Teen Mums at School

Being a mother is the most blessed experience in the life of a woman. Learning that you are pregnant with your first baby is a moment of extreme pleasant surprise and pure bliss. But that happiness can turn into a nightmare if you are still a student. Teenage pregnancy is not a new phenomenon in Mauritius.  But, what happens to those young girls?

Rachel (fictitious name), 16 years old, is a proud mother of a beautiful baby. Former student at a secondary school in Beau Bassin, Rachel was dumbfounded when she learned that she was expecting a baby two years ago. Following that piece of news, her boyfriend at that time took off and some of her friends totally abandoned her. She was alone, but decided to keep the baby anyway. Fast forward to today: Rachel stopped her studies to look after her newborn, along with the help of her grandmother. Rachel is one example among the many teenagers who have experienced early pregnancy, a growing phenomena in Mauritius.

The percentage of teenagers between 15 to 19 years of age, who are already mothers or pregnant with a first child, has increased from 10.9% in 2002 to 12.1% in 2014 and needs to be addressed both from the health and social perspectives.  

Vidya Charan, Executive Director of the Mauritius Family Planning Welfare Association, explains that since January 2013, they have registered 1,018 cases of teenage mothers which indicated a slightly increasing trend. “They were aged 11-18 years with a mean age of 15.9. As per government statistics, the adolescent fertility rate is 22.4, therefore all cases of teenage pregnancy have not been reported to MFPWA, as we deal mainly with cases of abuses.”

Academic implications

If found pregnant, what are the academic implications? Are these girls allowed to continue with their schooling or do they stop? To this question, Vidya Charan states that as per an internal survey of our teenage mothers, it was found that 95% of the teenage mothers have completed up to Form III/Prevoc III (Grade 9) and they did not continue their studies after having given birth. Nevertheless, a few of them have successfully completed their SC and HSC examinations postpartum. “During their pregnancy stage, teenagers are legally allowed to attend school, but would rather stop due to stigmatization and upon the advice of the Heads of schools. While a teenage mother can resume her studies after childbirth, most of them do not since they have no one to look after their child or they ‘feel demotivated’.”

She further adds that “over and above, most of the teenage mothers come from broken or dysfunctional families, mostly from poverty-stricken areas, earning average or below average revenues. Having to cater for an additional member becomes a burden for them and the new-born is left with the minimum care. Many don’t attend school and resort to unethical ways to earn money.”

What about a support system? Does our society support them? “Expectant teenage mothers can deliver their babies freely in government hospitals, where they are taken care of on medical grounds until they give birth. Those using MFPWA services are provided with psychosexual & psychosocial support at our Drop-In Centre, namely individual counseling, parental, couple, group or family therapy and personality development sessions. They are also provided with free medical services, monthly medical sessions, and gynecological follow-up and laboratory tests. Once adults, they are referred to other service points based on their needs: vocational courses, social support, hospital and other concerned authorities,” says Vidya Charan.

Concerning support, she adds, “as per our records only, around 25% of the teenage mothers get the support of their partners who declare the child and who provide the basic needs for the baby. In general, those cases reported to the police have the perpetrators prosecuted.  Those willing to take the responsibility of the child are not prosecuted severely at court level.”
She believes that an early pregnancy has certain severe consequences. “The teenager’s body has not reached its optimum physical and sexual maturity, and she is more at risk to medical complications during pregnancy such as hypertension, constant belly aches, bleeding, premature birth of child, sexually transmitted infections, among others. She is also more vulnerable to social and psychological conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, and rejection by family or by father of the child, termination of studies, couple conflicts and early marriage. After birth, female adolescents are not mature enough to take care of their child and very often, the girl’s parents are the ones who take up the responsibility of bringing up the new-born.” 

Soondress Sawmynaden: “Teenage pregnancy is a social problem”

Rector of Dr Maurice Curé College, Soondress Sawmynaden argues that Mauritius is experiencing a phenomena of ageing population, yet, paradoxically, the number of 13-19 year-olds giving birth is on the rise. “This contradiction leads to the explanation that most teenage pregnancies are unwanted and accidental. The lack of information and awareness among the young –particularly girls - has shown its downsides.  I believe that those young immature girls are not ready to become mothers. Adolescence in itself is a rough path for many and they will now have to face twice as much pressure and responsibilities.”

