International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS)

Vol. 11, No. 2, June 2022, pp. 479~489

ISSN: 2252-8806, DOI: 10.11591/ijphs.v11i2.20955  479

Start of a life health risk, struggles and coping as experienced

teenage mothers

Marris R. Reyes1,2, Benilda M. Hangdaan2,3, Kristine Mae C. Sadang2,4, Marilyn G. Pasion2,5

1
Development Extension and Training, Isabela State University Jones Campus, Barangay, Philippines
2
College of Education, Isabela State University Jones Campus, Barangay, Philippines
3
Human Resource Management Office, Isabela State University Jones Campus, Barangay, Philippines
4
Office of Student Affairs, Isabela State University Jones Campus Barangay, Philippines
5
Office of the Registrar, Isabela State University Jones Campus, Barangay, Philippines

Article Info ABSTRACT

Article history: Motherhood plays a vital role in society. It greatly influences the personality
and disposition of a child. Teenage pregnancy is one of the major
Received Mar 19, 2021 international social issues; nonetheless, the available literature seemed to
Revised Nov 24, 2021 address this issue quite indecorously. Thus, this study intended to identify
Accepted Feb 15, 2022 the dynamics and causes of teenage pregnancy based on the context of those
who experienced it. This study mainly focused on the personal health risk
experiences, struggles, and coping of teenage pregnancy. A semi-structured
Keywords: in-depth interview with 35 teenage mothers was conducted. The researchers
carefully transcribed the conversations, then read and re-read, then
Coping and struggles summarized the musings and verbalizations of the participants. A descriptive
Embrace Phenomenological approach was utilized to analyze the data. Then, the
Missing psyche missing psyche, unwanted, social judgment, embrace (MUSE) Phase of
Societal judgement Teenage Pregnancy emerged. This was validated using
Unwanted teenage pregnancy “critical-friend and correspondence technique”. Each phase reflects the
onset, coping and struggles on becoming a teenage mother from conception
to rearing the child. The discussion poses a unique perspective on
understanding the phases of teenage pregnancy coming from the point of
view of those who experienced it, which is vital in making efforts to
prevention and intervention.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license.

Corresponding Author:
Marris R. Reyes
Development Extension and Training Services, Isabela State University Jones Campus
Barangay 1, Jones, Isabela, Philippines
Email: marris.r.reyes@isu.edu.ph

1. INTRODUCTION
Mothers greatly influence the personality and disposition of the child who will become a member of
society. It can be considered as the noblest occupation since it requires selflessness, instincts, tremendous
patience, and willingness to sacrifice most things in life to rightfully raise their children. It plays a vital role
in the society since mother’s upbringing can greatly influence the future generations’ thought processes and
disposition [1], [2]. Such an important role requires utmost maturity to predict success.
Teenage pregnancy is constantly a major social problem in both developed and underdeveloped
countries. Annually, over 16 million adolescent females give birth worldwide [3]. Girls from 15-19 years of
age are facing an unplanned pregnancy and the consequences that come along with it at an early stage of
development. At this age level, the physical and emotional readiness of the girls is insufficient to motherhood
responsibilities. This phenomenon is a social problem that affects the welfare of the girls and their families as
well as the society as a whole.

