DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Aug. 19 (PIA) -- Health authorities in Negros Oriental cited post-partum eclampsia as the major cause of death among female pregnant teenagers in the province. 

Based on records from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), Negros Oriental logged 12 deaths related to teenage pregnancy from 2015 to 2018.

Five of these were recorded in 2015, two in 2016, one in 2017, and four in 2018. 

Out of the 12 death counts, 10 were caused by post-partum eclampsia while the other two were due to hemorrhage.

Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said eclampsia happens during childbirth, when the mother’s blood pressure spikes and she experiences seizures resulting to her death.

Estacion said post-partum complications are due to the female teenager’s reproductive organs not yet mature enough to carry a child.

Pregnant female teenagers are also at risk of not availing proper pre-natal interventions as their parents hide their condition to avoid public embarrassment.

Some of them even turn to local “hilots” to assist in the delivery of the child.

“It is a reality that parents who have pregnant teenagers, kasagaran ila itago because they feel it’s a shame in the family. Sometimes, ila dad-on (sa health center) if maglisod na og panganak ang bata. That’s the reason why daghan na kaayong complication ang mahitabo (Most parents hide the condition of their pregnant teenagers and keep it a secret to avoid the stigma. Sometimes, they only bring them to health facilities if their child is already having difficulties. That’s the reason why complications happen),” Estacion said.

The assistant provincial health officer encouraged early referral to health facilities and facility-based child delivery so that proper medical interventions can be given to pregnant teenagers and avoid complications during childbirth.

Estacion also highlighted the importance of educating the youth on adolescent reproductive health to raise awareness on the physiological changes in their body and the risks of teenage pregnancy.

Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) Provincial Population Program Development Officer Portia Francisco said the provincial government has initiated an adolescent reproductive health program information campaign in schools to promote this topic among Grade 8 students in public high schools in the province.

“Aside from that, we also have advocacies on the ill-effects of teenage pregnancies. Our coordinator on HIV/AIDs was able to conduct HIV/AIDs Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) for these adolescents.  A total of 184 ka mga adolescents ang na-conductan og HIV ug VCT (A total of 184 adolescents have undergone HIV/AIDs lecture and VCT),” Francisco said.

The IPHO also capacitated 135 service providers, including doctors, school nurses, and midwives to provide adolescent health interventions for young people.

Francisco also urged local government units to establish adolescent-friendly facilities that will serve as a hub for teenagers to gather information and other services on adolescent health development.

To date, only Pamplona and Tanjay City have set up adolescent-friendly facilities for their youth. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)