Factors Associated with High Rate of Pregnancy Among Teenagers Aged 13-19 Years in Nyatike Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

One in every four girls in Nyatike Sub-county is expectant or has already begun childbearing. The girls in primary schools are getting pregnant at a higher rate than their counterparts in secondary schools. Due to the proximity to mining sites and Lake Victoria, the cases of teenage pregnancies are constantly high. This study was carried out to determine the factors associated with a high rate of teenage pregnancy among teenagers aged 13-19 years in Nyatike Sub-county. Specifically, the study focused on determining the socio-demographic, socio-economic, and socio-cultural factors associated with the high rate of teenage pregnancy in the sub-county. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Self-administered questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used for data collection. A sample size of 311 respondents was used in the study. To arrive at the desired sample size above, a purposive/judgmental sampling technique was adopted. To analyze the data, the study adopted the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) and descriptive statistics. The study found out that poverty, lack of gainful employment, and inadequate sexual reproductive health services are enormously associated with early pregnancy among teenagers aged 13-19 years. The study also found out that proximity to the mining sites and lake are among the socio-demographic factors associated with teenage pregnancy.  The study also determined that parents marry off their daughters at a tender age, religions permitting/embracing teenage pregnancy and lack of parental guidance are the socio-cultural practices associated with early teenage pregnancy. This study provides insights into the factors that are associated with teenage pregnancy and the disruptive approaches that can be adopted to address this public health concern. By the same token, this study fills the gap in previous studies in Nyatike Sub-county that have only concentrated on the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and not the factors associated with it.