Page 4 - Advancing Life - January 2026

4 ADVANCINGLIFE, FEBRUARY 2026
NEWS Issue 05

Teenage Pregnancy: access to health information Supporting Young Mothers
Who Is Really to Blame? are often ignored.

(continued) Big Problems, Small
Solutions with Mental Health,

These negative labels create Government and public health
the idea of the “wrong girl,” programmes often focus
someone who is blamed for on teaching girls not to fall Alcohol Use, and Healthier
bringing shame to her family pregnant, for example, by
and community. An educator in promoting contraception and
Newcastle said, “Girls do not care school-based sexual health Pregnancies
about education or improving education. While these are
their lives. They only want to important, this approach puts
get pregnant so they can get the all the responsibility on girls
child grant and buy alcohol.” themselves. It sends the message
This kind of thinking ignores the that the problem is bad choices
real struggles that many young rather than bad systems.
women face, such as poverty, lack
of information, and limited access The truth is that teenage
to health services. pregnancy is not only a personal
issue. It is a community issue,
When young girls hear these and even a national one. Poverty,
messages, many start blaming poor education systems, gender
themselves. One young woman violence, and unequal access to
in Newcastle said, “We do not healthcare all play a role. These
take contraceptives. We listen factors make it much harder
to bad advice from friends. for young women to make safe,
The government has tried, but informed choices about sex and
we do not use the protection.” relationships.
Feeling shame and guilt can lead
to depression, anxiety, and low Building Better Systems
self-esteem. Some girls may use To truly address teenage
alcohol and other drugs to cope, pregnancy, we need to shift from
and others may avoid going to blame to support. Parents and
the clinic because they are afraid caregivers should be encouraged By: Petal Petersen Williams Alcohol Problems in Pregnancy Adolescent girls and young
of being judged. (CAP-Pre). This project adapted women face unique and urgent
to have open, honest, and non- a proven counselling method challenges. Teenage mothers
regnancy and early
One parent shared: “Our judgmental conversations with Pmotherhood can be a joyful into a format suitable for are at particularly high risk
children are afraid to go to their children about sex and time, but for many women in pregnant women in South Africa. of depression, anxiety, and
clinics. Even if the child makes relationships. South Africa, it is also filled with Instead of being delivered by alcohol use, yet they are often
a mistake, she won’t go because Schools should go beyond challenges. Rates of depression, specialists, the counselling was the most excluded from health
she feels embarrassed.” This teaching abstinence and also anxiety, and stress are high, and offered by trained community and support services. Stigma,
shows how stigma can stop girls discuss consent, contraception, some women turn to alcohol health workers (CHWs), making disrupted schooling, and
from getting the care they need. it more accessible within local economic pressures all add to
and healthy relationships. as a way to cope. Alcohol use
Clinics must become safer and during pregnancy increases the communities. their vulnerability. Recognising
... many parents more welcoming spaces for risk of miscarriage, premature Through CAP-Pre, CHWs this, ongoing research aims
say they feel young people, where nurses birth, and fetal alcohol met with pregnant women to to adapt and pilot approaches
like CAP-Pre specifically for
and counsellors treat everyone
spectrum disorders (FASD).
uncomfortable talking with respect. Children born with FASD often discuss their stress, worries, this group, ensuring they too
and alcohol use. These sessions
about sexual health Policymakers should focus face long-term developmental helped women set personal have access to non-judgmental,
evidence-based support for
or don’t know how to on solving the root causes of and learning challenges. goals, find healthier coping mental health and wellbeing.
start the conversation. teenage pregnancy, such as Mental health struggles also strategies, and feel supported This kind of care can give both
poverty, gender inequality, and make it harder for mothers to without judgement. The pilot young mothers and their babies
lack of opportunity. Empowering attend antenatal care, bond with study showed that this type of a stronger start in life.
Blaming Parents and Men girls through education and their infants, or continue their intervention is both feasible and

Parents and caregivers are economic support can make a education and employment. acceptable; participants were The goal is not only to test these
willing to take part, and many
interventions but to use the
also often blamed for teenage real difference. Despite this, pregnant women, said it provided a safe space to evidence to shape future health
pregnancies. Some community Changing the Story particularly adolescent girls share their struggles. programmes and policies. By
members say parents do not and young women, are often showing that community-based
discipline their daughters or It’s time to stop seeing teenage overlooked in mental health Several key lessons emerged. counselling is both effective and
teach them about sex. But pregnancy as the fault of and substance use services. Young mothers need non- acceptable, researchers hope
many parents say they feel “wrong girls” or “bad families.” Many face stigma, judgement, judgmental spaces to talk openly to see it integrated into public
uncomfortable talking about Instead, we need to look at or simply a lack of access to about alcohol, mental health, health services. This would allow
sexual health or don’t know how our communities and appropriate support. and pregnancy challenges. more young mothers across
how to start the conversation. systems can do better. When One approach that has shown Community health workers South Africa and potentially in
One teenage girl said, “Parents young girls are supported promise is Counselling for can play a powerful role in other low- and middle-income
are not talking to their kids instead of shamed, they are supporting mental wellness and countries to benefit.
about these issues.” more likely to stay in school, reducing alcohol use, especially
use contraception, and access ...ongoing research where specialist services are Supporting adolescent mothers
In other cases, people blame healthcare early in pregnancy. aims to adapt and pilot limited. Interventions must is an investment in the next
absent fathers or parents also be culturally adapted to generation. Addressing
who misuse alcohol. Some Teenage pregnancy is not a approaches like CAP- the realities of South African alcohol use and mental health
also point out that older men sign of moral failure; it is a Pre specifically for this women’s lives, which often challenges early can help break
take advantage of young girls sign that our society still has include poverty, gender-based cycles of disadvantage, empower
by giving them money or work to do. Together, families, group, ensuring they violence, and limited access young women, and give babies
gifts in exchange for sex and schools, and health workers too have access to non- to care. Supporting mothers the healthiest possible start.
then disappear once the girl can help create a South Africa judgmental, evidence- supports babies: healthier With the right support, young
becomes pregnant. But again, where young women have pregnancies reduce risks for mothers can thrive, and so can
the bigger problems of poverty, choices, chances, and a future based support for mental infants and improve their long- their children.
unemployment, and poor filled with hope. health and wellbeing. term development.