Pregnant teenagers can get help
Every year, thousands of women are faced with the unexpected news that they are pregnant.
These are most often teenagers, but could just as easily be a single mother of three facing an unplanned pregnancy.
From that moment on, lives are changed forever.
In such a situation, a young mother faces decisions that need to be made.
The challenges can make a teenager emotionally confused and overwhelmed at the sudden change of direction their life is about to take.
“In many instances the teenager will feel totally alone and too inexperienced in life to make such enormous decisions,” says Pam Wilson, spokesman for the National Adoption Coalition of South Africa (NACSA).
She believes educating women or teenagers is of critical importance in the prevention of teenage pregnancies, and to help young women feel that there is a role for them in society over and above that of motherhood.
NACSA recently launched a Choose to Care campaign to raise awareness specifically for young women.
“We want to move the communication shift from shame and blame to care and compassion,” she says adding “this initiative will focus on crisis pregnancy.”
In NACSA research it was found that current communication about teenage and crisis pregnancy tends to portray young women as faceless, disembodied pregnant bellies in school uniforms with no acknowledgement of who she is and her context.
“The perspective of the young teenage girl is usually absent,” says Pam.
She suggests that all the role players who are managing a crisis pregnancy should tell the young woman that she is not alone and that she needs to care about her unborn child.
The man should take responsibility for his partner and future child, and the community should show care and compassion for young pregnant women in the community.
“We need young women and their families in need of help to know that there are people and organisations available to help them consider all options,” she says.
If anyone is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, get help and support at the Crisis Pregnancy call centre on 0800 864 658 or call Ithemba Hope Crisis Pregnancy Centre on 011 811 6766 (during office hours) or visit the centre at Caray House, second floor, 4 Eighth Street, Springs CBD.
Call the after hours number until 10pm on 073 783 3033.
