Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy as reported by learners at Mpolokang High School in the North West Province

Abstract

Background: A number of initiatives have been implemented in South Africa to prevent and reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy. These includes sex education as part of the Life Skills Programme in schools, roll-out of Youth Friendly Services (YFS) in government clinics and funding programmes such as Lovelife which combines a highly visible sustained national multi-media sex education and HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns. However, these campaigns do not reach most teenagers in the rural areas such as in Moshana village. Teenage pregnancy has been recognized as one of the major problems affecting the learners of Mpolokang High School

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore factors contributing to teenage pregnancy within the secondary school environment

Methods: This was an exploratory and descriptive study. Focus group interviews were conducted with the learners from Grade 10 – 12, aged 15 - 19.

Results: It was found that factors contributing to teenage pregnancy at Mpolokang High School were openness and transparency, sexual practices, access to the government grant, peer influence, lack of recreational facilities, substance abuse by the learners and attitudes of Health Care Workers at Moshana clinic.

Conclusion: From this study, it can be concluded that although sex education is now part of the Life Skills programme in schools, teenagers still fall pregnant due to lack of openness and transparency when discussing sexual matters.