The rector remarks that priorities have changed and society has evolved. “What was the norm some generations ago has become taboo today. Teenage pregnancy is a social problem and affects a girl in more ways than she thinks. Not only are her studies interrupted, but she will later have difficulties to find a job and she is very likely to be victim of negative bias from society. For this reason, from an academic point of view, I believe a separate entity should be created: an institution just to cater for pregnant girls. At school, we currently don’t have the facilities and knowledge to look after them. The nauseas, cramps or medical issues associated with pregnancy make it harder for a pregnant teenager to deal with studies like a regular student would. Eventually, these girls should attend a specialized institution and should be able to conduct their examinations privately, so that they may obtain the necessary qualifications to later get a job. Finally, abstinence should be taught to students from a young age. There comes a time for everything in life, including an appropriate time to become pregnant.”

Dr Haroon Beebeejaun: “The real complications arise due to the lack of knowledge”

Gynecologist Dr Haroon Beebeejaun talks about the medical complications that arise during and after pregnancy for young girls. He states that the pregnancy in itself is not that much of an issue. “Girls today have all the necessary vitamins and minerals and their bodies are strongly developed at a younger age. However, the real complications arise due to the lack of knowledge. The problem in Mauritius is that most people don’t use contraceptive methods. They would rather have unprotected sex and later deal with the downsides. Consequently, many young, immature girls fall pregnant and most of them have recourse to unsafe termination. Since it is a taboo in the country, the pregnant girls would rather practice unsafe abortion than talk it through with their parents. This is when medical complications arise. They resort to unofficial methods to get rid of the fetus and this leads to complications. As a result, I believe there should be more family planning and distribution of birth control options around the island. Pharmacies should collaborate to make it easier to have access to the right medication to end pregnancy in a safe way, and avoid all the negatives with unsafe abortion.”

Monique Dinan: “You should evaluate your choices”

Director of Mouvement d’Aide à la Maternité (MAM), sheds light on the situation. She explains the reasons for this rising trend and how we can work on this issue. 

How would you explain the rising trend of teenage pregnancies in Mauritius?
The youngsters today barely know their body and its functions. Menarche starts at a way younger age than in the past – at around 11 years - and children have to be educated about their health, especially the reproductive part.  The human being in nature has wants which need to be satisfied; lust being one of them. Adolescents have a burning desire to explore new sensations, and added to their lack of knowledge about the contraceptive methods and consequences of pregnancy, they do not take the necessary precautions and end up pregnant.

How would you improve that situation?
Once a teenage girl falls pregnant, there is no going back. The only way to move forward is to accept the situation she’s in and find ways to help her. At MAM, we surround these girls with a positive environment and a support system on which they can rely. We ensure that these adolescents – who are still often schooled – have access to an education. However, the only way to reduce that increasing scourge is by education – both formally and informally.

How is the girl affected by that pregnancy overall?
Teenage pregnancy is still taboo in Mauritius and the pregnant girl in question is faced with lots of prejudices. She often becomes a disgrace to her family, school, and to society in general. In most cases, the father disappears and the girl has no choice but to face that journey alone. That is why MAM provides all those concerned with the moral and physical support they need. We make them aware of their responsibilities about this turning point in their life. We also ensure the girls overcome the difficulties and are ready to become mothers. In some cases, the baby can be born with handicaps and even more assistance will then be required.

What message would you like to spread?
You, children, have one life only. You should evaluate your choices, think about all the possible consequences and take a rightful decision. ‘Am I ready to have a baby?’ should be an imperative question before engaging in any unprotected sexual activity. Guys who impregnate minors less than 16 years of age often face many problems: they are called to court and may often end up in jail if the girl files a complaint. The newborn will later be raised by a young mother only. Other factors to be taken into consideration are the finance and equipment that goes into bringing up a child, the baby blues postpartum, or how to balance studies and love. In other words, whether the parents-to-be are ready physically, financially, and mentally to embrace parenthood!”