Baby abandoned by young parents: How to deal with teenage pregnancy the right way
The little one had cuts and bruises, and was covered in ants when he was found...
Yet another case of a baby thrown away by irresponsible parents has been reported, highlighting the effects of teenage pregnancy on the baby.
Residents in the Indonesian village of Menteng were shocked by the discovery of an abandoned baby last month. Reports say the baby was thought to be less than a day old when he was found in the bushes.
The unwanted little one was thrown away like trash
Effects of Teenage Pregnancy on the Baby: How the Abandoned Baby Was Found
The abandoned baby’s location had only aroused suspicion when some local residents heard the baby’s frail voice. However, the cries was only heard momentarily, often vanishing soon after.
Ultimately, residents managed to track the baby’s cries to some bushes, and they were shocked to find the helpless newborn, thrown away like trash.
Police and residents found the abandoned baby still breathing, naked, and covered with ants. He also suffered from several cuts and grazes on his body.
After taking him out of the bushes, the police immediately took him to a local hospital to receive intensive care.
The Abandoned Baby Was Born with a Birth Defect
When the baby was found, he weighed only 2.7 kg and had multiple wounds on his body. What was of greater concern though was part of the baby’s intestines were protruding out of his body. It turns out that the baby was actually born with a birth defect.
Currently, the baby is still under the care of medical professionals. He requires surgery to return the intestines back into his body.
The Mother Threw Away the Baby Due to Shame
Police managed to find the mother of the abandoned child the next day, and also question her about why she threw away her innocent child.
Effects of teenage pregnancy on the baby can be terrible. Police and the underaged mum.
It looks like the mum was equally a victim.
According to the Palangkaraya Police Chief, the mother is only 16 years old. The father too is reportedly underaged.
The pair were not married but were in a sexual relationship, resulting in the girl’s pregnancy.
According to reports, the baby was born without the aid of a midwife. After the birth, the scared young mum put the child in a bag and threw him away in the bushes.
Locals Voice Their Interest in Adopting the Baby
The news of the baby’s neglect was enough to grab the public’s attention, with many keen to adopt the baby. However, the child cannot be put up for adoption until he is healthy.
We at theAsianparent hope this little one gets the family and love he deserves.
Effects of teenage pregnancy on the baby can be handled with proper support.
Handling Teenage Pregnancy
In this case, the young mother likely didn’t know that she had options available. Or she found out too late that she was pregnant.
Young mothers and mums-to-be should know there’s always help available.
Put simply, there are three things you can do:
- Go through with the pregnancy and raise the baby.
- Consider aborting the baby.
- Don’t abort the baby, but give it up for adoption.
There are also other things to consider once you’ve made up your mind:
- Keeping the pregnancy? You might want to start thinking about antenatal care.
- Terminating the pregnancy? Consult your GP or a sexual health clinic to talk things through so that you know what the choices are. Medical professionals in these settings can pass you over to other medical institutions, like a clinic or hospital, for a follow-up evaluation.
Support for Teen Parents
You can also consult pregnancy crisis services in Singapore. These organisations all have a 24/7 hotline open 365 days of the year. Don’t worry, because they will provide a safe space away from judgemental eyes and will keep any information you provide strictly confidential.
If you feel like there is no one else to turn to, the following organisations can help you explore options and advise you on what to do next.
- babes.org.sg – SMS 8111 3535 or call 1800 833 6666
- pregnancy crisis and familylife.sg – 6339 9770
- Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society – 1800 686 86 23
- Sanctuary House hotline – 9817 0588
Translated from Bahasa Indonesia to English by Kevin Wijaya Oey. Republished with permission form theAsianparent Indonesia.
References: TAP Indonesia, NHS, babes.org.sg, pregnancycrisis, familylife.sg, SCWO.org
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