Journal homepage: http://ijphs.iaescore.com

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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has defined adolescent pregnancy as a pregnant girl,
usually between the ages of 13-19 [2], [4]. The world health organization [5] reported that in developing
countries like the Philippines, approximately 16 million girls ranging from age 15 to 19 years and millions
under the age of sixteen give birth each year. Alarmingly, among the association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) States, the Philippines have one of the highest teenage birth rates (2013). Moreover, the leading
cause of mortality for 15 to 19-year-old girls across the globe was complications during pregnancy and
childbirth. According to the young adult fertility and sexuality study (YAFS) performed by the University of
the Philippines population institute (UPPI) and the demographic research development foundation (DRFF) in
2013, one out of every ten Filipina teens aged 15 to 19 years old was already a mother [6], [7]. Furthermore,
around 2.6% of Filipina teens in the same age range are already pregnant with their first kid,
while 13.6% have begun childbearing. United nations populations fund (UNFPA) [6] on the other hand,
reinforced the feeling of urgency expressed by national economic development authority (NEDA) [7] and
populations commission (POPCOM) in 2019, describing the country's alarmingly rising adolescent
pregnancy rate as a national emergency.
Childbearing in adolescence increases the risk of poor health outcomes for both mother and child,
and the younger the adolescence, the greater the risk [8]. Pregnancy during adolescence is linked to an
increased risk of health issues such as anemia, sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), pregnancy complications,
and psychological distress consequences like depression and even suicide. Adolescents who become pregnant
at a young age face additional risks, such as having a greater age gap with their partners, which puts them at a
higher risk of domestic violence as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually
transmitted disease (STIs) [8].
Teenage pregnancy can be considered an international crisis since it directly and inderectly, result to
different health risk issues and social problems. As young girls undergo teenage pregnancy, their physical
health and development as well as their education, emotions, social life, and the society's future, are all
impacted. Its weight has an impact on family life, exposing them to physical issues and financial insecurity
[9], [10]. Researchers linked teenage pregnancy to various social problems. In 2015, research by
Undiyaundeve showed that poor parenting, poverty, dating, violence, age difference in relationships,
environmental factors for children, medical factors, are the main causes that contribute to the effects of
teenage pregnancy [10], [11]. In addition, teenage pregnancy is a social problem since children born to
teenage mothers are more likely than children to older mothers to suffer health, social and emotional
problems [1]. Many of the adverse social issues associated with adolescent motherhood include being more
likely than their peers to live in poverty, being unemployed, or having minimal wages and low educational
achievement [1]. In addition, children of adolescent mothers are more likely to become adolescent parents
themselves due to their mothers' lack of guidance and moral authority [9].
Some of the ramifications of adolescent pregnancy [10]. For starters, teen births are linked to a lower
mother's yearly income [10]. Eighty percent of adolescent mothers want assistance at some time in their lives. Second,
adolescent mothers are more likely to drop out. Only about a third of adolescent mothers were graduated from high
school. Finally, young births are linked to higher rates of alcohol and drug misuse, worse educational attainment, and
decreased earning potential among teen dads [10], [12]. Moreover, according to UNICEF, there are adverse
repercussions for the child and siblings of teenage parents, such as: i) the child of a teen mother is more
likely to live in poverty; ii) grow up without a father; iii) become a victim of neglect or abuse; iv) do poorly
in school; v) become involved in criminal activities; vi) abuse drugs and alcohol; vii) and eventually become
a teenage parent and perpetuate the cycle the younger sibling of a teen mother is more likely to accept sexual
initiation teenage years accept sexual initiation [2], [4].
If a conception is unplanned, the woman may not be able to get the prenatal care she and her baby
require, or she may not be healthy enough to take the child to term. Adolescents are typically unprepared for
the reality of having a child, as Paunan explains, and complicated relationships, financial load, social shame,
and parenting may all be stressful, putting a newborn in danger [12]. For adolescent moms, young people,
and pregnant teens, it must involve education, skill-building, clinical, and social support.
As aforementioned, teenage pregnancy is continually being a major social problem leading to health
risks and social problems. However, the available literature seemed to address this issue quite indecorously.
Teenage pregnancy is a pressing social concern whether in developed or developing countries are often
viewed as problems that needed proper solutions [13]. Given the number of aspects which can be associated
with teenage motherhood and plethora of studies in different disciplines done across its vital causes, the
underlying factors rest to be vague and elusive. Generally, there is a focus on various correlates, but details as
to why particular antecedent conditions should lead to early age at first birth are not imminent.
Therefore, this qualitative study attempted to capture and understand the crux of teenage pregnancy
based on the first-hand information from those who experienced it. This study will focus on the possible
reasons, struggles, and coping mechanisms before, during, and after pregnancy. Specifically, this study aimed

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to answer the central question “how physical health risks, struggles and coping were is experienced and
understood by people who have undergone teenage pregnancy?” This will identify the dynamics and causes
of teenage pregnancy in rural communities in the Philippines where teenage pregnancy is continuously
raising. This creates a portrait of the system and cycles affecting the aforementioned never-ending social
issue.

