THE EFFECT OF UNWANTED PREGNANCY AND INDUCED ABORTION ON FEMALE STUDENTS SELF ESTEEM. A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

Female students who are sexually active were more likely to use no contraceptive, which puts them at high risk of unplanned pregnancy. Some are influenced by their partners regarding birth control or they forget to use contraceptives at together (Babbie 2004). Assessing the level of a woman knowledge regarding birth control followed by a careful explanation of the side effect choice may reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancy (Babbie 2004).

1.1        BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to Mcburney a White (2007) Unwanted pregnancy is a state that, It is extremely difficult to draw a clear line between those pregnancies that are planned and those that are unplanned. It is difficult to arrange a pregnancy to order.

Unwanted pregnancy is a pregnancy that is either unplanned, untimed at the time of conception. It is a core concept in understanding the fertility of population and unmet need for contraception. It is associated with an increased of modibity for women, and with health behaviours during pregnancy that are associated with adverse effect.

            Unwanted pregnancies and abortion have existed since time immemorial (Kaufman, 2008) and are subjected to stigmatization in most societies (Charles, Polissridhara& Blum 2008). This led to the concept of induced abortion which is the extraction of pregnancy before the age of viability (cunning ham MacDonald, 8c giant 2007). Induced abortions evoke tremendous emotions due to its cultural and religious coronations. Reliable data on abortion and its complication is difficult to ascertain especially in areas with restrictive abortion laws (Ahiaedeke 2009, World Health Organization2005). This is estimated that about 26-53 million induced abortions are carried out annually world-wide width 90% of these occurring in developing countries (2006) of these, an estimated 20 million are unsafe especially in countries with illegal abortion laws (World Health Organization 2009).

Abortion continues to be highly contentious issue in most developed countries of the world with law signs of abatement historical evidence mapping the past 30-40 years indicated that has been variable interest in abortion debated among assorted group with several placing at the fore front of their agendas. Isolating the key sub-issue in our society. In par excellence not only this, It is highly symbolic but as a cultural maker it also cuts to the care of people attitude toward life, moral behaviour, and the setter of freedom (Hunter 2005 Dilhan 2007, 2008; Russo and Denious 2009, 2010). In Nigeria about 760,000 abortion occur annually despite the country’s restrictive abortions law, Experts say “unsafe abortion is one of the world highest material motality ratio of 1,000 death per births (ChiomaObinna2010).

            The age at which young undergraduate ladies involve themselves in abortion in Nigeria and other developing countries is worrisome considering the risk they expose themselves to, are as follows e.g (cervical cancer, vaginal infection, womb damage, and other complicated health issue have been associated with abortion (Bolude 2006 )

            It was identified that self esteem play a central role in carrying out or involving in the act of abortion among female student (Wells & Matrix well 2008). Self esteem refers to feeling and attitude toward self. These are described and measured along continuum that range from high to low or positive to negative. Russio (2005) found out that high self esteem has significant correlation with abortion. This finding has been critized especially by Reardon (2005) who argued abortion has serious psychological risks.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Studying the female students are faced with the problem of unplanned pregnancies, which is very high it become imperative, therefore to get some answers to the question as to why some fall pregnant and it was unplanned and some do not know who impregnated them. The purpose of the study was essentially to describe the female student’s perception of the effect of unplanned pregnancy while enrolled full time in an institution of higher learning.

1.3      PURPOSE OF THE STUDY         

            The study is aimed at investigating the effect of unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion on female student’s self esteem, the study will help to assess the magnitude of unwanted pregnancies and induced abortion and its associated effect in female student’s self esteem of federal college of education Abeokuta.

In this respect, objective of the study include,

1.      To establish factors that influence female student in having induced abortion

2.      To establish factors influences unwanted pregnancies.

3.      To determine the effect of unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion on self esteem of female student.

4.      To assess the various from of induced abortion among female students.

5.      To establish ways of curbing unwanted pregnancies

1.4      SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is restricted to female students of federal college of education osiele Abeokuta OgunState.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

For the purpose of this study the following research question will be examined;

1.                  Does unwanted pregnancy and induce abortion lead to iow esteem.

2.                  What are the causes for induced abortion?

3.                  Is reliance contraceptive controlling the rate of unwanted pregnancy among girl female student in tertiary institution?

4.                  What are the effect of unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion on female student self esteems in tertiary institution.

5.                  Are there any reason for induced abortion?

6.                  Are there any way of curbing induced abortion.

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of significant to parents because they play vital role in a child who is a victim of unwanted pregnancies such that they must show love, affection, and care for their child to make her do away with the feeling of being depressed or lonely. With this, they will be able to educate the victim and other children.

Students who find themselves in this position need to turn deaf ears to the roaring of friends and pressures from peer groups. She must be able to stand the test of times by always encouraging herself amidst every iota of discouragement. Other students will be able to learn and correct their waywardness and focus their studies squarely.