Alone and uninstructed, Moldovan girls from villages become mothers before coming of age

The number of pregnant girls younger than 16 in the Moldovan villages is 3-4 times higher than in urban areas, say specialists in integrated assistance in teen health. This is due to the limited access to information and the reduced personal development opportunities. Many of the young mothers come from socially disadvantaged families or have their parents working abroad. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the head of the Youth-Friendly Health Center “Neovita”, obstetrician-gynecologist Galina Leshko said the pregnancy up to the age of 19 involves medical risks and risks related to the social integration of teen mothers. ”Owing to discrimination, many of the girls abandon school and, as a result, encounter problems when looking for a job and in giving the child proper education owing to their inappropriate education. Unfortunately, the old mentality is the most serious problem of our society. The parents try to hide the fact that their underage daughter is pregnant and often resort to abortion,” said Galina Leshko. According to her, until there are no special sexual education programs based on age, there will be no efficiency in this area. The head of “Neovita” also said that the education programs should center not on the promotion of sex, but on the cognition of one’s body so as to have elementary knowledge of one’s own physiology. They often forget about the boy and put the entire responsibility on the girl. The men should be also taught to be responsible for their sexual life and to use contraceptives especially when older boys have sex with underage girls as this involves criminal punishment. According to official statistics, 27 young women of 1,000 become mothers when they are younger than 19. “The fact that a lot of effort is made, but the expected results are not achieved should concern us as this shows that the efforts are inefficient. Many of these girls do not know how to behave and can have an aggressive attitude towards the child or can abandon them because they are not prepared for life,” said Galina Leshko, adding that the parents working abroad should not only send money home for food and clothes, but should also discuss with the children so that they do not feel alone. The “Neovita” Center based in Chisinau records about 150 cases of pregnancy among underage girls annually.