2. RESEARCH METHOD
Qualitative phenomenology was used to capture the essence of facing struggles and coping as a
phenomenon. Phenomenology is regarded as "the science of the essence of consciousness focused on
defining the idea of intentionality and the meaning of the lived experience from the first person's point of
view" [14], [15]. The location of this study was in selected rural areas in Cagayan Valley, Philippines where
the data on teenage pregnancy has been consistently rising. According to the survey, the Cagayan valley
region has the second-highest adolescent pregnancy prevalence in the country, which is on the increase this
year [16].
The researcher purposively recruited 35 teenage mothers who experienced teenage pregnancy. The
following are some of the eligibility requirements for selection: i) mothers who experienced teenage
pregnancy for three years and above; ii) twenty-five years old and below; and iii) able to follow oral and
written directions. Participants were excluded from the research if they had: i) communication and
understanding issues and ii) were above the age of 25.
The researcher used a two-part instrument to surface the process of onset, facing struggles, and
coping among teenage mothers. The first part is shown in Table 1, which is the participants' robofoto, a
Dutch term defined as “a cartographic sketch of the subject” [14], [17]. This is gathered to establish the
baseline characteristics of the teenage mothers under study. The second part is the in-depth conversation
intended to elicit the participants' own experience which regards their path to living before, during, and after
giving birth to a child. The in-depth interview/conversation is guided by key conversation queries from the
aid memoir.

Table 1. Profile of the participants

Profile (n=35) (%)
Age
18-21 11 31.43
21-25 24 68.57
Onset of pregnancy
10-14 years old 4 11.43
15-19 years old 31 88.57
Length of being a teenage parent
1-3 years 6 17.14
4-6 years 19 54.29
7-9 years 9 25.71
10 years and above 1 2.86
Mother’s occupation
Teaching 1 2.86
Farmer 9 25.71
Others 5 14.29
Father’s occupation
Overseas Filipina Worker (OFW) 7 20.00
Farmer 23 65.74
Others 5 14.29

Captivating the crux of the phenomenon, an in-depth conversation with the participants and their
selected significant other was conducted. Before the data collection procedure, the participants were asked to
sign an informed consent and were given a full, explanation of the purpose and design of the paper. On the
permission of the participants to be included in the study, individual in-depth interviews with the participants
based on their time of availability. Interview locations were also chosen by the participants themselves, with
the assumption that they will be more honest and comfortable in a familiar environment [14], [17]. It also aims
to establish the best rapport and to create an emotionally stimulating environment between the participants and
the researchers. A semi-structured interview was enforced to create a free-flowing conversation without
alterations in the focus and direction of the interview. Along with the main questions, follow-up queries were
raised to be able to explore the participants' responses [14], [17]. Interview questions were open-ended and
the flow of discussion was determined by the participants, though in some instances, the researcher needed to
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clarify and probe deeper on certain responses thru follow-up questions. The researcher asked permission of
the participants for the conversations to be taped to facilitate transcription and data analysis. The audio-
recorded interviews were manually transcribed by the researcher. The in-depth, semi-structured interview
was conducted using the Filipino language. Each interview lasted about 40 to 90 minutes.
Vital information from the pen-portrait (robotfoto) was reviewed, tallied, and analyzed.
Transcription of the live experiences gathered from the in-depth interview was manually encoded and
completed into texts. Transcribed experiences have undergone thorough reading and re-reading. Then, it was
documented via cool and warm analyses [14], [17]. The researcher employed a repertory grid to uncover an
eidetic primary meaning of the event, which helped with the cold and warm analyses of the obtained
material. The procedure of Paul Colaizzi was used to get to the heart of the problem (online gaming disorder)
under investigation [18]. Themes and categories were discovered, and the material was winnowed into
digestible information in order to uncover distinct phases and hierarchies, eventually tying the texts into
theoretical [14], [15], [17], [18]. Moreover, the chosen expressions and verbalizations of the participants
were carefully translated to the English language to facilitate the understanding of non-Filipina readers. The
themes that emerged were characterized as truthfully and as accurately as possible. Critical friend technique
and correspondence techniques were done to guarantee the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the gathered
data [15], [18].

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings of the qualitative inquiry comprehensively presented the phases of the experiences of
students who undergone teenage pregnancy as they experienced physical, psychological, sociological, and
spiritual difficulties. The following themes emerged from the richness and thickness of the field texts.
Figure 1 shows the themes and subthemes that were emerged and extracted. The superordinate themes are the
general and encompassing factors that yielded various subthemes. As seen from the results are mixed and
diverse data about the conflated experiences of the participants' facing struggles and coping in different
contexts. A comprehensive and detailed report on each subtheme is discussed in Figure 1.

