Public Health tackles teen pregnancy

[Lite Beer]

Public Health tackles teen pregnancy

BURIRAM, 13 December 2014 (NNT) -- The Ministry of Public Health is taking serious action against the problem of teenage pregnancy which has been rising fast in the last ten years.

During a visit to Buriram's hospital on Saturday, Prof. Dr. Rachata Rachatanavin, the Minister for Public Health unveiled a plan to develop teen clinics in hospitals under the ministry, to address this problem.

He said teen clinics should be easier for both teenagers and their parents to access and ask for help. While keeping secret the names of teens who are pregnant, the clinic should cooperate with their families and schools to sort out the problem.

According to the ministry, Thailand's teenage pregnancy rate is high when compared to other Southeast Asian countries. Even though the nation's overall birthrate has been gradually dropping, the rate of teen births is rising rapidly. In the past ten years, more than a million children were born to mothers who were aged 15 to 19.

-- NNT 2014-12-13

[jaltsc]

"He said teen clinics should be easier for both teenagers and their parents to access and ask for help. While keeping secret the names of teens who are pregnant..."

Two things stand out. One, in a culture where openly discussing sexual issues is avoided, I doubt that having such a program will do any good if most people will be too embarrassed to participate.

Secondly. If they are keeping the names of pregnant teens a secret, then they have already failed at preventing teen pregnancy. Unless the goal is to prevent subsequent pregnancies, by which time there is a good chance that the female is no longer a teen.

That being said, the one glaring omission is the mention of the participation and responsibility of males in the process. Once more, it appears that this society holds the female to be totally responsible for the pregnancy. Perhaps, providing DNA testing and holding the male and his family responsible for at least half of the expenses of the birth and upbringing of the child would be a lot more effective in having the sperm donor act more responsibly.

Edited December 14, 2014 by jaltsc

[Lingba]

Dear Parents....Educate your kids..I know thats asking alot...but do it

[HeijoshinCool]

… the clinic should cooperate with their families and schools to sort out the problem.

Sounds a bit like a euphemism for abortion.

[Monkeysee]

These statistics are not unusual in an uneducated society.

[Pib]

"The Ministry of Public Health is taking serious action against the problem of teenage pregnancy which has been rising fast in the last ten years."

Guess this could also mean they have not been taking serious action for the last ten years.

[terryp]

pretty clear that thai teens girls like bang kok

[trainman34014]

They should go and look in the school toilets an hour before lessons start as that's where a lot of them get shoved up the duff. Parents here have absolutely no idea what their little darlings get up to before school even opens !

[Chris Lawrence]

Free condoms?

Worked in the Needle Exchange program in Australia in the mid to late 90's. Great education programs that developed into programs that are still running in schools today. Also some great poster campaigns. Condom Man poster was great. Plus free condoms given out at primary and secondary exchanges. A lot of work was also done on attitudinal change within the health system due to prejudices and bigotry.

I developed programs for Hepatitis C awareness; always looked at what others did and never tried to re-invent a wheel.

Sometimes a hard subject to get going. Nancy Regan had the best program for drug awareness; The just say No approach. That all the US spent on national drug campaign for that period of Nancy. Ridiculous approach for such a complex issue.

[HerbalEd]

"Sorting out" the problem of teen-age pregnancy at a hospital "after" the teen is pregnant will do what exactly to lower teen-age pregnancy??

[harrry]

If this was Australia and they did not have free abortion legal there the figures would be much much higher.

[upena]

Setting up teen clinics to solve the problem of teen pregnancies. Right, that will work

[maidee]

thailand should invent a chemical drug, mixed into a popular teen drink, to make them sterile ... maybe acohol or a soft drink or a coffee drink ?

[BSJ]

of Avoiding Teen Pregnancy

[rickirs]

Gen. Prayuth has already issued his 12 Values. What more is needed?

[Balance]

"He said teen clinics should be easier for both teenagers and their parents to access and ask for help. While keeping secret the names of teens who are pregnant..."

Two things stand out. One, in a culture where openly discussing sexual issues is avoided, I doubt that having such a program will do any good if most people will be too embarrassed to participate.

Secondly. If they are keeping the names of pregnant teens a secret, then they have already failed at preventing teen pregnancy. Unless the goal is to prevent subsequent pregnancies, by which time there is a good chance that the female is no longer a teen.

That being said, the one glaring omission is the mention of the participation and responsibility of males in the process. Once more, it appears that this society holds the female to be totally responsible for the pregnancy. Perhaps, providing DNA testing and holding the male and his family responsible for at least half of the expenses of the birth and upbringing of the child would be a lot more effective in having the sperm donor act more responsibly.

