This document summarizes research on factors associated with adolescent motherhood in Kenya. The study analyzed data from Kenya's 2008/09 Demographic and Health Survey of 1,767 women aged 15-19, of whom 301 were already mothers. Bivariate analysis found adolescent motherhood was highest among girls with primary education, from rural areas, low wealth households, and who never used contraception. Logistic regression identified girl's education, residence, wealth, region, contraceptive use, and partner's education as significantly related to adolescent motherhood. The document discusses social, economic, cultural and health factors that contribute to early pregnancy in Kenya such as poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities, acceptance of child marriage, and limited access to sexual/
A case study about Teenage pregnancy which is a widespread problem all over the world. Teen pregnancy and childbearing bring substantial social and economic costs through immediate and long-term impacts on teen parents and their children.
This webcast was developed by the Office of
Adolescent Health (OAH) in May 2013 as a technical assistance product for use with OAH grant programs and presents global strategies for adolescent pregnancy prevention.
A case study about Teenage pregnancy which is a widespread problem all over the world. Teen pregnancy and childbearing bring substantial social and economic costs through immediate and long-term impacts on teen parents and their children.
This webcast was developed by the Office of
Adolescent Health (OAH) in May 2013 as a technical assistance product for use with OAH grant programs and presents global strategies for adolescent pregnancy prevention.
Child Mortality among Teenage Mothers in OJU Metropolisiosrjce
This study was designed to identify child mortality among teenage mothers in Oju metropolisin
Benue State, Nigeria, specifically, the study determined (i) the cause of child mortality among teenage mothers,
and (ii) rate of child mortality among teenage mothersand (iii) possible ways of reducing child mortality rate,
and it answered three research questions to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of all
medical personnel in Oju metropolis. The sample was purposively selected from medical personnel in the area
of study (Oju metropolis). The instrument of the study was a four-point scale questioner which was dully
validated prior to utilization. Mean was used for data analysis, the findings include seven causes of child
mortality, seven rates of child mortality and eleven possible ways of reducing child mortality rate, based on the
findings, six recommendations were made, which include among others, parent should be made to be aware of
the crisis associatedwith early motherhood through public enlighten programmessuch as counseling agents,
workshops, seminars and radio jingles.
Learn about upcoming funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs as well as a discussion on how to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program for your community.
A presentation by Dr Nicola Jones, Course in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, September 2020
Given the predominantly patriarchal
setup in the country, the health and
education of a girl child is highly
neglected. Special programmes have
indeed been initiated to stop early
marriages and reduce school dropout
rates. But a lot more needs to be done.
Health & Education
of Girl Child in
India: An Increasing
Concern
– Dr Vibhuti Patel
Biases against girl child health & labour 18-1-04VIBHUTI PATEL
Some one in the crowd of a hundred,
there is a battered girl
Someone in the crowd of a hundred
is a widely relishing boy
Even if you don't believe this theory
You are supposed to know,
Every second of an hour
A girl is battered sore.
Some girls in crowd of hundred
Are killed as soon as they are born
No one cares for their future
For their lives are only torn.
You might not believe me surely
You might as well be informed
A boy is given more importance
Than a girl when they are born.
One girl in crowd of a hundred
Is respected when she is at birth
You don't need to believe what I say
But you must surely be shown
How for a ninety nine girls
The future of one boy is glown
One girl in the crowd of a hundred
Is not a victim of this injustice
But all in the crowd of a hundred
The honour of girls in all ways dismiss.
By Lara Jesani
Child Mortality among Teenage Mothers in OJU Metropolisiosrjce
This study was designed to identify child mortality among teenage mothers in Oju metropolisin
Benue State, Nigeria, specifically, the study determined (i) the cause of child mortality among teenage mothers,
and (ii) rate of child mortality among teenage mothersand (iii) possible ways of reducing child mortality rate,
and it answered three research questions to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of all
medical personnel in Oju metropolis. The sample was purposively selected from medical personnel in the area
of study (Oju metropolis). The instrument of the study was a four-point scale questioner which was dully
validated prior to utilization. Mean was used for data analysis, the findings include seven causes of child
mortality, seven rates of child mortality and eleven possible ways of reducing child mortality rate, based on the
findings, six recommendations were made, which include among others, parent should be made to be aware of
the crisis associatedwith early motherhood through public enlighten programmessuch as counseling agents,
workshops, seminars and radio jingles.