Figure 1. MUSE phases of teenage pregnancy

This study illustrated four phases that teenage mothers had to go through from the beginning to the
end. Each phase illustrated their pains and struggles and how they manage to cope with those problems.
Teenage mothers have gone through tremendous negative effects on the physical, mental, social, and spiritual
facets of life. Most importantly, this body of work found that the role of parental support and guidance is
crucial in preventing teenage pregnancy.

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3.1. Missing psyche enjoying the youth

Table 2 shows that without the presence of guidance and parental care, teenage girls explore things
on their own with people of their age. Hence, with the adventurous nature of adolescence, things happened
hastily leading to regrettable situations. Additionally, material things to cover for the emotional presence of a
parent resulted in the adolescents' further explorations to attain their emotional needs. The attention-seeking
behavior leads to a search for a youthful quest to find oneself, wich in turn, leads to unpleasant events that
they enjoyed.
Moreover, the influence of social media and peers had impacted their young search for pleasure,
emotional bond, and physical explorations. The aggressive nature of the adolescence stage of life is
channeled by whatever they found on the Internet specifically the misguided use of social media-inspired
wild imaginations and sexual explorations. Enjoying their youth, adolescent girls enter into uneducated
sexual activities that led them to the unwanted situation of being pregnant at a very young age. Interestingly,
this happened in rural areas where families are viewed to be conservative. Thus, the influence of social media
and different online platforms with unregulated sexual content plays a vital role in their imprudent sexual
activities. As the verbalizations of the participants revealed:

Table 2. Missing psyche enjoying the youth

Subthemes Excerpts
Absence of parental and proper "I grew up with both my parents are busy with their work, I only see my mother every two or three
guidance years for less than two months and my father is always busy at the farm or busy with his circle of
friends." R11
"I live with my grandparents; both my parents are Overseas Filipino Worker (OFWs) I only see them
once in a while. Though I am with my grandparents, I can't say that they guide me since they give
me what I want, just letting me be." R28
Adolescence’s curiosity "I never planned to be pregnant at a young age but I don't know, I think curiosity killed my
explorations and attention- dreams..." R1 "When I was younger, escaping from our home or in school to meet a college boy and
seeking behavior to explore my body with him gave me that sense of fulfillment." R6
“During that time, I just really want to know what it feels like to be hugged, to be kissed… to feel
loved…without really thinking about the consequences of my action.” R30
Sexuality and sexual health of “That time, I thought, all of my friends were doing it with their boyfriends, why shouldn’t I...? so I
teenagers did it… and it was satisfying, I enjoyed it too much that the fear of being pregnant hadn’t stopped
me… it was…it happened.” R16
“I was trying to explore on the pleasure and gave in to sexual desires.” R21
“Nobody taught me about sex, it not often of a topic…I just gave in to sexual desires without
knowing the consequences.” R32

The alarming fact that the teenagers entered into a risky sexual behaviour represents the degree of
teenage pregnancy amongst sexually active teens [19], [20] even in rural areas of the Philippines. Uneducated
sexual behaviors especially among young people can lead to severe threats of sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIVs) [21], [22]. This worrying fact suggests that there is a
minimum progress in reducing teenage pregnancy despite that it was emphasized in millennium development
goals (MGD) together with a high mortality rate among teenage mothers [20], [23].
Experiencing teenage pregnancy seemed to originate from a lack of guidance and parental concern
with developing adolescents. The study findings indicated that one of the imminent reasons for teenage
pregnancy was lack of parental attention. With the innate urge of adolescents' curiosity, explorations and
attention-seeking behavior played a vital role in entering uneducated sexual interactions which led to early
and unwanted pregnancy. Gselamu and his colleagues argued that teenage pregnancy is more common in
young girls who grew up in a permissive environment [24]. Parental relationships with adolescents play a vital
role in preventing such ordeals [25]. Thus, it is suggested that parents or caregivers should nurture open
conversation in their homes, particularly about sex, sexuality, and dating, to teach youngsters, particularly
females, how to take care of themselves in such situations [13], [26].
Furthermore, peer influence and unregulated social media also took part in the poor judgment of
young women. Further, the undeveloped rationality of one adolescent paired with another can lead to juvenile
adventures which might result in an unexpected phenomenon [27], [28]. In 2019, the world health
organization (WHO) stressed that adolescents should be encouraged to be educated about the societal impact
of their overwhelming impulses [5]. Hence, proper guidance and attention both of parents and the community
is crucial in preventing the adolescents to hastily performing actions that might lead to regrettable decisions in
life. Teenage pregnancy is more frequent among children of single parents, as is exposure to most sexual
content on television, sexuality in the media, and pornographic and sex chatrooms frequented by adolescents
who are particularly tuned to engage in sexual behaviors [24].

