Final lesson: Need attention from family, school and society
(Baonghean.vn) - The underlying cause of abortion among minors is largely due to the lack of attention from families and schools. While children do not have much knowledge about sex and reproductive health, parents are still quite hesitant to discuss reproductive health with their children, and schools are "behind" the methods...-->> Part 2: Unforeseen consequences
Nowadays, due to the easy-going lifestyle and lack of self-control of the young generation, early puberty due to improved living conditions and a “liberal” view on sex are some of the leading causes leading to the high rate of abortion among minors. Meanwhile, the issue of sex education has not received due attention from parents, schools and society. Many parents think that sex education is like “drawing a path for deer to run”, while teachers think that it is a sensitive, private, and not serious issue, very difficult to present on the podium.
In addition, young people have sex without having full understanding of themselves, reproductive health and contraceptive methods. Through a survey on knowledge, attitudes and reproductive health care needs of over 300 secondary and high school students in Vinh City in 2011 by two authors Hoang Thi Thu and Nguyen Tuan Anh (doctors of the Nghe An Reproductive Health Care Center), it was shown that the understanding of contraceptive methods of young people is still too low, they are not aware of the harmful effects of abortion, 40% of students think that abortion does not affect health.
In March 2013, at Do Luong 3 High School, there was a communication session on adolescent reproductive health for the school's students. Students were able to openly exchange information on sexual health and reproductive health. When asked about the harmful effects of abortion and sexual relations among adolescents, the students showed quite a bit of understanding. Tran Thi H. said: "Sexual relations among adolescents and unwanted pregnancies are extremely dangerous, because at this age, all students are not yet able to get married and have children, and if pregnant, abortion can lead to infertility and can be life-threatening." However, when asked about ways to prevent pregnancy, all the students laughed and no one answered.
When having the opportunity to interact with the students, a male student said: "Usually at our age, if we have sex, we usually do not use any measures because the situation does not allow us to use safe measures". Another male student said: "If any female student accidentally has sex or considers sex as a necessary part of a relationship between a man and a woman, she must take medicine, because men often cannot take the initiative to prevent pregnancy". Thus, the students' understanding after being trained in reproductive health communication is still only one-sided and most of them believe that contraception must be proactively taken by women.
Discussing this issue, Dr. CK2 - Nguyen Ba Tan - Director of the Center for Reproductive Health Care of Nghe An province said: "It is necessary to propagate to children how to prevent pregnancy, if young people are blind to information, the later harm will always be greater than the previous harm. Therefore, besides the school, the family must be the place to orient information and the place for children to share. Moreover, contraception should not only be trained for girls. In fact, girls are the ones who have to suffer the most serious consequences, but boys must know how to protect their girlfriends. That is the morality that the family must educate boys about."
Ms. Le Thi Hong Lam - Vice Principal of Huynh Thuc Khang High School shared: For a long time, the school has integrated sex education for students into biology and civic education according to the program of the Ministry of Education and Training and organized a number of extracurricular talks, but has not really gone into the issue of reproductive health care. Biology at school is taught by teachers to the whole class (including both boys and girls), so if there are any questions about sex, puberty, reproductive health, and contraceptive methods, girls do not dare to ask.
To limit the increase in teenage abortions, doctorsHoang Thi Thu–Nghe An Reproductive Health Centersaid:
The province needs to pay more attention to reproductive health care for adolescents in schools. Especially, the close cooperation between the Youth Union, teachers and parents in reproductive health care consultation. In addition, expand counseling classes, adolescent reproductive health care integrated with counseling sessions, talks about the harmful effects of abortion, contraceptive methods. Propaganda through mass media such as loudspeakers, newspapers, radio in a deep way to impact children's awareness.
It is necessary to set aside time and funds, have a regular consultation and talk schedule, and separate the reproductive health care into a separate subject, rather than integrating it into other subjects as it is now. In addition, consultation and talk sessions on reproductive health care need to be divided into two groups of boys and girls, taught by separate teachers so that students can boldly discuss. At the same time, there needs to be a connection between schools, families and medical facilities in providing counseling on reproductive health care for students.
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Thanh Nga - Vo Huyen