Learn about upcoming funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs as well as a discussion on how to develop a teen pregnancy prevention program for your community.
A presentation by Dr Nicola Jones, Course in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, September 2020
Given the predominantly patriarchal
setup in the country, the health and
education of a girl child is highly
neglected. Special programmes have
indeed been initiated to stop early
marriages and reduce school dropout
rates. But a lot more needs to be done.
Health & Education
of Girl Child in
India: An Increasing
Concern
– Dr Vibhuti Patel
Biases against girl child health & labour 18-1-04VIBHUTI PATEL
Some one in the crowd of a hundred,
there is a battered girl
Someone in the crowd of a hundred
is a widely relishing boy
Even if you don't believe this theory
You are supposed to know,
Every second of an hour
A girl is battered sore.
Some girls in crowd of hundred
Are killed as soon as they are born
No one cares for their future
For their lives are only torn.
You might not believe me surely
You might as well be informed
A boy is given more importance
Than a girl when they are born.
One girl in crowd of a hundred
Is respected when she is at birth
You don't need to believe what I say
But you must surely be shown
How for a ninety nine girls
The future of one boy is glown
One girl in the crowd of a hundred
Is not a victim of this injustice
But all in the crowd of a hundred
The honour of girls in all ways dismiss.
By Lara Jesani
Teen pregnancy in the United StatesTeen pregnancy in the Unite.docxmattinsonjanel
Teen pregnancy in the United States
Teen pregnancy in the United States
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy was founded in 1996 and has its headquarters in Washington D.C. and has nearly 200 organizations and media outlets which serve as partners. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy’s main agenda seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families by ensuring that children are born into stable, two-parent families who have a commitment to and are ready for the demanding task of raising the next generation. Their strategy is aimed at the prevention of teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy among single, young adults by supporting a combination of responsible values and behavior by both men and women and responsible policies in both the public and private sectors. Their actions are aimed at improving child and family well-being therefore reducing the prevalence rate of poverty by providing more opportunities for the teenagers to complete their education or achieve other life goals while advocating for fewer abortions towards the creation of a stronger nation.
Teenage pregnancies have resulted to a total of 273,105 babies who were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a live birth rate of 26.5% per 1,000 women in this age group. There has been a decline in teen pregnancies with a drop of 10% in 2013. The birth rates declined at 13% for women aged 15–17 years, and 8% for women aged 18–19 years (Child Trends, 2014). Still, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate is substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations (Clay, et al, 2012). The national teen pregnancy rate has been declining steadily over the last two decades which has been attributed to the combination of an increased percentage of adolescents who are waiting to have sexual intercourse and the increased use of contraceptives by teens. The teen pregnancy rate includes the pregnancies that end in a live birth, as well as those that end in abortion or miscarriage resulting from fetal loss. In the United States 4 in 10 teens get pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20 which leads to the teenagers dropping out of school with more than 50% of teen mothers never completing school. The trends show that less than 10% of the fathers marry the mother of their child and that almost a half of the teen mothers get their second child within the first 24 months since 80% of teens who do not use protective methods have higher chances of becoming pregnant.
Teen birth rates have been declining significantly in the recent years, however, despite these declines, there still exists a lot of disparities that need to be properly addressed (Dessen, 2005). There are substantial disparities that persist in teen birth rates, and teen pregnancy and childbearing which continue to carry significant social and economic costs. In 2013, the Hispanic teen birth rates were still more than two times higher than the rate for ...
Adolescent pregnancy continues to be a grave problem in India not only from the obstetrical point of view but from the social and economical perspectives also. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of mortality among women between the ages of 15 and 19 in the developing world.
Adolescent Pregnancy and Maternal Morbidity PSY 625 Bio.docxnettletondevon
Adolescent Pregnancy and Maternal Morbidity
PSY 625: Biological Bases of Behavior
Professor John Cosma
04/01/2018
Adolescent Pregnancy and Maternal Morbidity
Introduction
In the process of migration, the demographic and background characteristics of migrants in Bangladesh play a major role. In this research proposal, it will provide the social demographics of frequency and percent distribution, and economic characteristics of migrants before and after migration in Bangladesh. Background characteristics including age and sex of respondents, family type and size, marital status, and educational attainment of respondents before and after migration are included in social-demographic characteristics. Occupation, income food consumption, and health seeking behaviors are also included in the economic characteristics of Bangladesh.