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3.2. Unwanted physical and psychological health risk

As seen in Table 3, changes in their physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual began
after the conception. Pregnant teenagers started to feel the physical discomforts of pregnancy when physical
changes from childhood to adolescent period had just commenced. Adjusting to physical changes during
pregnancy was tougher since they had just begun to enjoy their growing youthful body. They also mentioned
health difficulties such as bleeding during pregnancy, tremendous headaches, vomiting, sleepless nights,
infections, and neumerous physical health risks during and after pregnancy.

Table 3. Unwanted physical and psychological health risks

Subthemes Excerpts
Health risk and physical “I had difficulty breathing, Doctors said my BP was high, I even experienced the pre-eclampsia. I was
discomfort confused, it was physically difficult.”
"I will never forget the changes that happened in my body and the pain I have to go through during my
early pregnancy. I was just starting to undergo physical changes from childhood then I have gone thru so
much physical change as my tummy began to grow due to pregnancy." R19
“Back then, when I am starting to have morning sickness, it was shocking, it is uncomfortable. I cannot eat
properly; I can’t have fun the way I used to.” R27
Physical and mental "At the start, I was in denial, I don't know what to do, it was my worst nightmare came true, I don't know
adjustments protected sex back then, I was too naïve and I almost killed myself…If only I thought of things like this
first." R5
“I was in and out of the hospital, I cannot understand what they are saying but I had an infection, one day
they said I am anemic. It was hard. I could not sleep or eat properly...It felt like I am about to die.” R13
Psychological struggles “I just wanted to become another person, I almost killed myself or the baby inside me at least, I know it is
(anxiety, overthinking, and bad but that is how I felt before.” R1
disorientation) “At first, I almost opted for abortion. I was so lost, confused and wanted to die.” R16
“I was so afraid; I don’t know what to do. I just wanted to disappear.” R27
“To cope with the stress of my teenage pregnancy, I used to go
to church and asked for forgiveness…for guidance and blessing.” R34

Along with the discomforts and adjustments from the physical changes are psychological struggles.
Generally, the participants expressed their utmost confusion and dilemma as to what they were going thru.
Due to extreme anxiousness, some of them even opted to attempted abortion which led them to depressive
symptoms such as helplessness, loneliness, and even thought of taking their own lives.
Interestingly, this was the time that the participants found their way to real friendship and solidarity
with their families. Generally, they stated that these were the times when they felt the love and concern of
their parents even when they were upset. In those tough times, most of them found their way to spiritual
growth. It played a strong impact on their acceptance of the phenomenon and felt closer to God. As excerpted
by the verbalizations of the participants.
Physiological, emotional, sociological, and spiritual changes brought the thrills and pains of the
unprecedented life-changing event. Along with physical discomforts and pain experienced by the teenagers
were anxiety and confusion which often led to depressive symptoms. Early pregnancy among adolescents can
lead to physiological and psychological struggles that weaken the mind and body [29], [30].
This phenomenon is attributed to adverse consequences among adolescent mothers, their children
and the community [31], [32]. Some pregnancy complications may occur more frequently in teenagers than
in women of right age [5]. Furthermore, there is a socio-ecomonic disadvantage among teenage mothers [21],
[33]. Among the complications are hypertensive disordes at a very young age, anemia, malnutrition, human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and other sexually transmitted diseases and iodine diffeciency [5],
[34], [35]. Being pregnant at a very young age can also hinder their physical growth and development [5], [35].
Teenage mothers are also more likely to have a low birth weight, grow up poor, live in a single
parent household, and experienced abuse and neglect, while children born as a result of teenage pregnancy
are more likely to have a low birth weight, grow up poor, live in a single-parent household, and experienced
abuse and neglect [19], [36]. Furthermore, the daughters of adolescent mothers are more likely to become
adolescent moms, whereas sons are more likely to be imprisoned [37], [38]. This phenomenon can result in
depression and an increased probability of mortality of the offspring as well as the young mother [13]. Also,
the world health organization (WHO) stated that during pregnancy, teenage mothers have a higher risk of
miscarriage which can lead to psychological distress [5]. Gsemalu and his colleagues claimed that "the stress
associated with pregnancy, sense of rejection by friends of relatives, lowered depression and emotional trauma,
fear of future and deprivation usually challenges faced by teenage mothers which may expose to mental
illness" [39]. Interestingly, protective factors such as peer support and spiritual grasps helped teenage
mothers cope with stress and confusion. This supported the findings of Dippel et al. that the traumatic results
that the teenager experiences during pregnancy can be lessened with the emotional support of people who

