An increase in number of teenage pregnancies during COVID-19

 By: Monono Kgothatso

Twitter: Austhatsow_98

Email: qthatsow98@gmail.com

picture sourced from: google

COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drastic increase in the number of teenage pregnancies in South Africa. Pregnancies among adolescent girls remained a global problem that time.

 According to google, an estimated 21 million girls aged 15–19 years in developing countries become pregnant and about 12 million of them give birth every year.

COVID-19 severely hit South Africa in 2020 and teenage pregnancies resulted in a high rate where the country recorded an increased rate with more figures in relation to pregnancy.

picture sourced from: google

Ms. Lorrain Ledwaba, a professional nurse mentioned that this was partly due to the difficulty of accessing contraceptives, which was greater during the COVID-19 lockdown.

She further added that the unforeseen pandemic hit the country unprepared and caused the country to shut down, it left many with nothing to do as schools were on hold for a while which led many into mischief.

Comfort Legodi who is a teenage mother that birthed during COVID-19 said that not having anything to do during lockdown kept them closer to their partners.

“Lockdown honestly did us more harm than good, right now I am a mother of two kids which are 6 months apart at the age of 19 years old,” sadly said Comfort Legodi. https://on.soundcloud.com/NAtonAyJy688i7GU7

Siblings birthed during COVID19 

Many believed that the jump in the number of teenage pregnancies was due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and school closures, which kept girls out of school.

Ms Legodi, Comfort’s mother poured her heart out, “It was difficult for me seeing my child’s future falling apart just before she could discover herself, for me at the age of 17 she was still an infant it’s just unfortunate I couldn’t monitor her movements as well as her doings.”

COVID-19 pandemic was a pain to society because it was complicating the efforts of reducing teenage pregnancies. It has caused an immeasurable disruption to every aspect of people’s lives.

Teenage mom who gave birth twice during COVID19

Learning having been suspended, schools being closed indefinitely, mischievous behaviour was left at hand for many. Religious meetings and worship programs were also affected similarly meaning there was no more youth programs in the religious institutions. Many did whatever they saw fit as they were too free and had less commitments.