Background
After marriage, pregnancy is accepted in our country. In many countries, such as Bangladesh, marriage is universal. Typically, in an early marriage there is an early pregnancy. Adolescent marriage can make maternal life troubling in early pregnancy. Early pregnancy can produce maternal and child death. According to the World Health Organization (2012), related to pregnancy and childbirth, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes. Countries such as Bangladesh, 99% of maternal deaths occur. Due to the high rates of early marriage and early pregnancies, countries such as Bangladesh, maternal pregnancy and maternal morbidity is slightly higher than other countries in the world. In Bangladesh, maternal morbidity is increasing due to illnesses and injuries (WHO, 2012). Health practitioners exclaims that adolescent girls are not developed enough to bear a child, which can produce maternal deaths or complications.
Justification
Statement of problem and research issue
In related to childbirth, adolescents' physical development is not fully capable to overcome health complications. For example, a mother who is petite in size and young, is more than likely to deliver a baby that is small, weak, may have possible mental delays, and chances of survival are slim to none. Birth complications, still births, and higher incident rates of low birth weights can happen to children who have adolescent mothers. The percentage of underweight children is about 41.5% of births in Bangladesh. Due to adolescent pregnancy, there is a good number of maternal mortality. According to WHO (2012), women living in Bangladesh, the surrounding rural areas, and poor developing communities, have a higher maternal mortality due to morbidity. It is argued that in young adolescent births, there are higher risks of complications and death than older women who conceive. Maternal mortality is unacceptably high around the world. Around the world, more than 800 women experience death from pregnancy and or child-related birth complications. According to BBS (2007), approximately, 728,000 women died during pregnancy and childbirth and.
Risk factorsComment 1There are several predisposing fact.docxcarlstromcurtis
Risk factors
Comment 1
There are several predisposing factors to adolescent pregnancy. They include a lack of parental guidance. Adolescent sexual behaviour which is promiscuous in nature. Exploitation by older men who lure young girls with money and other material things. Sexual abuse or rape and socio-economic. Inadequate knowledge about protected sexual intercourse. Peer pressure and teenage drinking which impairs the ability to make wise decisions.
Community resources
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
- The design focuses on the promotion of safe sexual and reproductive health practices so that there is reduction of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents through the provision of community outreach, health education and positive youth development
Parenting Teen Program
It focuses on the provision of mothers at risk with the opportunity to get training and guidance on job, parenting and life skills. It also dwells on social, academic and independent living skill development among these mothers.
Pregnancy rates
There has been a steep fall in the teen pregnancy rate. By the year 2011 according to the data that is available, the rate was 62 pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls (age 15-19); some 5,270 teen pregnancies. Therefore the teen pregnancy rate has reduced by 57% since 1988. Since 2008, the teen pregnancy rate has changed by -10%
Commentary on rate
There has been a reduction in the teen pregnancy rate. One of the possible reasons that can be attributed to this reduction is that there is increased utilization of contraception in is Nevada. Research has demonstrated an increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate. This has been achieved through the public health campaigns that raise awareness about teenage pregnancies. There has been provision of free barrier contraceptives to the sexually active demographic.
Comment 2
Adolescent pregnancy is a very risky for both the adolescent and the baby. The body of an adolescent has not fully matured enough to provide and support a growing child, let alone the adolescent as well. The adolescent age is very important and is considered the stage where children learn to explore their sexuality while peer pressure influences their thoughts, behavior, likes and dislikes. The media also influences how adolescents perceive themselves as well as others around them. Girls are more sensitive to social media and lack of parental support, proper education on dangers of drugs, sex and violence can lead to poor health habits that are hard to break as they grow into adults. Based on Center of Disease and Control (CDC) the rate of adolescent pregnancy had decreased by 9% from 2013 to 2014. In California, the rate of adolescent pregnancy ages 15- 19 years of age has decreased to 25.7 % out of every 1,000 females in the past 10 years according to the California Department of Public health. The decrease in adolescent/ teen birth rates is said to be contributed to soci ...