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care for them and the spiritual grasps that came along with it [37], [39]. The school environment and peers
who can understand the teenage mother protect them from developing a mental illness and other unpleasant
happenings during pregnancy [32], [35].

3.3. Societal judgement struggles of inherently unforgiving societal norms

On the other hand, Table 4 shows the musings of participants’ hardships when it comes to dealing with
the standards of society. Participants felt that stoutly sense of guilt especially for the broken dreams and
hopes of their parents. Additionally, the expectations and respect not only of the society around them but also
of themselves were greatly damaged.

Table 4. Societal judgement struggles of inherently unforgiving societal norms

Subthemes Excerpts
Challenges of broken hope, "Drama started when I finally told my parents about it, it was full of disappointment, tears,
promises, and expectations and broken dreams. It was the time when shame sunk in." R12
“I felt like it was the end of everything, I have broken all the promises and expectations of my
parents. I mean I am a.
Valedictorian, an honor student. I was so done.” R34
Prejudice and "Gossips, social judgment, all the labels they can use to describe me was the worst. It had
stereotypes of broken my confidence; I think that was the reason my life was always ruined." R7 "The
violating the societal hardest part was not telling my parents, it was letting our neighbors and relatives know. I
norm couldn't go outside I could not.
Bear their looks and hurtful remarks.” R23
The societal impact of "I was so clueless, was even afraid to touch my baby…but I learned to get by with the help of
child-rearing of a child my family but I had a hard time dealing with my neighbors." R5.
“I faced financial difficulties, it was different back then, I am so ashamed to have my
parents buy everything so I worked first. I was lucky my parents sent me back to school.”
R1
“I was just trying to figure life, and then I had to raise a child because of a major mistake.
And the society around me was not helping. I am judged with every bit of my move.” R32

According to them, the hardest part was when the community around them saw them as something
to be ashamed of. Gossips as to how dishonorable they were, the judgmental look in their eyes, and the snide
remarks of the society broke their self-esteem and tarnished their sense of self-worth. They refused to go
outside for a long period because of the humiliation and embarrassment they felt. Furthermore, the societal
impact of rearing their child and their development as a teenager greatly affected their sense of confidence,
belongingness, and dignity as a person. They experienced a total decline in social connections, limited
activities to know themselves further and some have to stop their studies for a while to take care of their child.
Furthermore, most participants faced financial difficulties as they have to work whatever job is
available to feed their child. In some cases, the child’s father opted to work but that wasn’t enough to feed the
family, Meanwhile, after giving birth most of the participants were sent back to go school to continue
studying. This helped them cope with the struggles they faced. To them, this phase was the toughest part.
Surprisingly, the most challenging part of teenage pregnancy was not the pregnancy itself but
coping with the society around them. Breaking the expectations, crushed dreams, and aspirations and the
thought everything from that point was uncertain. The societal judgments and the fundamentally unforgiving
social standards are especially in rural areas. Deviating from a social norm especially in rural areas in most
Asian countries tends to be unforgivable [19], [20], [37]. The distress of teenage pregnancy was deeply rooted
in the shame and guilt that society will make you feel [24], [26]. Gsemalu and his colleague argued that aside
from the physical struggles, rejection, and avoidance from the people who used to have a close relationship
with the teenagers can lead to depressive symptoms [24]. Furthermore, being unprepared for parenthood,
sudden monetary burden realization that the teen will have a lifelong connection with the other parent or ending
the relationship with the other parent, disruption in their life plans, and increases the teenagers' stress level
[14], [21], [37].
Pregnancy might well be a life-changing experience for a teenage girl at any age, lowering
educational attainment and socioeconomic status, as well as stress, dislike, malice, boredom, and discontent
in her family setting [19], [39]. Single-parent children are more prone to adolescent pregnancy and
adolescent exposure to the majority of sexual content on television, media sexuality, and pornographic and
sex chat rooms, and are predominantly inclined to engage in sexual behaviors [22], [24]. As a result,
adolescent pregnancy is a huge global psychological and economic difficulty that affects both developed and
developing cultures. More empirical research is needed since it has an impact on teens' social-psychological
well-being, as well as academic disruption, dropout rates, and public perception.

