” profile, in all social classes and at all levels of culture, regardless of family environment, the possibility of suffering from gender-based violence exists. However, a woman who has a good emotional structure or a family that protects her recovers sooner because it is more likely that someone will help her and be "saved." This relates to Alicia, who recognizes her father's key role in initiating the recovery process.
Often, parents, upon learning that their sixteen-year-old daughter is in an interesting situation, immediately take their child to the gynecologist for an abortion, even if she resists and wants to keep the child. If your desire is great and you do not want to terminate the pregnancy, then do not follow the lead of moms and dads. This is your life. In our modern times, there are many special organizations in Russia - shelters that help single teenage mothers. But go there only as a last resort. It’s better, of course, to talk to your parents, sooner or later they will understand you. Explain to them that this is very important to you, that you want to give birth, and you understand the seriousness of the situation. Even at 16 years old you can become a wonderful mother and forget about discos for a while. Remember that the decision is yours.
Diana Diaz wants to end the interview with a positive message: “Just because you suffer from gender-based violence does not mean you are for life.” To recover, yes, you must take “many steps.” Working with teenagers, healthy affective relationships and respect as the starting point in any relationship are the basis for a new life.
Let's look at each group by age. There are big lessons associated with conservation, including understanding the difference between knowing we need to go first and sometimes we need to wait for what we want. Explain that you and your family need food, clothing, a place to live, and transportation to work. Almost everything else is desire. When shopping, include items you need and those you want.
Realities of life
If you got pregnant at the age of 16, your parents accepted your situation and are not against you giving birth, and your boyfriend is ready to get married, then we can only congratulate you! There are times when your parents are happy about your pregnancy, but your boyfriend is not. What should I do? Don't be afraid to give birth without a husband. Moreover, you are a young and beautiful mother, and you still have a lot of time ahead to find a father for your child. Are you wondering how much money to raise a child? Believe me, there is a way out:
You can teach what's put off—sometimes you have to wait for what you want—by using "teaching opportunities" like when your child stands in a row to ride on a swing or waits for a birthday or holiday you're craving. A common way to get children into the habit of saving is to use three jars or jars: one labeled with the word "savings", another with the word "spending", and the third with the word "donations". Every time a child receives money, a certain amount must go to everyone.
When your child sees a toy he wants, don't automatically say no. Ask your child to look at the price. Then let him use the money from his spending bottle or save on a toy using his savings bottle. For secondary school students.
1. You will receive social assistance. It may not be particularly big, but it’s also money.
2. Thank God, we live in a time when it is not necessary to go to work every day: you can work from home. For example, a copywriter, rewriter, website designer, website creator (web master) and so on. It’s not difficult to learn this, if you have the desire. By the way, as for earnings, it can be much more than you would earn in an official job.
Encourage high school students to save ten cents for every dollar they earn. Help them start a savings account at a local bank or credit union or online. Then help them set a conservation goal. This could be the amount needed for a new video game, bike or car when you turn 16. Whatever they choose, it should be meaningful to them.
To reinforce the saving habit, go to the bank at least two or three times a year and have your children deposit their savings into their accounts and see how much the balance increases on each visit. You may also want to consider a "compensation plan" that helps encourage your child to save. For example, you could bet 25 cents for every dollar your child saves.
Teenage or young adult pregnancy always comes under the scrutiny of everyone. Some are outraged by the laxity of morals, while others admire the courage of young people who decided to have a child. But, in any case, there are practically no indifferent people on this issue. So what should you do if you are pregnant at 16? The most important thing is to calm down and act without panic.
For high school students. When teens reach their freshman and sophomore years of high school, they may begin working part-time, which means more money to save or more temptation to spend. Help them focus on achieving their goals rather than limiting their spending. For example, the biggest goal of many teenagers is to save money on a car. Show them the implicit math: how soon they will reach their goal if they save a certain amount with each payment or each month.
You can also explain that the more you save on big purchases, such as a car, the more you can reduce the amount you have to finance and the amount of future income you'll have to spend on loans and payments. Check online calculators to see different down payment and monthly payment situations.
How to react to early pregnancy
Despite the presence and widespread various contraceptives, the problem of early pregnancy can affect any family where a teenage girl is growing up. The hackneyed opinion that at the age of 16 only children from disadvantaged families become pregnant is not always justified. Most often, such an early pregnancy is accidental and unplanned, which also leads to its late detection.