Educational achievement is a significant indicator of children’s wellbeing and future life opportunities. It can predict growth potential and economic viability of a country. While this is an ideal situation for all children, the case may be different for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) due to the psychosocial challenges they go through on a daily basis. It is even worse for children attending public primary schools in Kenya. This paper aims to advance a debate on the relationship between psychosocial support and educational support provided for OVC through a critical engagement on the challenges experienced and the intervention measures to be taken in Kenyan public primary schools context. The study is based on the critical review of related literature materials. Findings suggest that, although the Kenyan government has put mechanisms in place to support OVC attain basic education, numerous challenges are found to be hindering some OVC from attaining quality education. Based on the findings, the paper recommends that there is need for various interventions to address psychosocial needs of orphans and children attending primary schools.
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Adolescent Motherhood in Kenya
Omedi Gilbert
Director of Studies, Senende High School, P. O. Private Bag- 50309, Kaimosi, Kenya
Email address: gilynes@yahoo.com
Abstract
This paper sought to find out the factors associated with adolescent motherhood in Kenya. Bivariate and
multivariate analyses were carried out on the 2008/09 Kenya demographic and health survey women file. Out of
the 1,767 women adolescents, 301were already mothers at the time of the survey. Results of bivariate analysis
showed that motherhood in Kenya begins as early as age 13, and that it is high among girls of primary education
qualifications, rural residents, those from low wealth index households, and who have never used contraception.
Majority of the fathers to these children (80 percent) are aged between 20 and 29. Logistic regression analysis
revealed that girl’s educational qualification, type of place of residence, household wealth index, region of
residence, ever use of contraception and the partner’s education qualification are statistically related to
adolescent motherhood in Kenya. There is need therefore to invest substantial efforts to understand the
individual social and cultural factors affecting adolescents’ reproductive health outcomes and design policies that
address them appropriately.
Keywords: adolescent, motherhood, Kenya, contraceptive use
1. Introduction
Most adolescents have no idea of what they are getting themselves into when they engage in unprotected sex and
then later discover that they are pregnant. They are thrown into panic not knowing who to turn to for fear of
rejection. When the man who fathered the baby, a lot of time five or so years older than the girl, discovers that
the girl is pregnant, they disown the pregnancy and claim innocence. In some cases, the girl is thrown out of
home or is shipped to some hide out till she delivers as she has now become an eye sore for the family. At such
ages, these girls are not prepared for motherhood: proper motherhood is trying, requiring both physical and
emotional maturity on the part of a woman (Izugbara et al. 2011). A proper mother provides social and
emotional nurturance to her child and cares for the household, she shows compassion and love to her child, and
makes sacrifices for the child.
Every day, 20,000 girls below age 18 give birth in developing countries while they occur on a much
smaller scale in the developed world. Girls under 15 account for two million of the 7.3 million births that occur
to adolescent girls under 18 every year in the developing world. This is such a worry considering the projection
by the 2013 State of the World Population that in sub-Saharan Africa, births to girls under 15 are projected to
nearly double by 2030. Girls who become pregnant before 18 are often unable to enjoy or exercise their rights,
such as their right to education, to health and an adequate standard of living, and thus denied these basic rights.
When a girl becomes pregnant or has a child, her health, education, earning potential and her entire future may
be in jeopardy, trapping her in a lifetime of poverty, exclusion and powerlessness. The impact on a young mother
is often passed down to her child, who starts life at a disadvantage, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of
marginalization, exclusion and poverty. The costs of early pregnancy and child birth extend beyond the
immediate sphere of the girl, taking a toll on her family, the community, the economy and the development and
growth of her nation (UNFPA 2013b). Adolescent pregnancy is also accompanied by adverse maternal, newborn
and child health outcomes. Literature document that approximately one in two girls in developing countries has
nutritional anaemia which can increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and maternal death
(Pathfinder International 1998; Ransom and Elder 2003). Most of the adolescent mothers become pregnant
within two years of menarche and when their pelvis and birth canals are still developing, and this heightens their
health problems. The risk of a newborn surviving after the mother dies due to maternal complications remains
dismal.
