Factors associated with age at first birth in Uganda

Abstract

Globally, rates of population growth are more rapid in countries where women have their first child before the age of 20. A woman who has her first child before the age of 18 will have an average of seven children by the time she has completed childbearing as compared to a woman who waits until her early 20s to begin childbearing, who will average five or six children. Researchers and policy makers are interested in finding ways of reducing teenage pregnancies for early childbearing has been shown to have potentially adverse consequences on the mother, her child and the society as a whole. Methodology: Secondary data was used for this study. This was got from the Uganda Demographic Health Survey of 2011. In this study, the dependent (outcome) variable was respondent’s age at first birth while the independent variables are age, education level, wealth index, and marital status. The data from UDHS 2011 was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS 23) inform of univariate and bivariate levels of analyses. Results: The findings from the study suggest that the study population comprised mainly Catholics accounting for 43.9 percent, their highest level of education was primary with (59.3%), most of them were also living in rural areas (80.1%), and the age group 35-39 had the highest percentage of 21.2. By wealth status, many of them were poor with 43.6 percent and most of them 52% were married. Conclusions and recommendations: From the finding of the study, it was revealed that education status highly influences age at first birth since educated women are knowledgeable, aware of the dangers of giving birth at a young age. The study recommends that programs to improve girls’ access to education be promoted as these have the effect of increasing the girl’s age at first birth. Policies that aim at increasing the women’s age at first birth should be promoted and these policies should be targeting young women, particularly those with no or little education.