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3.4. Embrace the start of a new life

Table 5 illustrates the last phase where the participants revealed that as time passed, they started to
have realizations that they need to be survive for their child. For them, it was like burying the degradation of
the past and starts a new life. Facing struggles and difficulties broke the old selves and created a new one to
survive the storm that came their way. According to them, having a baby at a very young age was like a
second chance to walk away from their old habits and start anew. The process was extremely difficult and
self-destructive; it was life-changing both in positive and negative ways. As excerpted from the
verbalizations of the participants:

Table 5. Embrace the start of a new life

Subthemes Excerpts
Facing struggles and coping with it "Having a baby at a very young age, "hard" was an understatement. It was hard-hitting but I
learn to cope with it, I made it my inspiration. I have to; he gave me a new meaning." R6
"The process was rough, it was life-changing in good and bad ways but I have learned to go on
with it, be strong and cope with it by raising my child and pursuing my dream with the help of
my family.” R28
Embracing motherhood and everything "When it is there you'll have to get by and that happened to me…it was tough but i have to
that goes with it change and learned not to care with anything but my child." R15
“I came to realize that life was not mine on my own, I need to care for my child more…life
outside my world is the same… but I think I have changed I had to accept motherhood and
everything in it. The financial burden, the pains in my body and the judgmental society.” R22
Adjusting to everything new "Everything was new, and it was a tough road to take. And I would recommend it to any girl
trying to figure life out. But when it happened, it was not the end of everything we can always
start anew." R10
"The whole thing is different, yes it was rough and I was not a good example when it
happened to someone, my only advice is to never give up…never listen to gossips and be on
your world." R14

The start of a new life is both a challenge and an opportunity. In the case of teenage mothers in rural
areas is starting a new means of dealing with huge self-image, self-respect, societal expectations, and
financial struggles. “The effect of teenage pregnancy could be devastating since it is not only on the teenage-
mother, it also continues with their education and social life” [24]. The socio-economic problems started to
arise at the beginning of a child's birth and became one of the major problems of teenage parents [33].
Furthermore, the adolescent mother may be exposed to greater dangers, which include cognitive, linguistic,
and socio-emotional delays, as well as challenges that endure after delivery and issues with cognition,
language communication, and interpersonal skills [38], [39]. It also reveals their regret and sadness, as well
as the emotional anguish they had throughout the pregnancy and even after delivery, as well as psychiatric
issues. Rejection by male contemporaries, relatives, and classmates is another painful event that reduces
connection. Pregnancy, at any age, may be a life-changing experience that affects a teenage girl's scholastic
achievement, financial level, stress, dislike, malice, boredom, and dissatisfaction in her family environment.
Embracing motherhood and making their child as the life inspiration served as their ultimate coping
mechanism. As expressed by them, being a teenage mother crushed their future along with the goals, dreams,
and plans their selves and family had. It had sacrificed their growth and enjoyment that people of their age
used to enjoy. However, it gave them a new sense of direction, a path where they have to take to raise their
respective successfully. They were full of regrets; they tended to blame their parents and other people around
them. But they have to pick up themselves, forced to cope with all the hardships that come along with being a
very young mother. It narrowed down their option to conquer the world and be the best that they can be to
become at least a good mother to their child along with the hardships they are continuously facing with it.
Teen pregnancy is a global psychological and economic issue that affects both developed and
developing cultures. Its impacts require further empirical research because it affects teens' physical and social-
psychological well-being, as well as their holistic development and public image. Parental involvement, school
direction, and guided sexual education were all important factors in averting the problem.