Adolescent pregnancies yielding to adolescent motherhood are a consequence of many factors such as
widespread poverty, communities’ and families’ acceptance of child marriage, and inadequate efforts to keep
girls in school. Some mothers stay silent on seeing their girls pregnant in the name of that being a good test for
their girls’ fertility. Taking into account the role of their partners (age, employment status and educational
qualification), this study seeks to examine the factors associated with adolescent childbearing in Kenya. Apart
from availing literature for academic researchers, the findings herein are important in informing policy on
adolescent reproductive health and safe motherhood.
2. Literature Review
Young people are more sexually active now than before. This exposes them not only to the risk of becoming
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pregnant but also to risks of HIV and sexually transmitted and other venereal diseases. Years before, girls have
been perceived to fear pregnancy more than infections of HIV and other venereal diseases. Adolescent
pregnancy is also associated with increased risk of conditions such as haemorrhage, fistula and mental disorders
such as depression, as well as poor birth outcomes, including high neonatal mortality as such mothers have
limited exposure to reproductive health services. Adolescents are also major contributors to maternal deaths that
arise from pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and cephalopelvic disproportionality, all
of which they are less likely to be prepared to deal with. These risks are elevated in cases where the adolescent
does not attend antenatal clinics and gives birth at home with no skilled birth attendant. In the vast Rift Valley
region of Kenya, women have reportedly preferred giving birth at home than in health facilities for the fear of
being attended to by men and that the health facilities are cold, and have raised beds. The social costs are also
high: many pregnant adolescents have to leave school, affecting the long term prospects of themselves and their
families, and they experience increased risk of exploitation and abuse. Much as 212,467 girls were enrolled in
form one in the year 2009, only 188,198 girls managed to school till form four in the year 2012 (Statistical
Abstract 2013), a dropout rate of 11.42 percent. This might be alluded to various factors, among them, natural
attrition, but we cannot escape to say that a sizeable proportion dropped out to enter motherhood at such an early
age.
Education prepares girls for jobs and livelihoods, raises their self esteem and their status in their
households and communities, and gives them more say in decisions that affect their lives. Education further
reduces their likelihood of child marriage and delays childbearing, eventually leading to healthier birth outcomes.
Higher literacy rates among women aged 15 to 19 are associated with significantly lower birth rates (UNFPA
2013a). An analysis of 39 countries found that, with the exception of Mali and Benin, unmarried girls aged 15 to
17 who attend school are considerably less likely to have had premarital sex as compared to their out-of-school
peers (Biddlecom et al. 2008; Lloyd 2010). These findings underscore the protective effect that an education
may confer against adolescent pregnancy and its adverse outcomes. Dropping out of school because of
pregnancy leads to the evaporation of the girl’s job prospects, and her vulnerabilities to poverty, exclusion and
dependency multiply (UNFPA 2013b) and enhance prospects for more pregnancies even though some adolescent
mothers drop out of school because of getting in unions majorly cohabitations or first marriages.
Nonetheless, education in some cases affects adolescent pregnancy through other pathways. Especially
in rural areas and in areas with abject poverty, day-school girls are likely to be baited with lifts to school and a
few coins for basic needs in exchange with sex which in most cases is unprotected. Also, while at school, girls
are under intensive and strict care from parents and teachers. To most girls, this stops after graduating from
secondary school leaving them with the option of adventuring in sex that yields in pregnancies.
Girls from ethnic minorities and marginalized groups lack opportunities in life, and have limited or no
access to sexual and reproductive health, including contraceptive information and services putting them at higher
pregnancy risks (UNFPA 2013b). Some communities marry off young girls as early as age 10 to men old enough
to be their parents. At such tender ages, these girls have no exposure to any form of sexual education and have
no clue of what their husbands expect from them. They become baby-making machines that subject them to the
elevated risks of maternal, newborn and child health complications. Also, women from more developed regions
tend to start child bearing later than their counterparts in the less developed regions as the majority would be
educated and have more opportunities for career development outside the household (Ikamari 2005).
Adolescents who become pregnant tend to be from low-income households and are nutritionally
depleted. Poverty forces girls to sell their bodies for material gains and to the extreme, as an income source in
support of the family’s basic needs. Adolescents from rich families are able to afford and access contraceptives
which prevent them from conceiving. However, some people still hold on beliefs that modern contraception
specifically contraceptive injection can make a woman permanently infertile and that family planning
encourages sexual promiscuity. Others still believe that contraceptives reduce sexual urges in women and results
in deformed children.
