Teenage Pregnancy

The first thing Jellenie did when she suspected she was pregnant was ask her circle of friends that question. It had been three months already since her... 

Teenage Pregnancy

By Jona Lastra

A teenage mother with her baby.

How kids with kids cope with this responsibility.

How do you know you're pregnant?

The first thing Jellenie did when she suspected she was pregnant was ask her circle of friends that question. It had been three months already since her last period, she feels dizzy and she could have sworn her tummy was beginning to grow. Jellenie, a high school sophomore then, had been seeing Carl for nearly seven months already and had started having sex with him just a couple of months.

"At that time, I didn't know any better," Jellenie says. "I was certain I couldn't have gotten pregnant because Carl and I had only done it a couple of times.

Jellenie and her friends got their hands on a home-pregnancy test kit. Sure enough, the results came out positive. At first Jellenie tries to take abortifacient drugs. My friends who were with me suggest telling Carl about it.

What Jellenie finally did was tell Carl. "Namutla siya," recalls Jellenie. “He didn't break up with me. I could tell he was scared. We both were. We didn't know where to go from there. He was a senior and was about to graduate from high school. We were scared of telling our parents about it."

They had to come clean. Jellenie told her father, Carl told his.

"My dad was angry," says Jellenie, because I was the eldest. I really felt bad. It was like I let my family down. Jellenie’s parents were separated. She lived with her dad and two siblings. She doesn’t even know where her mom is living. She doesn’t have any background of her mom. Her mom leaved their family when she was three. My dad said we had to decide what to do immediately. He said we had to take care of the baby and me. Our health was important.”

Carl and Jellenie would get married after Carl graduates from highschool and after Jellenie gives birth.  Jellenie would have to drop out of school. Carl would continue on to college. After which, the married couple would stay with Carl's parents.

Great responsibility

I felt that being pregnant was such a great responsibility rin pala, and that the bulk of the responsibility lay with me."

Jellenie wasn't having easy time. She experienced nausea, irritability, moodiness, a craving for certain types of foods.

 “Hindi lang pala ito para sa amin” Jellenie said. There was this little kid whom we needed to take care of-bathe, feed, clothe, and love. And we didn't have money. Our parents were helping us with monthly expenses, Carl’s mom from abroad sent money also. But we knew that sooner or later, we'd have to fend for ourselves. So Carl helps her dad on their business. In a way, Jellenie says she was fortunate to have someone like Carl. They're fortunate, too, to have parents who supported them after getting over the initial shock.

"Support from my dad, and even Carl's parents, helped a lot. And I'm so thankful for that," says Jellenie.”

Ysa's Story

Ysa, 15, got pregnant while still a sophomore in high school. Ysa’s parents decided that they will go to abroad. It was hard for Ysa but it’s for the sake of her. She didn’t even tell it to her Boyfriend. Her parents pitched in to take care of the Ysa’s expenses.

Jonas was about to finish high school, go to college, and get a job was mounting. Ysa’s stayed abroad and dealt with her own pressures with the baby. Ysa totally love Jonas, She already talked about what happened to her and she explained it. Ysa left him and says she had no choice but to stay with her parents. "But I didn't want to rely on my parents for too long," says Ysa. "After all, this was my responsibility. Our responsibility"

No Regrets, But...

Both Jellenie and Ysa claim they don't regret getting pregnant. Jellenie says, I love him and mostly I love our son.

 

Ysa says sometimes, feelings of regret do come, but "there's no point in that because your baby's there already. So, there can't be any regret. “Mahirap mabuhay pero kailangan nating harapin ang mga pagsubok na dumadating.”

*Due to privacy, Names have been changed.