4. CONCLUSION
Teenage pregnancy affects the holistic development of the adolescent mother and the community
around her. It is one of the main social problems that need proper and inclusive intervention programs to be
addressed. As to this study, the main factor on the onset of teenage pregnancy was due to a lack of guidance,
protection, and proper care of parents, the school, and the community. Parental guidance among the
developing and adventurous nature of adolescents is vital in preventing teenage pregnancy.

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Int J Public Health Sci ISSN: 2252-8806  487

Physical health risks involving not only teenage pregnancy but imprudent sexual activities as well
should be one of the concerns of intervention programs to be conducted in rural communities. Proper
education of the youth, both girls and boys about sex and sexuality and its dynamics can be crucial in
preventing teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy, especially in rural areas, leads to stigma and poor
self-image among teenage mothers. The societal judgment and financial problems were lifelong struggles
among teenage mothers. Nevertheless, raising their child, trying to be a good mother is their main coping
mechanism. Starting a new life with new goals, new aspirations and new inspiration to move forward
requires grit, determination, and motherly love to move forward.
Education with regards to sexual activities and their impact on oneself in the community needed to
be formulated to prevent such social problems. The results of this study can be a pattern to formulate an
intervention for teenage pregnancy prevention. Delicate topics such as sexual education, prejudice, and social
media need to be discussed broadly among teenagers. Likewise, parents needed to be educated on the impact
of their care and attention on their children.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are grateful to the organizers of IRCCEBSE and Isabela State University for making
this study feasible; to the participants and their families who freely and generously cooperated with data
collection; and to Dr. Rhowel Dellosa for his wonderful support in publishing this work.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS

Marris R. Reyes is a Researcher, college instructor and psychologist, is the

Director for Research, Development, Extension and Training Services at the Isabela State
University Jones Campus. Ms. Reyes received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from
Central Luzon State University and a Master of Arts in Psychology degree at the Isabela State
University. She is a candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology at the
University of Santo Tomas. Her research focused on health risk and mental health of teenage
mothers, internet gaming disorder, marriage and family, mental health and development of
psychosocial intervention programs from social problems existent in the community. She is
also involved in raising awareness and advocacy to gender equality and mental wellness of
high-risk groups. She can be contacted at email: marris.r.reyes@isu.edu.ph.

Benilda M. Hangdaan is a college instructor and is the Human Resource

Management Officer of the Isabela State University – Jones Campus. Ms. Hangdaan received
a Bachelor’s degree in Education major in Mathematics and Master of Arts in Teaching
Mathematics at the Ifugao State University. Her research focused on teenage pregnancy,
academic performance and community development. As an HR officer, she is involved in
employees’ performance and development in the academe. She is also an active advocate of
gender equality and gender development. She can be contacted at email:
benilda.m.hangdaan@isu.edu.ph.

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Int J Public Health Sci ISSN: 2252-8806  489

Kristine Mae C. Sadang is an Assistant Professor at the Isabela State University

– Jones Campus. She is the former Research, Development, Extension and Training Director
of ISU-Jones. Ms. Sadang received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s of Science
in Biology at the Isabela State University – Main Campus. She is a candidate for Doctor of
Philosophy in Bilogy at Saint Mary’s University. She is currently the Director for the Campus
Office of the Student Affairs and Services. Her research focuses on Agriculture (Animal
Sciences), climate change adaptation and mitigation and social problems such as teenage
pregnancy and other problems among university students. She is also an active advocate of
gender equality and women empowerment. She can be contacted at email:
krisculturajones@gmail.com.

Marilyn G. Pasion is an Associate Professor and the Campus Registrar of the

Isabela State University – Jones Campus. Dr. Pasion received a Bachelor’s degree in
Secondary Education major in Filipino minor in PEHM at the St. Mary’s University, a Master
of Education major in Filipino and Doctor of Philosophy in Filipino at the University of La
Salette. Her research focused on teenage pregnancy, university students’ academic
performance, cultural heritage and ethnicity studies in the Philippines. She is a Filipino
language enthusiast and an inspirational co-author of an e-book entitles Sibling from other
Parents: Transforming Parents into Family. She is also an active advocate of gender equality
and women empowerment. She can be contacted at email: margpasion09@gmail.com.

Start of a life health risk, struggles and coping as experienced … (Marris R. Reyes)