TITLE:
The Prevalence Outcome and Associated Factors of Teenage Pregnancy in the Bamenda Health District
AUTHORS:
Takang William Ako, Dobgima Walter Pisoh, Nguemaim Flore, Kwangfis Richard Nemline, Achuo Ascensius Mforteh, Tameh Theodore, Boten Bouyom Pierre Merlin, Robert J. I. Leke
KEYWORDS:
Adolescent/Teenage Pregnancy, Prevalence, Outcomes, Associated Factors, Bamenda Health District
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.13 No.7,
July
19,
2023
ABSTRACT: Teenage pregnancy is a
common public health problem worldwide because teenagers in general are ill-prepared to deal with the
burden of pregnancy. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of teenage
pregnancy precisely in the west and central Africa; in Cameroon, about 12% of
all births are to teenage mothers. Complications from pregnancy and childbirth
are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19. Though the trend of
teenage pregnancy tends to decrease in most parts of the world, this is not the case
in our setting. The main aim of this study was
to determine the prevalence, outcomes
and the associated factors of teenage pregnancy in the Bamenda Health District
(BHD). Materials and Method: This was a hospital-based
cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study carried out at the maternity and
postnatal units of the Bamenda Regional Hospital and the Nkwen Medicalised
Health Center. A consecutive non-probabilistic sampling technique was used to recruit participants. A pretested
questionnaire was used to collect information from the participant. Data was
analysed using the software SPSS version 23. Bivariate logistic regression was
used to test for associations. Statistical significance was set at p-value less than 0.05. Result: A total of 325
participants were
recruited of which 44 were teenagers. The mean age of the participants was
25.02 ± 0.257 years. The mean age of teenagers was 17.49 ± 0.63 years, and mean adult age was 28.43 ±
5.64 years.
The youngest participant was 15 years. Teenagers were significantly more likely to prematurity (OR =
0.14; 95% CI = 0.06 - 0.31; PV = 0.001), Low birth weight among teenagers (OR = 0.077; 95% CI = 0.03 - 0.21; PV = 0.001), Still birth; OR = 0.07; 95% CI = 0.01 - 0.86; PV = 0.03) Neonatal admission also high among
teenagers (OR = 0.172, 95% CI = 0.08 - 0.39, PV = 0.001) compared to the babies of their adult counterpart. The rate of caesarean
section and episiotomy was high among adult deliveries (21.7%). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of teenage pregnancy (13.54%) in the Bamenda Health District.
prematurity was independently associated with teenage pregnancy. perineal tears were the most common maternal outcome of teenage
pregnancy. Adolescents/teenagers
in rural areas, having a low level of income, and low level of education were associated with high
level of teenage pregnancy.