Teen Pregnancy - Maya's Story

Maya met Terry when she was 12. They first had sex when she was 13 and Terry was 18. They didn't talk about contraception. Terry always provided condoms and after a few months Maya went down and got herself on the pill at the local health authority.

Two weeks before her 16th birthday, Maya knew she was pregnant. Her period was two weeks late,so Maya went down to her local GP to confirm the bad news.

"Even though I knew, when she told me I was shocked,"says Maya. But according to Maya, the worst was yet to come. The doctor was furious and refused to discuss medical options. She went on a tirade, Maya remembers, "I can't talk to you without your mother,"she said."You should have it aborted. You're too young to make decisions."

Too scared t oconfide in her mother, and with no other adult to turn to, Maya broke the news to Terry. He was very suportive of what she wanted- to keep the baby. But his parents-and later Maya's mother- disagreed: she should give it up.

After much cajoling, she settled on an abotion. But in the small hours before the operation she woke in a panic. She told Terry:"I don't want to do this. I can't do this for them. It's my body."She never showed up.

The pregnancy was difficult-physically and emotionally. When she was 3 1/2 months pregnant, Terry was arrested. She won't say why. He was jailed for 2 and a half years. At the hospital she says doctors and nurses were loathing to discuss the options with her, looking at her as an irresponsible little girl. After the birth, she says, it did not get any easier.

Wheeling Jake in his pram, she remembers people muttering things "disgraceful" and "that's terrible" as she passed. "I'm young but I'm a good mother. It is bery embarrassing. Everyone - the doctors, other kids, even strangers- who saw me were passing judgement."