Analysis of the prevalence and the drivers of teenage pregnancy among teenage girls in Namungalwe sub-county, Iganga District

Abstract

Background: Teenage pregnancy is a big public health concern affecting teenage girls, their families and society. Currently, in Uganda teenage pregnancy is estimated at 34.8% and in Namungalwe sub county teenagers are getting pregnant below the age 20 years of age at a high rate. Most of these teenage pregnancies end in unsafe abortions, high rates of school drop-outs unintended births, stigma and rejection. Aim of the study: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the drivers of teenage pregnancy of teenage girls of ages 13 - 19 years in Namungalwe Sub County in Iganga district. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among teenage girls in Namungalwe subCounty in Iganga district. The study employed multistage random sampling technique to select 385 respondents and an interviewer administrated questionnaire was used for data collection Finding: More than one-third, 38.5% of all study participants had been pregnant before 20 years, which indicated the prevalence of teenage pregnancy among study participants alone. Of those who ever got pregnant, mostly, 41.55% got pregnant at the age of 17 years. The drivers of teenage pregnancy include, contraceptive use, level of education, religion, early marriage, early sex debut, health facilities carry out reproductive e health education and counseling. Conclusion: The study concluded that the prevalence of teenage pregnancy among teenage girls in Namungalwe Sub County is moderately high. Risk factors for teenage pregnancy were educational level, contraceptive use, occupation of the respondents, gender of the households, and knowledge about the use of contraceptive methods. Recommendation: he study recommended the government to sensitize people against stigmatizing pregnant girls and young mothers who return to schools. This provides counselling and guidance to teenager mothers who go back to school. Furthermore, Government, Stakeholders, community leaders, teachers and parents have more efforts such as sensitization, monitoring and counseling to intensify on various means of reducing teenager’s pregnancy.