AyaBasilio

Reading #1
AsIreadthearticleIlearntthatthereisnoformalor
universallyaccepteddefinitionofahighrisk pregnancy.A
pregnancyisconsideredhighriskwhenmaternalorfetal
complicationsarepresentthatcouldaffectthehealthorsafety
ofeitherthemotherorbaby.Allpregnanciesshouldbeevaluated
toknowwhetherthereareorwillberiskfactors.Riskfactors
presentbeforepregnancy,problemsinapreviouspregnancy,
disorderspresentbeforepregnancyandriskfactorsthatdevelop
duringpregnancycanmakeapregnancyhighrisk.Identifyinga
pregnancyashighriskhelpsensurethatitreceivesextra
attentionandpropercare,therebysignificantlydecreasing
maternalandneonatalmorbidityandmortalityratesSpecialised
careshouldbegiventowomenwhoareexperiencingcomplications
orproblemsduringtheirpregnanciesincluding:pretermlabor,
pregnancyinducedhypertension,bleeding,chronichypertension,
diabetes,asthmaorhyperemesis,etc.Treatmentforproblemsin
pregnancyrangesfromweeklyormonthlyultrasoundmonitoringto
complexintravenousinfusionsandmedicationmanagementin
hospitalsalldeliveredwiththeutmostcare.Womenwithchronic
medicalconditions,suchaslupus,cancer,diabetes,orarthritis,
areallatriskforcomplicatedpregnancies.Also,afamily
historyofmentalretardationorbirthdefectscanindicatea
highriskpregnancy.Likewise,womenwhohaveexperienced
miscarriages,pretermdeliveries,stillbirths,orneonataldeaths
needspecialisedcaretoensureahealthypregnancyandbirth.
Cigarettesmoking,alcoholabuse,anddrugabuseputmotherand
childatrisk,butarefactorswhichcanbecontrolled.

AyaBasilio

Reading #2
Ichosetowriteonthisarticlebecauseithadbecomeaverytouchy
subjecttonearlymostparents.Everyparentsgreatestfearishearing
abouthowtheirbelovedlittleprincessuttersthewordsImpregnant,
orhowtheirgoldenboytellsthemaboutthepossibilitythathemight
havegottenagirlpregnant.Theprevalenceofteenagepregnancy
worldwidehasbecomeacauseofmajorconcerninrecentyears.Itis
viewedasanurgentcrisisasthenumberofteenagegirlsbearing
childrenoutsideofmarriageincreases.Itaffectsthecommunityand
societyatlarge.Someoftheriskfactorsthatleadtoteenpregnancy
areparticipationinunsafesexualactivities,poorperformanceand
insufficientattendanceofschool,substanceabuse,lowfamilyincome,
underuseofcontraception,deprivationandsingleparentfamilies.There
areseveralatriskcircumstancesrelatedtoteenpregnancy.These
includehigherdropoutratesandlessschooling,healthandmedical
complications,povertyencircledlifeanddecreasedcareeraspirations.
Childbearingistheleadingcauseofteengirlsdroppingoutofhigh
school.Lessthan50%ofteenmotherscompletetheirhighschool
educationandlessthan2%attendcollege.Someyoungmothershavea
secondchildwithintwoyearswhichfurtherhindersthemfromattaining
furthereducation;thiscausesthemtobecomeeconomicallydependent;the
motherandherchildfacealifetimeofeconomic,educationalandhealth
challenges.Childrenborntoteenmothersdoworseinschoolascompared
tothoseborntooldermothers.Manyofthemrepeatagrade,areplaced
inspecialeducationclasses,experiencemildereducationproblemsand
havealowerprobabilityofgraduatingfromhighschool.These
educationalproblemsanddisabilitiescanbeattributedtothesingle
maritalstatus,highpovertyprevalenceandlowlevelofeducationofthe
teenagemothers.Thenegativeeffectsteenpregnancyhasonperinatal
resultsandlongtermmorbidityhasresultedinitbecomingapublic
healthissue.Teenmothershavepoorprenatalcaresincetheyfailto
attendtheirprenatalappointments.Theyareatahigherriskof
experiencingpregnancycomplications,earlymaritalbreakdowniftheyare
marriedandpostnataldepression.Inaddition,theytendtogivebirth
toprematurebabies,lowweightbabiesandbabieswhodieintheirfirst
yearoflife.Furthermore,theirinfantsexperiencehigherinfant
mortalityandmorbidityratesascomparedtothoseborntooldermothers.

AyaBasilio
Teenpregnancyhasseveraladverseeffectsandthusmeasuresshouldbe
takentoreduceitsprevalence.Inaddition,teenmothersshouldbe
providedwithandencouragedtopursueopportunitiestofurthertheir
educationandcareers.Thiswillgoalongwayincurbingtherisk
factorsassociatedwithteenpregnancyandinallowingthem,andtheir
childrenleadwholesome,productivelives.