THE UNGLAMOROUS reality of life as a pregnant teenager is documented frankly in a new handbook compiled by young women who had babies when they were in their teens.
The “Real Deal” project, which was piloted in Dublin and Kildare, was funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and evaluated favourably by academics from Trinity College Dublin.
Young mothers took on the role of “peer educators” and delivered an information programme they devised themselves to 45 teenagers.
The teaching manual they produced documents the difficult reality of teenage pregnancy and motherhood which, the young mothers explained, can involve varicose veins, stretch marks, piles and “being looked down at”.
This is contrasted with the experience of celebrities who can afford “tummy tucks, nannies and personal trainers”.
The handbook also suggests responses to sexual partners who are reluctant to wear condoms and gives frank information on sexually transmitted infections, the menstrual cycle, and male and female reproductive systems.
Speaking in Tallaght yesterday, Anne Fitzpatrick, programme manager of the Newbridge “Real Deal” project, said it was imperative that teenagers were educated about the consequences of engaging in unprotected sex.
“Why should young, intelligent, bright, bubbly teenagers with plans of further education, training and a career have their life goals shattered by lack of information and knowledge?”
She said teenage mothers were still children themselves. “Children do not need nappies, lone parenting, crushed dreams and futures where career plans are just a dream.”
Crisis Pregnancy Agency director Caroline Spillane said the young mothers who delivered the programme had empowered the participants to make informed choices about their sexual health.
“It’s vital that supportive environments such as this are replicated across the country, to equip young people with the information they need while ensuring that the reality of teen parenthood is accurately portrayed but not stigmatised.”
In the teaching manual produced by the young mothers they stressed that while they loved their children very much, they “wished they had waited until they were older to have them”.
The young mothers quoted statistics from the Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships (2006), which found women who had sex before the age of 17 are almost 70 per cent more likely to experience a crisis pregnancy than women who began to have sex after 17. Both men and women who had sex before 17 were more likely to report having experienced a sexually transmitted infection.
The “Real Deal” project was evaluated favourably by academics at Trinity College Dublin’s department of public health and primary care, who recommended a larger study now be carried out.
One woman's story
Yasmin Woods (26) from Stepaside, Co Dublin, is a young mother who became one of the "peer educators" delivering the "Real Deal" information project to teenagers.
"I have two children, Megan who is six and Calum who is two. Before I started on the "Real Deal" project I felt a bit lost and needed a sense of direction in life.
"I was finding it quite tough being a young mother and trying to progress to higher education.
I hadn't realised before I had Megan in 2002 how difficult it would be being a young mother.
I started in Dún Laoghaire community training centre in 2006. "When I heard about the "Real Deal" programme I was interested straight way. The fact that it was about young teenage mothers was something I could identify with and I knew what I was talking about, so getting involved in the programme made sense to me.
"It was a very challenging and difficult time. We all learned about self esteem, sex education, sexually transmitted infections, drugs, alcohol and huge amounts about each others lives and experiences, both good and bad. There were a lot of laughs, some tears and an awful lot of talking!
"But the result of this part of the programme was this manual of which we are all incredibly proud, We wanted to put all our information together but to present it in a way that was appealing to young girls - hence all the pink!
"Being part of the programme really helped me through a difficult year. We all felt so passionately about what we were trying to do.
"It was a huge challenge for the group but the finished product is something we are so proud of.
"Today I am proud to say I am finishing a year in college and considering going on to further studies and maybe even a degree."
