Is it reasonable for teenage girls to go back to class while pregnant? Do they consent with their men before getting pregnant?

One of the main areas of concern in our country Kenya is Sexual Reproductive Health And Rights of adolescents and the extent to which adolescents’ reproductive health needs are met. According to statistics done by Right Here Right Now, almost a quarter of Kenyan women give birth at the age of 18 and nearly half by the age of 20. In most cases, when an adolescent girl gets pregnant, chances are that her education may end hence losing her dream or she becomes more vulnerable to poverty, exclusion or early marriage. Complications during pregnancy in adolescent girls also causes death of most teenagers.
Kakamega County has been reported to be one of the leading counties in teenage pregnancies in the country. According to the research done by the Ministry of Health, Kakamega County’s age specific fertility rate for adolescent girls aged 15-19 is 101 births per 1000 girls which is higher that the national level. A research also done by Miradi Media from January to December 2019 says, Butere sub county has the leading numbers of teenage pregnancy with 1,872 cases, Malava subcounty being the second, Navakholo Sub County, Lugari Sub county, Mumias West Sub County, Matungu Sub County, Mumias East Sub county, Likuyani sub county, Shinyalu Sub county, Ikolomani sub county, Lurambi sub county and Khwisero being the least with 621 cases.
So many cases of teenage pregnancies have been reported in Kakamega County, the rural areas being the mist affected and in this case Butere sub county being on the lead. “We want the number of teenage pregnancies among our teenage girls to go down, ” Hon Elsie Muhanda the women representative of Kakamega county addressed her people. The women representative also added that children should be taught values in schools because they spend long hours with their teachers than they do with their parents.
Peer counseling is very key to both boys and girls towards the reduction of early pregnancies hence it involves both students, parents and teachers. Lack of information among the teenage girls results to unintended pregnancies. Low use of contraceptives, drug and substance abuse, peer pressure, sexual abuse, media influence are few amongst the many reasons that bring about unintended pregnancies among the teenage girls.
With this, parents are advised to be clear about their own sexual values and attitudes, talk to their children early and often about sex, help their teens to have options for future that are much more attractive than early pregnancy and parenthood, emphasize on how much the value education, know what their children are watching, reading and listening to and finally, strive for a relationship that is warm and affectionate – firm and discipline and rich in communication.