Regional Trends and Socioeconomic Predictors of Adolescent Pregnancy in Nigeria: A Nationwide Study

Blessing Jaka Akombi-Inyang, Emma Woolley, Chinonyerem Ogadi Iheanacho, Khulan Bayaraa and Pramesh Raj Ghimire
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Blessing Jaka Akombi-Inyang: School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Emma Woolley: School of Education, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
Chinonyerem Ogadi Iheanacho: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Public Health, University of Calabar, Calabar 540271, Nigeria
Khulan Bayaraa: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Intermed Hospital, Ulaanbaatar 17040, Mongolia
Pramesh Raj Ghimire: Ujyalo Nepal, Ratnanagar 44200, Nepal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Adolescent pregnancy is a major health concern which has lifelong consequences. The aim of this study is to examine the regional trends and socioeconomic predictors of adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria. This study used pooled data from the 2008, 2013 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A total of 22,761 women aged 15–19 years were selected across the three surveys. Multilevel logistic regression analysis that adjusted for cluster and survey weights was used to identify predictors of adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria, across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Adolescent pregnancy remained constant between 2008 (22.9%; 95% CI = 22.14, 24.66), and 2013 (22.5%; 95% CI = 20.58, 24.50), but a significant decline was reported in 2018 (18.7%; 95% CI = 17.12, 20.46). Trends show a decrease in adolescent pregnancy across all six geopolitical zones, except for the South-East zone which reported a slight increase (0.6%). Multivariable analysis revealed that the main socioeconomic predictors across all six geopolitical zones were: poor households, increasing age, and low education. Exposure to media (watching television and reading newspapers) was reported as predictor in all regions except the North-East geopolitical zone, while all northern zones reported high levels of adolescent pregnancy in male-led households. To address adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria, there is need to promote girls’ education especially among poor households, and for the dissemination of reproductive health messages to adolescents through various forms of mass media campaign, as well as the adoption of social marketing interventions to improve sexual and reproductive health literacy.

Keywords: adolescent pregnancy; teenage pregnancy; Nigeria; sexual and reproductive health; adolescent health; trend (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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