Tienermoeder

It has been shown from figures that the number of teenage pregnancies in Aruba has significantly increased over the past few years. Pregnancy and motherhood at a young age often have profound social, psychological, and especially financial consequences for both mother and child. Since the year 2000, the White Yellow Cross has noticed an increase in teenage mothers. We aim to raise awareness among the youth about teenage pregnancy, sexual responsibility, realistic facts, and consequences.

There are several causes of pregnancy at a young age:

Lack of sexual education and education about the menstrual cycle; many teenagers have unsafe sex because they think they will not get pregnant.
Having sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Having sex under peer pressure.
The desire to experiment.
Poor home situation.

Consequences Emotional: Teenage mothers have little time for themselves and have to bear the responsibility for themselves and the baby at such a young age.

Social: Contacts with peers often decrease. Interests and lives of teenage mothers differ so much from their peers.

School career: The emotional and financial consequences for teenage mothers often result in them dropping out of school early to, for example, earn money.

Financial: The maintenance of a baby costs a lot of money, and teenage mothers can often only rely on government assistance, which is often insufficient.

Physical: Teenage mothers are at greater risk of complications because their bodies are not fully mature for the changes of pregnancy.

Cytotec When a girl turns out to be pregnant, some use a new method to induce an abortion. Namely, with a medicinal drug called Cytotec. This is a medicine for people with intestinal wall problems. A side effect is that it can induce an abortion. Young girls who are pregnant take this medicine in large doses, resulting in severe abdominal pain, bleeding, and hospitalization. In a large number of girls, abortion does not occur, and the baby is born with various abnormalities. Furthermore, other substances like fabric softener and pine oil are also used. It is thought that these substances work for abortion, but they do not.

Figures In 2006, there were a total of 154 teenage mothers. Of these, 16.8% already had 1 or 2 children. This concerns girls between the ages of 16 and 19. In 2007 there were 151, of which 13.9% already had 2 or 3 children. Furthermore, in 2006 18.2%, and in 2007 15.8% of the total number of teenage mothers were from outside Aruba. Click here for an overview of the figures.

White Yellow Cross The care and responsibility for a child is very heavy and frightening when you are still so young. Therefore, the White Yellow Cross is here to help and support you in the various areas around the baby. Both before and after childbirth. We provide information and help you with the care of the baby. Together with CEMBRAH, an umbrella organization in which various organizations work together to help teenage mothers as well as possible, we can provide you with a lot of information about different aspects. Think of financial and social consequences, but also your education and any physical consequences.