Teenage Pregnancy and Its Associated Factors Among Girls Seeking Care From Iganga General Hospital: A Post-COVID Era Perspective

Abstract

Introduction: Teenage pregnancy remains a global public health problem of concern among teenage girls and their children’s health and well-being with an annual number of 21 million girls aged from 15 to 19 years in developing regions becoming pregnant. Uganda with the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa, estimated at about 25% possess a serious problem on the health sector and the communities where teenage pregnancies contribute to 20% of infant deaths and 28% of maternal deaths. Objective; The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and its associated factors among teenage girls seeking care at Iganga General Hospital Iganga District Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 292 teenage girls seeking care at Iganga General Hospital Iganga District in August 2024. An interviewer-administered questionnaire instrument was used to collect data, allowing for a snapshot assessment of the social demographic characteristics, knowledge, and sexual behaviors, family and societal factors related to teenage pregnancy. During sampling, consecutive sampling technique was used to select teenage girls who were found seeking care at Iganga General Hospital. Data were analyzed using STATA version 15, applying descriptive statistics and modified Poisson regression to assess independent associations with teenage pregnancy while reporting prevalence ratios as the measure of association. Results: The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among the 292 teenage girls seeking care at Iganga general hospital was 57.5% (n=168: 95%-CI: 51.64-63.27) Perceived knowledge on contraceptives with limited knowledge (aPR1.28 95%-CI:1.039-1.580, p-value=0.02), Employment status of participant with non-employed (aPR:1.37 95%-CI:1.008-1.858, pvalue:0.044) and Age at first xiii sexual intercourse with age >17yrs (aPRr:0.65 95%CI:0.492-0.863, p-value=0.003) were significantly associated with teenage pregnancy. Conclusion At Iganga General Hospital, the findings revealed that about 60% of the girls had been pregnant as teenagers. Employment position, age at first sexual encounter, and perceived understanding of contraceptive use are important factors linked to this problem. The implementation of community-wide programs that offer thorough sexual education in schools and nearby medical facilities, emphasizing safe sex, contraception, and the consequences of early pregnancies, is advised as a solution to this problem.