A Critical Evaluation of Teenage Pregnancy in the UK: Dissertation

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Contents
Acknowledgement....................................................................................................................................2
Dedication..................................................................................................................................................3
Abstract......................................................................................................................................................4
Background to the research........................................................................................................................5
Statement of the problem...........................................................................................................................5
Research question.......................................................................................................................................6
Literature review.........................................................................................................................................6
Methodology...............................................................................................................................................7
Timeline.......................................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................9
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Acknowledgement
This research was supported/partially supported by [Name of Foundation, Grant maker, Donor].
We thank our colleagues who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted the research,
although they may not agree with all of the interpretations/conclusions of this paper.
We thank [Name Surname, title] for assistance with qualitative methodology, and [Name
Surname, position, institution name] for comments that greatly improved the manuscript.
We would also like to show our gratitude to the (Name Surname, title, institution) for sharing
their pearls of wisdom with us during the course of this research, and we thank 3 “anonymous”
reviewers for their so-called insights. We are also immensely grateful to (List names and
positions) for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript, although any errors are
our own and should not tarnish the reputations of these esteemed persons.
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Dedication
I dedicate my dissertation work to my family and many friends. I would like to present special
feeling of gratitude to my loving parents (…………………………) whose words of
encouragement and push for tenacity ring in my ears throughout my dissertation process. My
friend (…………………………) has never left my side and is very special. I also dedicate this
dissertation to my many friends and church family who have supported me throughout the
process. I will always appreciate all they have done, especially (…………………………) for
helping me develop my technology skills (…………………………) for the many hours of
proofreading, and (…………………………) for helping me to master the leader dots. I dedicate
this work and give special thanks to my best friend (…………………………) for being there for
me throughout the entire program. At last I would like to thank God almighty who has given me
this life and provided me such loving parents who always tries to build best out of me and
believe in what I do.
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Abstract
Aim
The aim of this research is to critically evaluate the prevalence and impact of teenage
pregnancy in the UK
Method
This research is qualitative primary research that is conducted to evaluate the prevalence and
impact of teenage pregnancy among 15 to 17 years old females in the UK. The research uses
secondary as well as primary methods to collect the data related to this topic. Secondary data is
collected by use of literature review whereas the primary data is collected with use of a written
questionnaire that involved 20 females who are teenagers and had a baby, the questionnaire
focused on evaluating their perceptions and experiences towards the impact of teenage
pregnancy on their life and career. The research focused on evaluating the health issues related
to teenage pregnancy on both the mother and the infant.
Data analysis
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The data collected is analyzed with help of correlational analysis that is the tool that enables the
author to identify the variables in the research and relate them with one another in order to
provide results from the findings and conclude the hypothesis for the research question. The
findings will be evaluated using this method and the results will be used to drive the following
recommendation.
CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE
PREVALENCE AND IMPACT OF TEENAGE
PREGNANCY IN THE UK
Background to the research
Teenager pregnancy can be defined as a pregnancy in girls at the age of 10 to 19 years (Cook
& Cameron, 2015). It is also called as adolescent pregnancy. Teenager pregnancy may be due
to poverty or poor education. The problem has become worldwide. It is estimated around 16
million teenage girls of the age group 15 to 19 years give birth every year in the UK ( Cook &
Cameron, 2015). Approx. 12 million teenage girls of age 15 years give birth every year (Cook &
Cameron, 2015). In the year 2013, around 1785 teenage girls were pregnant (Cook & Cameron,
2015). In the United Kingdom, 7000 teenage girls of the age of 16 years are pregnant every
year (Cook & Cameron, 2015). More than 90 per cent of teenage pregnancy has been
associated with a low or middle-income family (Cook & Cameron, 2015). The lower prevalence
of teenage pregnancy was found in British Asian mothers. Around 60 per cent of teenage
pregnancy has been associated with black British girls (Cook & Cameron, 2015). The teenage
pregnancy adversely affects the health of baby and mother. It may lead to a premature baby,
poor development of body parts, anaemia, pre-eclampsia and low birth baby. 50 per cent babies
of teen mother are more likely to die early, stillborn and develop acute or life long illness (Cook
& Cameron, 2015). Teenage pregnant girls are at high risk of reduced education.
Statement of the problem
The main purpose of research is to critically analyses the impact and prevalence of teenage
pregnancy in the UK and how this problem can be solved (McCall et al., 2015). The research
provides various intervention and strategies in order to solve the issue or to prevent teenage
pregnancy. The focus of research is to identify the cause behind the problem (Dickins, Johns &
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Chipman, 2012). Various authors have conducted a research on a chosen topic and has
proposed several intervention and strategies to prevent pregnancy among the teenage girls in
the United Kingdom.
Research question
The various research questions that needed to investigate the chosen topic are
What are the causes of teenage pregnancy in the UK?
What is the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in the UK?
