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UNINTENDED
PREGNANCY AMONG NIGERIA TEENAGERS
ABSTRACT
Unintended
pregnancy (both unplanned and unwanted) among adolescents is a common public
health problem worldwide. Repeated pregnancies in this group also occur
frequently and are related to increased risks of adverse outcomes for
adolescent mothers and their babies. Pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths
are the number one killers of 15–19-year-old girls worldwide, with near
Unintended Pregnancy among Unmarried Adolescents and Young Women in Anambra
State, South East Nigeria Amobi Ilika1 and Igwegbe Anthony This study
identified the characteristics and factors influencing unintended pregnancy
among unmarried young women in a rural community in south-east Nigeria. One
hundred and thirty six unmarried teens with unintended pregnancy attending a
Christian hospital in Ozubulu, a rural community in south-east Nigeria, from
January 1998 to December 2001 were included in the study. Information was
obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interview. Over 75%
of the girls had their first sexual intercourse by 19 years, and over 69% had
multiple partners.
INTRODUCTION
Pregnancy
among unmarried adolescents or young women is a serious reproductive health
problem especially in developing countries. More than 14 million adolescent
women give birth each year. A large proportion of these pregnancies is
unwanted, and it is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that as
many as 4.4 million abortions are sought by adolescent girls each year. Every
year, almost one million teenage girls become pregnant in Nigeria and many of
these pregnancies are unintended and unwanted. The health and social
consequences of unwanted or unintended teenage pregnancy have been very much
described. These include, among others, increased risk of maternal death,
pregnancy and birth-related complications such as excessive bleeding, anaemia,
obstructed labor, stillbirth and infant death. The socio-economic consequences
include education and job termination, stigmatization, and loss of self-esteem
and perpetuation of the poverty trap and cycle. With the rampaging HIV/AIDS
epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the sub-Saharan
region, unintended teenage pregnancy among unmarried young women has become a
disturbing public health problem, not only because it is a risk factor for
HIV/AIDS transmission, but also because it poses a serious adolescent
reproductive health and development challenge.
Knowledge
and understanding of the factors and dynamics that characterize teenage
unwanted pregnancies in the region should have an impact on policy and program
to meet the challenges. These challenges include the provision of easily
accessible reproductive health youth-friendly services, sexuality education in
schools and advocacy with all stakeholders’ parents, teachers, church leaders
and health care providers to support programs to reduce the problem of unwanted
pregnancy among young people. This study was therefore conducted to identify
the factors and characteristics of teens with an unwanted pregnancy at a rural
hospital in south-east Nigeria from January 1998 to December 2001. The
implication for adolescent reproductive health in the area is further
discussed. The study was conducted at Christian Hospital located in Ozubulu,
headquarters of Ekwusigo Local Government Area in Anambra State of Nigeria. Its
catchment area covers over five local government areas in the heart of
Igboland. The customs and marriage patterns largely represent that of the Igbo
tribe in southeast Nigeria. Most of the inhabitants are Christians. The customs
and tradition of the area do not permit pregnancy before and outside marriage.
Girls are expected to remain virgins until they get married. At marriage, if
the husband confirms that the girl is a virgin, he would declare her as meaning
that she was sexually intact. She had not had sexual intercourse before the
marriage. The young husband would give gifts to the girl for preserving her
virginity and to the girl’s mother for giving her daughter good training. The
young men on the other hand are not traditionally expected to be virgins before
marriage. Although monogamy and polygamy are in common practice, there are
other acceptable marriage practices. For example, a woman who has no child or
has only female children could marry a younger woman who will bear male
children for the family in order to keep the husband’s family name. This could
be done irrespective of whether the husband is dead or living. An old man may
also marry a young girl to bear male children for him if he had no male
children in his earlier marriage, even with the full understanding that he
would most unlikely be the biological father of the children. Also, a man who
perceives himself or his wife to be infertile could marry a pregnant young
woman so that he can own the baby, since he is assured of the woman’s
fertility. Parents of mentally impaired male children could also marry a wife
for such children. Unfortunately, however, the victims of these types of
marriages are most often unmarried young women with unintended pregnancies.
Child adoption is very rarely practised, and it occurs only among educated men
living in urban centres. Christian Hospital was chosen for the study because of
its accessibility to the community, as it is situated in the heart of Ozubulu
town, and also offers reproductive health services. The author works in the
hospital, a factor considered advantageous for the collection of data on such
sensitive reproductive health issue being considered. For the three-year period
(January 1998 to December 2001) one 155 young unmarried women with unwanted and
unintended pregnancy attended the hospital for antenatal care. This figure may
however not be fully representative as some of the unmarried pregnant women or
adolescents might have sought care in other hospitals in and outside the area.
It is common practice in the area for mothers of pregnant teens to send them to
live with relations in distant urban cities for antenatal care as soon as the
pregnancy is discovered. They do this to conceal the pregnancy and save the family
from embarrassment. Others may have procured abortion elsewhere and would not
seek antenatal care. The nature of the interview was explained to the potential
participants and their consent obtained. One hundred and thirty six of the 155
unmarried pregnant young women participated in the study. Eleven out of the
remaining 19 refused to consent, while the other eight attended antenatal
clinic once and were interviewed once but were not present for a second
interview to crosscheck and validate information given during their first
visit. Two interviews were conducted for each woman using the same
questionnaire; one at first visit or contact and the second at subsequent
visit. This was to validate and crosscheck earlier information. The researcher
believed that the young pregnant adolescents would have developed more
confidence in the doctor and health workers to enable them to give more
accurate information about the circumstances of the pregnancy at their second
visit. Information was elicited from the study subjects about their sexual
behavior and present pregnancy using a semi-structured questionnaire. All the
interviews were conducted at the hospital.
1.2 TATEMENT
OF PROBLEM
Unwanted and
unintended pregnancy among Nigerian teenagers is major problem in our society
and the world. Even though the level of decadence in our society is high and
the combing rate of teenage pregnancy alarming, resultingfrom illiteracy,
poverty, superstitious believe and traditions which kick against preventive
measure for unwanted pregnancy.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main
objective of the study is to evaluate the benefit of preventing unwanted
pregnancy among Nigeria teenagers
To ascertain
the major causes of unintended pregnancy among teenager
To ascertain
the method to adopt in combating unwanted pregnancy among teenagers
To explore
avenue of preventing unintended pregnancy.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
In other to
achieve the objective of the study, the following research question are put
forward
What are the
benefit of preventing unwanted pregnancy among Nigeria teenagers?
What are the
measure of combating unwanted pregnancy?
What are the
avenue of minimizing unintended pregnancy?
What are the
causes of unintended pregnancy among Nigeria teenagers?
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