Adolescent girls who give birth have much higher risks of dying from maternal causes compared to
women in their 20s and 30s. These risks increase greatly as maternal age decreases, with adolescents under 16
facing four times the risk of maternal deaths as women over 20 (WHO 2008). Furthermore, babies born to
adolescents face significantly higher risks of death compared to babies born to older women. About 19 percent
of young women in developing countries become pregnant before age 18 (UNFPA 2013a). KNBS and ICF
Macro (2010) reported that 18 percent of girls aged 15-19 in Kenya have begun childbearing. Especially for
adolescents younger than 15 years of age, pregnancies are not a result of a deliberate choice, but a result of
absence of choices and of circumstances beyond the girl’s control. Early pregnancies reflect powerlessness,
poverty and pressures from partners, peers, families and communities, and they are a lot of time a result of
sexual violence or coercion. At such ages, these girls have little autonomy that makes them to have little say
about whether or when they should become pregnant (UNFPA 2013b).
Age differences within unions influences adolescent pregnancy rates: the greater the difference the
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greater the chances are that the girl will become pregnant before age 18 (United Nations 2011). In most cases
where women tend to marry at young ages, the difference between the singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM)
between males and females are generally large. This is highly depicted in some communities in Kenya, for
example, the Masaai, the Turkana, the Samburu and the Pokot where a girl is forced into marriage based on the
highest bidder in terms of the amount of bride price, which is measured by the number of heads of cattle, paid
and not love. Such a girl has to divorce schooling and get married, a lot of time, in an already polygamous
marriage in which her major role is to baby-make.
Summarily, it is likely that the social and health disadvantages of early motherhood are particularly
concentrated among very young mothers who give birth before the age of 16. There is certainly evidence that
neonatal mortality increases as the age of the adolescent mother decreases (WHO 2008) and research also
suggests that girls giving birth before the age of 15 are five times more likely to die during pregnancy or delivery
as women in their 20s, partly as a result of physical immaturity. Older adolescents are twice as likely to die
during pregnancy and delivery as women in their 20s (UNFPA 2007). However, this study limits itself to
adolescents aged 15-19 as it uses Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data. Demographic and Health
Surveys do not collect information on people aged less than 15 for ethical reasons revolving around sexuality
and pregnancies, and that some may not be sure of their responses. As mentioned by Chong et al. (2006),
researchers shy away from covering sensitive topics with individuals under the age of 15 either because of social
norms concerning age-appropriate behaviours, ethical concerns regarding potentially harmful effects of the
research, or doubts about the validity of young adolescents’ responses. Further, some researchers question
whether very young adolescents have the cognitive ability to answer questions requiring a thoughtful assessment
of the barriers they face or of potential consequences of future actions. Others believe that the stigma
surrounding premarital sexual activity for girls is too high to obtain accurate information.
3. Methodology
Data used in the analyses was drawn from the 2008/09 KDHS. In order to ensure that the estimates were as
current as possible, the study used respondents aged 15-19 in its analysis. Out of the 8,444 women interviewed
during the survey, 1,767 (21 percent) were aged under 20, herein referred to as adolescents. 301 of the 1,767
adolescents were already mothers at the time of the survey, representing a percentage of 17. These 301
adolescent mothers form the unit of analysis. Data on them was transformed in a manner that each adolescent
mother constituted a unit of observation.
Bivariate analysis was done to examine the characteristics of adolescent mothers based on various
background factors. Multivariate analysis involving logistic regression modelling was done to analyse the factors
behind adolescent motherhood. Logistic regression analysis aimed at bringing out the likelihood of an adolescent
girl entering motherhood based on the study covariates. The regression model allows for the estimation of the
occurrence of an outcome due to the effect of several explanatory variables by fitting data to a logit function
logistic curve.
Two models were developed: model I focussing on the influence of women-related factors on
adolescent motherhood, and model II focussing on the influence of all factors on adolescent motherhood.
Demographic and health survey data is weighted so as to adjust for the differences in probability of selection
between cases in a sample. It is common for samples to be selected to expand the number of cases in certain
areas (example, urban areas) where estimates are needed.