This content was taken from "Money as You Grow," an initiative of the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capacity. For more information about money for your children, download the Money Like You handout, which outlines money milestones for children of different ages.
The vast majority of adolescents somatize, that is, they express their psychological discomfort and their concern with physical disorders. Few of those who say “I am depressed or have anxiety attacks”, on the other hand, they accumulate symptoms of insomnia, eating disorders, weight gain, various pains, fatigue, spasmophilia.
In addition, a young girl, having learned about her early pregnancy, is very often in no hurry to “delight” her parents with this news. The child is afraid of a negative reaction and procrastinates even more. This is not all in the best possible way affects the health of both mother and baby, since a young, fragile body is often not yet ready for such serious trials as pregnancy.
What you're describing isn't particularly worrying: your daughter is changing, she's becoming more secretive, less close to you, and she's moaning about going back to school on Monday, but she hasn't dropped out and continues to look forward to holiday breaks with her friends. . Like all teenagers, your daughter is experiencing a post-pubertal spleen. Why not offer him a full medical examination? She may need to be reassured about the hormonal turmoil that is wreaking havoc on her body and her libido.
If you are afraid that she is depressing, tell her honestly about your worries, stretch her perch, ask her to trust and see her reaction, and ask her teachers and the nurse at her boarding school. Do they also give the impression that your daughter has problems? It is not uncommon to have a slight "decline" in her age, the important thing is that these transitional states of decompensation alternate with periods of age. euphoria. It is up to you to follow your daughter's evolution.
So if your child gets pregnant at 16, what should you do? Every parent who is raising a minor daughter must do everything possible so that their child can turn to them for help in case of any unforeseen situation. And pregnancy is no exception. Shouting and cursing in such a situation is pointless and stupid, since nothing can be changed. The teenager is already scared, and an overly aggressive reaction from his parents will only isolate him even more. It is much better to try to discuss the difficult situation as calmly as possible, and most importantly, to make it clear to the young girl that she is not left alone with her problem.
Personal data protection, which is more regulated by the European Union, is a major blow to teenagers accustomed to socializing on phones or tablets. According to Art. 8 Provisions: Regarding the provision of information society services directly to a child, this will be legal if the child is at least 16 years old. If the child is under 16 years of age, the processing of data is lawful only if and to the extent that such consent is given or authorized by the holder of parental responsibility for the child.
Important: if a girl at the age of 16 suddenly finds out about her pregnancy, it is extremely necessary to tell her parents or other close adults who could help resolve the situation as soon as possible.
Features of pregnancy at 16 years old
The most optimal age at which a girl is physically ready to become a mother is 20 years old. By this moment, all the reproductive organs have been formed, hormones are released in the right quantities, and the girl can bear and give birth to a baby as safely as possible. Of course, age is far from a determining indicator of a successful pregnancy, but pregnancy at 16 years old is often a very strong burden on the not yet formed female body.
As for how these provisions might be applied, the European rule is vague, leaving a lot of room for maneuver for social media providers. “The operator shall make every reasonable effort to verify in such cases where the holder of parental responsibility has provided or authorized consent, taking into account available technology,” the regulation states.
In an online debate organized by Romanian police on Tuesday, the second day of Crime Prevention Week, students had the opportunity to comment on the European norm, and teenagers do not agree with these provisions. Currently, 38% of young people aged 9 to 12 already have their own profile on a social networking site.
Signs of pregnancy at 16 years of age do not differ significantly from those in more mature women. However, due to age, girls often do not pay attention to changes in their body. Thus, the absence of menstruation is often attributed to an unsettled cycle, and nausea and other manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract are attributed to digestive problems.
Save the Children, which understands teen incitement, is coming to the rescue. In particular, the organization calls for the reduction of the age from 16 to 13 years for which a child requires parental consent, through the possibility provided for in the new regulation itself: “Member States may provide for a lower age for this purpose by law, provided that he must be at least 13 years old."
Independence or Parental Control?
In this way, the feedback received from teenagers will be centralized at national and European level and will help develop guidelines on Internet rights and the book. They will be released in February. At the same time, one should not ignore that children are more vulnerable in the online environment, says psychologist Mihai Copceanu. Control includes work from the parent. If parents do nothing, the European directive cannot apply.
