38 |^22 AUGUST^2019 http://www.drum.co.za

Teenagers should think twice before deciding

to have sex for the first time

BY SNENTLAHLA VULINDU

Don’t rush it

thers. And teenage mothers account

for 25% of maternal deaths.

THE PUSH FACTORS

Most health experts warn that having

sex too young can cause both physical

and emotional problems, and they re-

commend teens wait until they’re ma-

ture enough to have sex. The timing

will be different for each teen.

The reasons behind teens taking the

plunge too early vary, but the conse-

quences are the same.

“There are different reasons why

teens lose their virginity,” says Brenda

Moletsane, a community worker and

facilitator at The Family Life Centre.

“These reasons include risk-taking

behaviour, thinking they’re in love,

media and social media influence,

pressure from a partner, peer pressure

to be cool and belong, and seeking

attention.”

The government suggests a lack of

She now wishes she’d listened to her

aunt and waited for the right time be-

cause her life isn’t what she’d hoped it

would be – she is now a single parent.

Lerato is far from alone. Girls bet-

ween the ages of 15 and 19 account for

11% of births worldwide, according to

the World Health Organization. About

16 million girls in this age group

become pregnant, and around one mil-

lion girls under the age of 15 give birth.

South African government figures

suggest that around 8% of pregnancies

in the country are from teenage mo-

L

IKE all teenage girls, Lerato
Moloi* (17) had dreams.
She wanted to finish high
school and go to university
so she could build a bet-
ter life for herself. But her
dreams were shattered
when she became preg-
nant at the age of 15.

She grew up with a strict aunt who
always told her not to rush into things
like dating and having sex, but because
Lerato wanted to be cool with her

friends, she had sex to fit in.