It is a lonely road for pregnant learners

Muteithania Nursing and Maternity closed after pregnant  woman dies in the clinic

What you need to know:

  • Maingi notes that a pregnancy first throws such a girl into shock and confusion due to her limited level of understanding.
  • After giving birth, in most cases, someone has to be a parent for their child since the girls are not prepared and may not comprehend parenthood.

If there was any doubt that teenagers were engaging in sex, the proof has now shocked the nation after a worrying number of young girls were unceremoniously ushered into motherhood just as they were about to sit their national examinations.

Working backwards, the girls who gave birth in October probably conceived during the December holidays while the ones that gave birth in November might have conceived in February.

Regardless of the exact timing, the sad part is that these girls have been pregnant for the entire year. And for much of that time, they were in school.

As their friends were worrying by solving simultaneous equations, perhaps figuring out titration or trying to remember the connection between Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Revolution, the pregnant learners were contending with emotional battles and a secret they could only keep for so long.

LEARNING

Ms Beatrice Maingi, a counselling psychologist and director at Nobility House, a Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, says when a schoolgoing girl realises that she is pregnant, she goes through a roller-coaster of emotions.

"Her biggest dilemma is who she will share this new turn of events with. There is a high probability that she will not talk to anyone about her pregnancy during the first four months," says Ms Maingi.

Because of the silence, the girl starts suffering from within. So, while other girls and boys are buried in books, including the boy who impregnated her, in the case of a schoolmate, this girl desperately hopes that no one will notice something is amiss.

"This process is too heavy for the young girl's brain to process and for the most part she is in denial," says Ms Maingi. "Unfortunately, her education is also shelved until she can come to terms with the pregnancy."

REVELATION

Ms Maingi notes that a pregnancy first throws such a girl into shock and confusion due to her limited level of understanding.

During her first trimester, she is probably battling nausea or fatigue, which she cannot afford to reveal to those around her.

She is bound to avoid her friends and perhaps wear baggy sweaters to hide her pregnancy. She might even skip recreational activities as this is likely to make her uncomfortable.

As the girl gets into her second trimester, it gets harder to keep the pregnancy a secret and the cat is finally out of the bag, when the mother or guardian notices.

"Once her bubble is burst, the girl confesses and her mind begins to become clear. As she shares, she is able to process the information," says Ms Maingi.

At that point, it would be prudent for a parent or guardian to adapt a 'kesi baadaye' (we will deal with the why later) approach. After all, the inevitable has already happened.

SUPPORT

Ms Maingi advises that parents should transit from 'what if' questions to 'now that'. They should say; 'now that you are already pregnant, how do we deal with it?'

"In cases where the parents are supportive, the girl carries on with her education without being made to feel like she is 'paying for her sins'. She is able to focus once again and this increases her chances of excelling in her examinations," says Ms Maingi.

"However, in the case of unsupportive parents, the child is thrown into total confusion. This is a loss-loss situation as both the examinations and pregnancy are not handled well."

By the third trimester, the girl's pregnancy is an open secret.

"This can be a challenging time for her because of the teasing and ridicule from her classmates. She goes through shame and regrets the pain it’s causing her and her parents," the expert notes.

"At this point she is just going through the motions and wondering when the exams will come and go. Her life becomes mechanical and she is like someone in a daze."

DROPOUT

Depending on how the news of her pregnancy was received, she will either stay away from school or give it her all despite the circumstances.

But because many of such girls will already have given up, they cannot compete favourably with their classmates. After giving birth, in most cases, someone has to be a parent for their child since the girls are not prepared and may not comprehend parenthood.

Giving birth for a 13-year-old could result in obstructed labour, explains Dr Edward Sang, an obstetrician gynaecologist at MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi.

"The pelvis of a young girl may not be mature, which can cause obstructed labour and the baby would need to be delivered through Caesarean Section," says Dr Sang.

Teen pregnancies, especially the younger ones, can be classified as high-risk because the probability of complications increases.

In anaemic cases, "Chances are high that the girl will not attend ante-natal clinic and thus anything needing medical attention will be ignored," says Dr Sang.

ABORTION

He adds: “If she is anaemic, this will be overlooked and it can be detrimental during child birth.”

He notes that high blood pressure is common in younger women/girls and first-time pregnancies. The girls are also at higher risk of getting fistula.

Dr Sang also warns that society cannot overlook the stigma teen pregnancies bring as this can lead the girls to opt for abortions.

"Since abortion is illegal in Kenya, they would be forced to turn to backstreet abortionists, which can come with lifelong complications," he warns.

The teen mother also has to deal with a society that castigates her while the boy/man responsible happily goes about his life.

At her age, she needs to figure out where her new baby will live.

SEX PESTS

She has been ushered into parenthood too soon and will need to take care of her nutrition as she is a lactating mother, not to mention immunisation of her little one.

Babies come with myriad responsibilities and expenses. Psychologically, this burden is too heavy for a young girl, especially if she has no support network and has been ostracised.

"The girl is pre-disposed to post-partum depression depending on support and acceptance of the pregnancy by those close to her,” warns Dr Sang.

Mr Kihumba Kamotho, the Teachers Service Commission head of communications, said the teachers' employer has been encouraging and sensitising communities to take care of their youngsters and protect them from sex pests and predators by reporting abuse, and not just by teachers.