Study on pregnant teenagers referred by Obstetricians for medico-legal examination

Introduction: Teenage pregnancy is defined as pregnancy in girls of age 19 or younger. Mandatory reporting of all pregnant teenagers to police by the Obstetricians seems to come into conflict with the best interest principle in the management of children.

Objective: To explore and explain the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy and the implications of such incidents

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study of all pregnant teenagers who were referred by Obstetricians from June 2009–June 2010 to Faculty of Medicine, Galle, were included.

Results: Number of pregnant teenagers was 19. Ten were ‘living together’ with their ‘husbands’. Case conferences were conducted in all cases. One teenage mother was sent to a home for pregnant mothers until delivery. Three delivered babies were handed over to probationary homes and other delivered babies were handed over to teenage mothers them selves under the supervision of the probation officers.

Conclusions: Majority of pregnant teenagers were ‘living together’ with their ‘husbands’. Having to undergo interrogations by the police due to mandatory reporting of all the teenage pregnancies to police by the Obstetricians may inhibit pregnant teenagers seeking treatment from qualified medical personnel which in turn may lead victims to seek treatment from quacks putting their lives in danger. The offences which are legally required to be reported to police mentioned in section 21 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Sri Lanka, do not include rape or teenage pregnancy. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, for the best interest of the children involved, it is sufficient to hold an institutional case conference with regard to teenage pregnancies.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/mljsl.v1i1.7268

Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 2011; 1(1), Jan-April : 34-37