ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
The rise of out-of-wedlock pregnancies in Malaysia has become an alarming concern, posing significant socio-cultural and economic challenges for the country. Given the country's conservative cultural norms and the potential for an increase in single-parent households, the issue not only affects the individuals directly involved, but also has broader implications for society. This study thus aims to explore the preventive measures, main challenges and the effectiveness of the programs developed for the out-of-wedlock pregnancies among teenagers and youth in Selangor, Malaysia. In the study, a qualitative case study approach, interviews, and document research were used, and six informants were selected to offer perspectives from the viewpoint of an expert panel. The findings suggested that the preventive measures can be implemented through top-down and bottom-up processes. The main challenges are poor knowledge among married or soon-to-be-married couples, parental busyness, and the environment. The findings also explained that the existing laws in Malaysia are insufficient or ineffective in raising awareness among teenagers and youth. The study's implications suggest improving and refining micro and macro-level programs to achieve a comprehensive approach to reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
Allan Guttmacher Institute. (2008). U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions, 2008: National Trends by Age, Race and Ethnicity.
Bandura, A. (1997). Social learning theory. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall
Bovier, P. A., Chamot, E., & Perneger, T. V. (2004). Perceived stress, internal resources, and social support as determinants of mental health among young adults. Quality of Life Research, 13(1), 161-170.
Butt, L., & Munro, J. (2007). Rebel girls? Unplanned pregnancy and colonialism in Highlands Papua, Indonesia. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 9(6), 585-598.
Dippel, E. A., Hanson, J. D., McMahon, T. R., Griese, E. R., & Kenyon, D. B. (2017). Applying the theory of reasoned action to understanding teen pregnancy with American Indian communities. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 21, 1449-1456.
Endraswara, S. (2006). Cultural research method. Gadjah Mada.
Hendrick, C. E., Maslowsky, J. (2019). Teen mothers' educational attainment and their children's risk for teenage childbearing. Developmental Psychology. 55(6):1259-1 273.
Hodgkinson, S. C., Beers, L. S. A., Southammakosane, C., & Lewin, A. (2013). Addressing the mental health needs of pregnant and parenting adolescents, Pediatrics, 133(1).
Lotf Abadi, M. N., Ghazinour, M., Nojomi, M., & Richter, J. (2012). The Buffering Effect of Social Support between Domestic Violence and Self-Esteem in Pregnant Women in Tehran, Iran. Journal of Family Violence, 27(3), 225-231.
Najafi-Sharjabad, F., Zainiyah, S. Y. S., Abdul Rahman, H., Hanafiah, J. M., Abdul Manaf, R. (2013). Barriers of modern contraceptive practices among Asian women: a mini literature review. Global Journal of Health Sciences. 22;5(5), 181-92.
Saim, N. J., Dufaker, M., Eriksson, M., Ghazinour, M. (2013). Listen to the voices of unwed teenage mothers in Malaysian shelter homes: an explorative study. Global Journal of Health Sciences. 21;5(5), 20-30.
Saim, N. J., Ghazinour, M., & Richter, J. (2017). Teenage pregnancy in Malaysia: Understanding the importance of social support in relation to coping, resilience and mental health, International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 8(2S10), 79-87.
Salina, N., and Farah Hidayah, H., (2020) Challenges in adjusting as a young mother among out-of-wedlock pregnant teenagers: a qualitative study. Malaysian Journal of Psychology, 34 (2), 39 - 52.
Tohid, H., Muhammad, N. A., Sharifuddin, N., Ismail, W. F. W., Kahar, R. A., Nasir, N. M., ... & Omar, K. (2021). Challenges faced by young women with premarital pregnancy: a qualitative exploration through a multiple-case study, Akademika, 91(1).
van Wel, F., ter Bogt, T., & Raaijmakers, Q. (2002). Changes in the parental bond and the well-being of adolescents and young adults. Adolescence, 37(146), 317.
Vazquez, C., Hervas, G., Rohano, J. S., & Gomez, D. (2009). Psychological well-being & health: contribution of positive psychology. Annuary of Clinical Health Psychology, 5, 15- 27.
Zaiden, F., & Mahfar, M. (2022). A study on depression and cognitive distortion among out-of-wedlock pregnant young women in Malaysia. Jurnal Kemanusiaan, 19(2), 41–47.
Zulkifli, S. N., & Low, W. Y., (2000). Sexual practices in Malaysia: determinants of sexual intercourse among unmarried youths. Journal of Adolescent Health, 27(4), 276-80
(Othman et al., 2023)
To Cite this Article: Othman, N. S., Ma’rof, A. A., Abdullah, H., & Kamarudin, M. S. (2023). The Preventive Measures, Main Challenges and The Effectiveness of The Programs Developed in Dealing with Out-Of-Wedlock Pregnancies among Adolescents and Youths in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(14), 69–82.
Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode