Tema Manhean records high teenage pregnancy

Tema New Town, Sep 2, GNA - Out of a total of 888 deliveries at the Manhean Health Centre last year, 343 were teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 years.

Dr Grace Andoh, Medical Superintendent in charge of the Health Centre, told newsmen on Tuesday that four of the women who attended ante-natal care in 2008 were between 10 and 14 years as compared to 16 cases this year.

Dr Andoh said from January to June this year the Centre registered 941 pregnant women out of which 142 were teenagers. She said most of the deliveries ended up at the Tema General Hospital. Out of 1,469 pregnant women who were screened for HIV/AIDS at the Centre last year, 42 of them, including two pregnant teenagers, tested positive.

Asked what had contributed to the high incidence of teenage pregnancy in the area, Dr Andoh said Tema Manhean was predominantly a fishing community where members frowned on girls who went to school. "Parents think young men are of age, and therefore do not care when they see their daughters with the boys", she said.