Survey Shows High Pregnancy Rate Among Young Adults
VOL. XVIII NO. 4 (Nov 1-7, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – Early pregnancy and motherhood remains high in the country as revealed by the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey(NDHS).
The survey shows that one in every ten Filipino women aged 15 to 19, is already a mother or pregnant with her first child. For 20 to 24 years old, the percentage goes as high as 46.2 percent.
For Cordillera, 28.5% or around three of every 10 women ages 15 to 24 are already mothers or currently pregnant (during the data collection Aug. to Oct. 2013). This is slightly higher than the national average of 26.8 percent.
The information was revealed in the regional data dissemination forum spearheaded by Philippine Statistical Authority -Cordillera Regional Office (PSA CAR) at the GSP Ating Tahanan here on Wednesday.
The 2013 NDHS, the 10th of a series of survey being conducted every five years, covered 800 enumeration areas and 16,732 households nationwide. Designed to provide information on fertility, family planning, health and nutrition, the survey involved 16,155 women ages 15 to 49 years old.
Commission on Population (POPCOM) Cordillera regional director Rosa Fortaleza, who was one of the discussants during the forum, affirmed that teenage and unwanted pregnancies remain a concern in relation to the country’s continuously growing population.
Aside from population growth, Fortaleza also affirmed that early sexual activity, teenage pregnancies and unwanted pregnancies also pose numerous concerns to women including health, education, psycho-social and financial, among others.
Baguio Center for Young Adult Executive Director Marlene De Castro, for her part, urged government agency planners and private stakeholders to also look deeper into the factors that lead to early motherhood or pregnancies.
“Given these NDHS results, we must look into the factors as each statistics has its own face, each has its own story”, she said.
Fortaleza and De Castro called for stronger public – private partnership as well as civic participation especially among parents in the advocacy or education campaign, for the younger generation not to engage in early risky sexual behaviours.
The PSA led 2013 NDHS Data Dissemination Forum was attended by representatives from regional line agencies, non-government organizations and local government units.
Other discussants in the forum were PhilHealth medical officer Fe Esperanza Pilando and National Economic Development Authority Development Research Division OIC Engr. Arturo Aro./JDP/CCD – PIA CAR