What are the impacts of teenage pregnancy on the mother as well as a newborn in the UK?
(Dickins, Johns & Chipman, 2012)
How teenage pregnancy can be prevented in the UK?
What are the interventions and strategies need to be planned to prevent teenage pregnancy in
the UK?
What measures can be taken to prevent teenage pregnancy in the UK?
Literature review
Cook & Cameron, (2015) has conducted a study which revealed that the United Kingdom has a
high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancy across the world (Cook & Cameron, 2015). They
explained that girls who are belonging form high scarcity area are more commonly associated
with teenage pregnancy. The reason behind the teenage pregnancy are low social economic
status, poor assess to school, unemployment, drug or alcohol intake and peer pressure (Cook &
Cameron, 2015). Hadley, Chandra-Mouli & Ingham, (2016) explained that teenage pregnancy
may be due to an inequality issue that could affect the health, wellbeing and life of a mother and
newborn (Hadley, Chandra-Mouli & Ingham, 2016). Jones, C. (2017) explained that teenage
pregnancy leads to the high chance of morbidity and mortality of neonates, low birth baby,
premature baby, and risk of obstetric complication and poor development of body function
(Jones, 2017). Various local authorities have been taken part in order to reduce the impact of
teenage pregnancy in the UK (Jones, 2017). McDaid, Collier, & Platt, (2015) in their study
evaluated that, most of the teenage girl contact for abortion or premature birth in the health care
services. 22.9 per cent of the young girl of age 20 years or less has undergone an abortion in
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the year 2013 (McDaid, Collier & Platt, 2015). The NICE has proposed several guidelines in
order to prevent teenage pregnancy. The NICE guideline provides various interventions and
strategies such as the use of condom before sex and contraceptive pills for birth control
(McDaid, Collier & Platt, 2015). Department of health in the United Kingdom has focused on
impact or prevalence of pregnancy among teenagers. The health department has provided open
communication among the parents. They are providing knowledge and education to prevent
teenage pregnancy (Guest et al., 2015). They are providing advice and information on various
social networking sites in order to spread awareness about teenage pregnancy in the population
of the UK. The health department conducts a group session to spread awareness among
teenage girls and the use of condom and contraceptive pills to control birth (Guest et al., 2015).
Methodology
The methodology is a technique that is used by various authors to formulate the research. It can
be qualitative or can be quantitative (Weber, 2017). In a qualitative technique, we use subjective
components such as statement, theme, etc. These components are used to identify or
recognize the finding of the research. The data which is collected form qualitative technique is
subjective in nature, theme, and phrase and lacking any numerical value (Weber, 2017). The
quantitative technique uses both statistical and numerical methods to conduct research. The
primary and secondary methods can be used to collect the data in the research. Experimental
and semi-experimental data collection can be categories in the primary method. In the
secondary method, preexisting sources such as academic and literature review are used to
collect data in research (Weber, 2017). This research is based on a mixed qualitative method.
Timeline
Research
plan
Week
1
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k 2
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ek
3
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ek
4
Week
5
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k 6
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k 7
Week
8
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11
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12
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3
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14
Topic
selection
and
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approval
Research
proposal
Proposal
refinemen
t
Determin
ation of
methodol
ogy
Framing
of
questionn
aire
Gaining
consent
from
participan
ts
Conducti
on of
survey
Data
analysis
Findings
Results
Final
report
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REFERENCES
Cook, S. M., & Cameron, S. T. (2015). Social issues of teenage pregnancy. Obstetrics,
Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine, 25(9), 243-248.
Dickins, T. E., Johns, S. E., & Chipman, A. (2012). Teenage pregnancy in the United
Kingdom: A behavioral ecological perspective. Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural
Psychology, 6(3), 344.
Guest, J. F., Ayoub, N., McIlwraith, T., Uchegbu, I., Gerrish, A., Weidlich, D., ... & Vowden,
P. (2015). Health economic burden that wounds impose on the National Health Service in
the UK. BMJ open, 5(12), e009283.
Hadley, A., Chandra-Mouli, V., & Ingham, R. (2016). Implementing the United Kingdom
Government's 10-year teenage pregnancy strategy for England (1999–2010): applicable
lessons for other countries. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(1), 68-74.
Jones, C. (2017). Second pregnancy prevention among teenagers. Community
Practitioner, 90(12), 44-46.
McCall, S. J., Bhattacharya, S., Okpo, E., & Macfarlane, G. J. (2015). Evaluating the social
determinants of teenage pregnancy: a temporal analysis using a UK obstetric database from
1950 to 2010. J Epidemiol Community Health, 69(1), 49-54.
McDaid, L. A., Collier, J., & Platt, M. J. (2015). Previous pregnancies among young women
having an abortion in England and Wales. Journal of adolescent health, 57(4), 387-392.
Weber, M. (2017). Methodology of social sciences. Routledge.
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