Socio-demographic determinants of teenage pregnancy in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

Ayuba Ibrahim Isa, Ibukun Olugbenga Owoeye Gani

Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta Unversity, Amassoma, Nigeria.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/ojog.2012.23049                

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide. Young maternal age at delivery has been proposed as risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome, it occurs in all races, faiths, socioeconomic statuses, and regions. Teenage mothers are likely to be unmarried, poor and to sacrifice education. Isolation, unstable marriages, stress, and guilt are among many social and psychological problems. The aim of this study is to determine the socio-demographic factors associated with teenage pregnancy in our environment, in order to proffer measures that can help curtail this continuing socio-medical problem. The records of all teenage mothers (aged 13 - 19) who had delivery at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, over a period of 4 Years (January 1 2007 to December 31 2010) were retrospectively reviewed. There were a total of 1341 deliveries during the study period, out which 83 were teenagers giving an incidence of 6.2%. The age of the patients ranged from 14% to 19 years with a mean age of (28.1 ± 5.7) years. Their parity ranged from zero to three, with a mean of 2.4 ± 1.9. About a third (20%/24.1%) were primigravidae, 33%/39.9% had at least secondary education and majority (48/57.8%) were unbooked, unmarried (60%/ 72.3%), unemployed (62%/74.7%) and of low social class. Majority 71 (85.5%) of the teenage mothers had never used any form of modern contraceptive method and 45 (54.2%) of them had terminated at least one pregnancy in the past. 26 (31.3%) had Caesarean sections, majority of which were emergencies 22 (84.6%). It was concluded that teenage mothers in the Niger Delta tend to have unfavorable socio-demographic and obstetric factors. Concrete measures must be put in place to address these.

Keywords

Teenage Pregnancy; Socio-Demographic Factors; Niger Delta

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	World Health Organization (1981). Report of a WHO meeting on Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health. 21-23.
[2]	Sai, T.F. (2006) Adolescent sexuality and reproductive health. In: Mati, J.K.G., Ladipo, A. O, Burleman, R.T., et al, Eds., Reproductive Health in Africa, John Hopkins’ programme for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Bangkok, 16-30.
[3]	Scholl, T.O., Hediger, M.L., Salmon, R.W., Belsky, D.H. and Ances, I.G. (1989). Association between gynecological age and preterm birth. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 3, 357-366. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3016.1989.tb00524.x
[4]	Paranjothy, S., Broughton, H., Adappa, R. and Fone, D. (2008) Teenage pregnancy: Who suffers? Archives of Disease in Childhood, 94, 239-245. doi:10.1136/adc.2007.115915
[5]	Bacci, A., Manhica, G.M., Machungo, F., Bugalho, A. and Cuttini, M. (1993) Outcome of teenage pregnancy in Maputo, Mozambique. International Journal of Gynaecology & Obstetrics, 40, 19-23. doi:10.1016/0020-7292(93)90767-Q
[6]	Chen, X., Wen, S.W., Fleming, N., et al. (2007) Teenage pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes: A large population based retrospective cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 36, 368-373. doi:10.1093/ije/dyl284
[7]	Kramer, M.S. (1987) Determinants of low birth weight: Methodological assessment and meta-analysis. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 65, 663-737.
[8]	Adam, I., Babiker, S., Mohmmed, A.A., et al. (2007) Low body mass index, anaemia and poor perinatal outcome in a rural hospital in eastern Sudan. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 54, 202-204.
[9]	Feresu, S.A., Harlow, S.D., Welch, K. and Gillespie, B.W. (2004) Incidence of and socio-demographic risk factors for stillbirth, preterm birth and low birthweight among Zimbabwean women. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 18, 154-163. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3016.2003.00539.x
[10]	Elshibly, A.M. and Schmalisch, G. (2008) The effect of maternal anthropometric characteristics and social factors on gestational age and birth weight in Sudanese newborn infants. BMC Public Health, 8, 244. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-244
[11]	Okpani, A.O.U., Ikimalo, J., John, C.T and Briggs, N.D. (1995) Teenage pregnancy. Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 12, 34-36.
[12]	Aboyeji, A. F. (1997) Obstetric performance of teenage primigraridae in Ilorin, Nigeria. Nigeria Medical Journal, 33, 56-59.
[13]	Beazley, J.M. (1996) Special circumstances affecting labour. In: Whitefield, C.R., Ed., Dewhurst’s Textbook of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Postgraduates, 5th Edition, 312-313.
[14]	Romans, S.E., Martins, J.H. and Morries, E.M. (1997) Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy: How important is child abuse? Otago women’s health study. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 110, 30-33.
[15]	Rao Gupta, G. (1998), Claiming the future. Progress of Nations UNICEF, 12-13.
[16]	Ojengbede, O.A., Otolorin, E.O. and Fabanwo, W.O. (1987) Pregnancy performance of Nigerian women aged 16 years and below seen in Ibadan, Nigeria. African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences, 16, 89-95.
[17]	United Nations (1989) Adolescent reproductive behavior: Evidence from developing countries, Vol. II. UN Population Studies, New York.
[18]	Second World Situation Report (1992) ACC/SCN, Geneva, 17.
[19]	UNICEF (1994) Too old for toys, too young for motherhood. United Nations Children’s Fund, New York, 23-25.
[20]	Curtis, H.A., Lawrence, C.J and Tripp, J.H. (1988) Teenage sexual intercourse and pregnancy. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 63, 373-379. doi:10.1136/adc.63.4.373
[21]	Watcharaseranee, N., Pinchantra, P. and Piyaman, S. (2006) The incidence and complications of teenage pregnancy at Chonburi Hospital. Journal of Medical Association of Thailand, 4, 118-123.
[22]	Ebeigbe, P.N. and Gharoro, E.P. (2007) Obstetric complications, intervention rates and maternofetal outcome in teenage nullipara in Benin City, Nigeria. Tropical Doctor, 37, 79-83. doi:10.1258/004947507780609356
[23]	Adeyinka, D.A., Oladimeji, O., Adekanbi, T.I., Adeyinka, F.E., Falope, Y. and Aimakhu, C. (2010) Outcome of adolescent pregnancies in southwestern Nigeria: A case-control study. Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 8, 785-789. doi:10.3109/14767050903572166
[24]	Olusanya, O., Okpere, E.E. and Ezimokhai, M. (1985) The importance of social class in voluntary fertility control in a developing country. West African Journal of Medicine, 4, 205-207.
[25]	Chaibva, C.N., Ehlers, V.J. and Roos, J.H. (2009) Midwives’ perceptions about adolescents’ utilization of public prenatal services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Midwivery, 10, 116-118.
[26]	Ibrahim, M.I. and Okolo, R.U. (1997) Profile of contraceptive acceptors in UDUTH, Sokoto, Nigeria. Nigeria Medical Practitioner, 13, 9-13.