Health experts raise alarm over rise of teenage pregnancies

Religious groups in Meru County should embark on a deliberate and proactive mission to preach and educate the community against detrimental cultural practices working against socio-economic growth and development in the region.

Speaking in his office, reproductive health officer at Meru General Hospital, Dr Daniel Kimaita said Igembe south sub-county was leading in the number of teenage pregnancy cases which was at 52.7 per cent, adding that the most affected were girls aged between the ages of 10-19 years.

Kimaita said although there were several factors contributing to the rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, female genital mutilation (FGM), was the most prominent in Igembe South sub-county, adding that it was highly practised and more often than not, leads to early and forced marriages.

“It is an unfortunate affair that those entrusted with handling girls as they were secluded to heal from wounds inflicted during FGM tend to misguide them that after the ‘cut’, they were fully developed and prepared women ready for marriage. This was at the expense of pursuing their education,” Kimaita said.

He said out of the 15, 600 teenage pregnancies reported in 2021, a total of 8,268 cases were from Igembe south sub-county and all the affected girls were below the age of 19 years. The girls were supposed to be pursuing formal education at different levels.

The medic said the responsibility of containing some of these deep-rooted cultural rites does not require professional intervention, since the very people who cherished them were the same people suffering from the negative effects of the practice.

Susan Kimathi, who works at Meru teaching and referral hospital and hails from Igembe south sub-county said combating FGM, teenage pregnancies among other vices working against the development of girls in the area was an uphill task.

Kimathi cited laxity among law enforcers who in some occasions, collude with parents and relatives to continue perpetrating the social and economic vice unperturbed.

“Most girls interviewed during health data collection visits in the villages confess to have undergone FGM due to traditional beliefs, family and peer pressure,” Kimathi said.

She pointed out that parental irresponsibility was also a factor, saying the vulnerable girls fall victim to sexual abuse as they seek for food, shelter and clothing which they cannot afford on their own.

Kimathi said some of teenage girls drop out of school to fend for their siblings after being abandoned by their parents and left under the care of poor and elderly grandparents who have little or absolutely nothing to offer, hence putting the girls at risk of early pregnancies and marriages.

She noted that teen to teen pregnancies are on the low, saying majority of the girls were being impregnated by adults who exploit them due to poverty as they entice them with quick cash from their boda boda and other small business operations.