Burgas, April 1 2014
The decreasing age of minor girls giving birth can be a factor for social exclusion of the adolescent mother and can have the same consequence for the baby. Prevention of early childbirth is a great challenge, so is the support for mothers not only in the maternity wards - in order to stop them from abandoning their child. A lot of serious effort should be put in reinforcing the system of protection, family support, changing the attitudes of society and of the attitude of the health specialists.
According to SCPA research, conducted between Jan 01 2013 and Sep 30 2013, in Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Vratsa, Plovdiv and Ruse 25 162 children have been born. Of which:
- 24 302 were born of mothers above 18 years of age
- 24 were born of minor mothers – below 14 years of age
- 836 were born of adolescent mothers – between 14 and 18 years of age
- 224 were born with malformations
- 197 were stillborn
The disturbing fact is that for about 5% of the underage mothers this is a second childbirth.
The leading factors for child abandonment in maternity wards by underage (14-18 yrs of age) and adult mothers who have declared full rejection of the new born baby, are lack of money and a place to live (32%), lack of family support (17%), unwanted pregnancy (13%), too many children as it is (11%), etc.
The problem with early childbirth and the risks it holds for the development of the children has been systematically underestimated over the years. The SCPA, with the partnership of other institutions, has began elaborating a National programme for prevention of early childbirth.
Keeping girls in school is the best form of prevention of early childbirth. It is important to identify girls with early pregnancies on time, to show understanding and support about the choice they have to make.
