Determinants of teenage pregnancy in Ankole region

Abstract

Background: Worldwide 15 million women below the age of 20 give birth each year. In developing countries, women below the age of 20 lose their life as a result to pregnancy related difficulties. The danger of death as a result of pregnancy – related cause is doubled among women aged 15 to 19 compared to older women. Young women are also in danger of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and forced marriage. According to the Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (UDHS), adolescents age 15-19 in Uganda have initiated childbearing: 19 percent of women age 15-19 have given birth, and another 5 percent were pregnant with their first child at the time of interview. Methods: This study used Uganda Demographic and Health Survey data. This study focused on 1012 women aged 15-49 years from Ankole region. Analysis of data was done at the univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels. The dependent variable was Teenage pregnancy. The independent variables were age at first sex, religious affiliation, wealth index, place of residence and education level of a woman, knowledge of contraception by women, contraception usage. Results: 57.7 % of women experienced teenage pregnancy. Results indicated that education, age at first sex, wealth index and religion of a woman were significantly associated with teenage pregnancy at bivariate level