CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Throughout the world, societal issues, public health challenges, and educational obstacles, to name a few, have continued to obstruct nations’ growth. Teenage pregnancy is one of the major societal issues generating debate among researchers and afflicting both developing and developed societies, as its impact on societal advancement, mortality rates, educational enrollment/attainment, and child and psychological development has reached alarming levels globally (Gyan,2013). It is a societal dilemma, according to Brown (2013), when adult duties such as sexual intercourse, breastfeeding, and reproduction are performed by someone who is seen as a kid by society.
Teenage pregnancy is defined as a circumstance in which a young girl is subjected to physical and psychological functions that are normally designated for adults. Furthermore, it may be characterized as the process of pregnancy caused by a child’s drug misuse and sexual exploitation (Ekefre, Ekanem & Essien, 2014). As a result, it might be Because of the known harmful impacts and causes on perinatal outcomes and long-term morbidity, teen pregnancy has become a public health problem. The high frequency of poverty, poor level of education, which is our main, and single marital status among teenage moms frequently muddle the relationship of early maternal age. The independent influence of teenage pregnancy on educational difficulties and issues in a total number of children and adolescents who are moms is examined in this study. According to Angola, G “Dilemma of the African Child” the spokesman newspaper and publishing collaboration, 1973), adolescence is a critical phase of growth in a woman’s life, spanning from pre-puberty to early adulthood. Girls (teens) are inquisitive and want to learn and be taught the proper attitude (s) (Margaret, O. Childhood and adolescent studies for effective teaching, revised edition, 1999). According to reports, the global rate of adolescent pregnancy ranges from 143 per 1000 in some nations.
According to a survey by the Demographic and Health Survey in Nigeria, roughly 23% of females aged 15-19 years are already pregnant, while 10% of teenagers living in rural regions are already pregnant, compared to 32% of adolescents living in urban areas (DHS, 2013). As a result, adolescent pregnancy is on the increase in the United States (Egbule, & Ugoji, 2000). Consequently, numerous studies have been carried out in many countries, particularly in Nigeria, to determine the reasons and consequences of adolescent pregnancy (Gueorguieva et al.,2001; Alabi & Oni, 201). The ease with which teenagers might fall into the abyss of premarital sexual immorality has been offered as a factor for this. This simply implies that we all live in a world where one type of moral degeneration or another is prevalent. Bizarrely, teenagers in many underdeveloped nations throughout the world, particularly in Nigeria, now contend with not just living their lives as they like, but also with premarital sex, which leads to the gentle killer “abortion.” Pregnancy in teenagers causes vesico-vaginal fistula pain, as well as societal shame owing to their increased desire in sex.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
As our society evolves, teenagers who were formerly considered innocent now engage in sexual acts on par with adults. Unfortunately, the outcome is now a concern for herself, her parents, society, and even the unborn child. Ekefre, Ekanem & Essien, (2014) opined that  many Nigerian parents contribute to teenage pregnancy in today’s secondary schools because they are too preoccupied with generating money rather than to spend time with their children, particularly girls, teaching and developing them to become future leaders.  Data supporting the reasons of adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria include a lack of education, greater rates of poverty, and other negative life effects (Onyido & Brambaifa (2018). However, being a young mother in a developing nation like ours may have an impact on one’s education, and adolescent moms are more likely to drop out before becoming pregnant. In light of this, it is vital to give a critical examination of the causes and consequences of teenage pregnancies in secondary school.s can affect ones education and teen mothers are more likely to dropout of school in prior to becoming pregnant.  Against this backdrop,  it becomes imperative to present a critical analysis on the causes and effects of teenage pregnancy in secondary school.