A teen in my wife's extended family got pregnant a couple of years ago. She was in her last year in high school. The first thing that happened in the school expelled her and told her they would not allow her to graduate. Only after some back channel political work was she allowed to come back after the birth to finish school.

The father was never brought into the equation once. It was the girl's fault, full stop. There was no sex education provided by the school or the family. Since the girl is committing a sin for having sex, there is no discussion about her taking birth control.

Thai authorities have to get their heads out of the sand, and admit that the family controls that existed 30-40 years ago are gone. If the Public Health people want to do something in the hospitals and tambon clinics, they can provide sex education, FREE long acting contraception, and pre-natal care including teaching parenting skills.

It would be nice to see Thailand do a better job in this area than is being done in many areas of the United States.

[doggie888888]

Gen. Prayuth has already issued his 12 Values. What more is needed?

Free condoms? Consistent with the h-a-p-p-y program. ..without the pain 9 months later.

[chopendoz]

This is no surprise.

[Don Aleman]

I suggest they begin with not treating quite normal teen sex curiosity &

exploration as a " problem " but more as a potential poor future for those who engage in same - a child for a teen mother, ( not fater as Thai teen males always flee the scene ), a lost friend, money to raise child, no more school, mall stalking, or, potentially death re AIDS. Illustrate, more clearly, all the downsides to not waiting, as there are no, none, nada. upsides !

[kogrutter]

I teach biology in English in an International Program. Grades 7-12. I begin with a gentle intro with my 7th graders. When they get into 8th, they learn the basics of animal sexuality. By the 9th, they receive graphic, tasteful instruction in the complete anatomy of human male/female reproductive organs. Year 10 is a refresher and instruction in communicable diseases and their prevention and the usage of contraceptive devices. Year 10-12 we discuss the consequences of sexual behavior in teenagers.

Parents, though somewhat shy, tend to be very supportive of our program. I am not so naive that I am unaware that some of these kids engage in sexual activity but at least they are aware of the preventative measures they can use to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or STD. I am chided by my students for not learning Thai so that the course could be given in Thai.

[ronthai]

I thought about a year ago the teen pregnancies where the fault of FaceBook. Why is it still available in Thailand then?

[Mudcrab]

thailand should invent a chemical drug, mixed into a popular teen drink, to make them sterile ... maybe acohol or a soft drink or a coffee drink ?

What a terrible thing to say.

You are promoting genocide over time??

The Nazis would have been so proud of you.

[ggt]

Someone in the government and culture needs to address the problem of absentee fathers...it took two to create the pregnancy...why is one left to fend for herself and the child...while the other is allowed to find another under-aged victim to impregnate...?

[slapout]

I teach biology in English in an International Program. Grades 7-12. I begin with a gentle intro with my 7th graders. When they get into 8th, they learn the basics of animal sexuality. By the 9th, they receive graphic, tasteful instruction in the complete anatomy of human male/female reproductive organs. Year 10 is a refresher and instruction in communicable diseases and their prevention and the usage of contraceptive devices. Year 10-12 we discuss the consequences of sexual behavior in teenagers.

Parents, though somewhat shy, tend to be very supportive of our program. I am not so naive that I am unaware that some of these kids engage in sexual activity but at least they are aware of the preventative measures they can use to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or STD. I am chided by my students for not learning Thai so that the course could be given in Thai.

Well I commend you and the school for this approach BUT, look at the number of PG girls prior to the start of the 9 th grade,. These kids are not playing doctor in 5 and 6 grade most of the girls have had their first peroid, hormones are flowing and those older boys are the studs hunting for a virgin is to whisper in the ear and set on his lap minus knickers, of course..

Parents have to be blunt with the kids, scare the pee wadding out of them with bluntness. What they will miss, in the social world, friends who will disappear, reputation as a slut/whore, and then find a way for the kids to take care of a baby about 1 year old for a full day without help from any adult. The kids may tell you they think babies are cute but after about 12 hours of shitty diapers, spitting up geting into everything they can reach or crawl on/to those little 5 and 6 th graders will see the world of sexual activity somewhat different. By all means include those little hard dick boys in the same experience.

[hudsonmarc88]

The teen pregnancy rats are on the rise, and the question definitely deserves attention of the Ministry. It's a great initiative which probably will have some positive results soon.

[NickJ]

Never...ever....gonna stop.....cant.......

[deckape]

"The Ministry of Public Health is taking serious action against the problem of teenage pregnancy which has been rising fast in the last ten years."

Guess this could also mean they have not been taking serious action for the last ten years.

Think it's the young ladies who have been taking the serious action.

[plachon]

These statistics are not unusual in an uneducated society.

On that basis, the UK must be the least educated society in Europe, as teen pregnancy rates are highest.

[Artisi]

Didn't we just ban condom machines in school toilets - a good start in reducing unwanted pregnancies