The main feature of such an early pregnancy will be an increased risk of possible complications compared to older mothers. Therefore, naturally, it is not worth planning a pregnancy at 16 years old. However, if it has already arrived, it is quite possible to safely carry and give birth to a healthy baby. To do this you need:
- find a person as early as possible who will support the young mother and help physically and psychologically;
- immediately, as soon as the fact of pregnancy is discovered, contact an antenatal clinic;
- strictly adhere to study schedules and follow all doctor’s orders;
- lead the healthiest lifestyle possible, eat properly and rationally;
- minimize all stress and worries.
Of course, teenage pregnancy most often becomes a real shock for the entire family of the young mother. And to a greater extent, how this pregnancy will end depends on the reaction of adult family members.
At the same time, it should not be overlooked that in an online environment, children are much more naive and, implicitly, more vulnerable. Many children do not state their real age when they make an account on social networks. And at an early age, children cannot be aware of some dangers and become victims, says psychologist Mihai Copaceanu. According to him, children cannot be effectively controlled in the absence of strong emotional relationships with their parents.
The online environment is difficult to cope with because it is free. Parents cannot exercise control unless they have a very affectionate relationship with their children. The solution is to train parents to talk to young children about certain dangers. Affective connection is created over time. Education also includes parents, not just children. A parent should know his child well and not allow him to depend on the Internet. Schools must also adapt to explain online safety courses, says psychologist.
Problems and complications of early pregnancy
According to statistics, girls who become pregnant at the age of 16 have at least 4 times higher risk of developing complications during pregnancy and childbirth than 20-year-old pregnant women. Therefore, a young mother needs to be much more attentive to her health if she wants to carry to term normally and give birth to a healthy baby.
Most often, during early pregnancy, the expectant mother faces the following complications:
- placental insufficiency;
- premature placental abruption;
- premature birth;
- threatened abortion;
- pregnant women;
The main reason for such a number of possible complications is the functional immaturity of the reproductive system of a teenage girl to bear a baby. However, during pregnancy there is often rapid compensation for this immaturity. Thus, the anatomically narrow pelvis of a girl before pregnancy acquires sufficient dimensions for childbirth. In addition, young primiparas have high elasticity of the ligaments and cartilaginous tissue of the pelvis, which makes it more susceptible to childbirth.
Difficult choice: childbirth or abortion
The first reaction to early pregnancy, both the young mother and her parents often have a desire to have an abortion. You should never rush into making such a decision or act rashly. In addition to social factors that are not very conducive to the smooth bearing of a baby at a young age, they often appeal to medicine and say that giving birth so early is more harmful than having an abortion.
- profound disruptions in the endocrine system, hormonal disorders;
- inflammatory processes of the organs of the reproductive system;
- psychological trauma, up to psychosis;
- disruptions in the functioning of the immune system.
As we see, early abortions lead to disruption of the functioning of almost all organs and systems of the body. Therefore, despite the heavy burden during pregnancy, abortion can lead to much more disastrous results than childbirth.
It should be noted that there are a number of medical indications for termination of pregnancy, when further gestation of the fetus can lead to negative consequences for the mother. Such indications include:
- severe infectious diseases;
- oncological diseases;
- clinical manifestation of liver and kidney failure;
- blood diseases;
- obstetric complications of pregnancy (placental abruption, bleeding).
As we see, in order for an early pregnancy to be terminated for medical reasons, there must be quite serious problems with the health of a pregnant woman. A girl’s young age in itself is not such an indication, and in the absence of severe pathologies, it is preferable to continue the pregnancy and wait for the onset of spontaneous labor.
As for the course of the birth itself, under the condition of a normal full-term pregnancy there is a high probability of a successful independent delivery. The main complications most often are rapid labor, insufficiency labor activity due to immaturity of the uterus and trauma to the birth canal.
The situation with an early unplanned pregnancy almost always becomes a huge stress for both expectant mother, and for her family and friends. And in this case, it is extremely important to provide the young girl with all the help that can be provided. It is quite possible to get pregnant at 16 years old, and it is also possible to safely carry and give birth to a healthy baby. Adequate medical management of pregnancy, support and help from loved ones are the main factors that will help a young mother understand and accept her new condition.
