PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS TO OCCURRENCE OF REPEAT PREGNANCY AMONG ADOLESCENTS ATTENDING HEALTH FACILITIES IN SUNA EAST, MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

In many nations, teenage pregnancies and births continue to be an issue. Recurrent teenage pregnancies contribute to the load that keeps adolescents' poor health outcomes alive. Worldwide, an estimated 20,000 or more girls under the age of 18 give birth each day. In Migori, 25 percent of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have started having children; of them, 3 percent are expecting their first child, and 20.9% have already given birth. Compared to the 14.7% national average, a higher percentage of teenagers are already moms. Because of this, the adolescent birth rate (or age-specific fertility rate) for girls in Migori County between the ages of 15 and 19 is 136 births per 1000 girls, significantly higher than the national average of 96 births per 1000 girls. Despite popular perception, not all teenage pregnancies result in births. Teenagers who started having children early are more likely to become pregnant again when they're still young. The purpose of this study was to look at the frequency and risk factors for teenage repeat pregnancies in Suna East, Migori County. The study specifically evaluated the frequency of repeat pregnancies, investigated the relationship between individual factors and the incidence of repeat pregnancies, identified the relationship between teenage behavior and the incidence of repeat pregnancies, and investigated the impact of the social environment on the incidence of repeat pregnancies among adolescents. A cross sectional analytic mixed method approach was adopted in this study with semi-structured questionnaires administered to 381 out of the targeted 402 adolescents at health facility level. Two focused group sessions and 5 key informant interviews were also conducted. The chi-square test was used for categorical data and the t-test for continuous variables when analyzing quantitative data. The defined objectives were followed in the transcription, summarization, and theme analysis of the qualitative data. At the 0.05 threshold of significance (95% confidence interval), statistical tests were run. To investigate the factors associated with recurring pregnancies, multivariate logistic regression was employed. 69.3% of the participants experienced recurrent pregnancy, albeit the data is not definitive. The most significant individual characteristics that indicate the likelihood of repeat pregnancy are ethnicity and awareness of contraception. Adolescent girls whose moms became pregnant before turning 18 were likewise at an increased chance of becoming pregnant again, and important behavioral risk factors linked to repeat pregnancy included not using a condom and having several sexual partners. Therefore, the study suggests interdisciplinary approaches that target risky behavior as well as the social and cultural norms that shape young people's choices about their health and pregnancy.