4. Characteristics of Adolescent Mothers
Bivariate analysis was carried out on the 301 respondents aged under 20 who were already mothers at the time of
survey. Results are presented in Figures 1 through 8.
Motherhood in Kenya commences at the age of 13, Figure 1 showing that 2 percent of adolescent mothers were
aged 13. This is at the backdrop of the reported fact that the youngest grandmother in Kenya is a 23 year old
woman in Migori County, an implication that she likely conceived at the age of 11 and gave birth to a daughter
who, like the mother, conceived at the age of 11 too. A greater proportion of adolescents give birth between the
ages of 16 to 18 years.
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Figure 1 Proportion of adolescent mothers disaggregated by age at maternity
From Figure 2, we learn that the largest proportion (71precent) of adolescent mothers have primary school
education qualifications, followed by those with some secondary education (15 percent) and then those with no
education at all (14 percent). This implies that much as many girls might have graduated from primary school
with good marks to take them to secondary schools, the role of mothering their babies deprives them such a
chance. As aforementioned, dropping from school due to motherhood affects the long term prospects of these
girls and their families, and they experience increased risk of exploitation and abuse.
Figure 2 Proportion of adolescent mothers disaggregated by highest level of education
A big chunk of adolescent mothers are of rural residence, from low wealth index households, and have
never used contraception. Surprisingly, households of high wealth index also produce a substantial proportion of
adolescent mothers with households of average wealth index producing the least proportion. Majority of those
women who reported having ever used contraception mentioned having used modern contraception (data not
shown).
The role of men who father the children cannot be overlooked. Results of bivariate analysis show that
majority of these men (62 percent) have primary school education qualifications, with those that have either no
education or at least secondary education forming 19 percent each. Furthermore, most of these men are aged
between 20 and 29 years (79.5 percent), followed by those aged at least 30 (17 percent) and lastly those aged
under 20 (3.5 percent). This is a clear indicator that “old” men go for such young girls and that the age
differences between the girls and their partners are wide apart.
0
10
20
30
13
years
14
years
15
years
16
years
17
years
18
years
19
years
Proportion
Maternal age
0
20
40
60
80
No education Primary Secondary and
above
Proportion
Respondent's education attainment
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Figure 3 A divided circle showing distribution of adolescent mothers based on type of place of residence
Figure 4 A divided circle showing distribution of adolescent mothers based on wealth index
Figure 5 A divided circle showing distribution of adolescent mothers based on ever use of contraception
Based on region, Nyanza (26 percent), Coast and Rift Valley (both at 18 percent) top the list of regions with high
proportions of young mothers. Central (4 percent), North Eastern (5 percent) and Nairobi (6 percent) are the
regions with the least proportions of adolescent mothers.
Figure 6 Proportion of adolescent mothers disaggregated by partner's educational attainment
254
106
Rural Urban
164
53
144
Low Middle High
212
148
Never Ever
0
20
40
60
80
No education Primary Secondary
and above
Proportion
Partner's education attainment
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Figure 7 Proportion of adolescent mothers disaggregated by partner's age
Figure 8 Proportion of adolescent mothers disaggregated by region of residence
5. Factors Associated with Adolescent Motherhood in Kenya
Logistic regression analysis was done to bring out the significant factors explaining the likelihood of adolescent
motherhood in Kenya. In Model I that considered the influence of women-related factors on adolescent
motherhood, the study found respondent’s educational attainment, type of place of residence, household wealth
index, region of residence, and ever use of contraception to be significantly related to adolescent motherhood.
Girls with at least primary educational qualifications were more likely to be mothers than those with no
education at a ρ<0.00 value. This significance disappears when partner’s factors are introduced in the analysis
(in Model II). Girls residing in an urban environment and in Nyanza region are 43 percent and 59 percent,
respectively, less likely to be mothers compared to girls residing in a rural environment and in Nairobi region in
Model I, a statistic significance that disappears in Model II.
Economically, girls from households categorised as “average” in terms of wealth index are 0.49 times
more likely to be mothers than those from low wealth index households in Model I. This relationship becomes
inverse when partner factors are introduced in the analysis, in that girls from households of average wealth index
are 0.02 times less likely to be mothers (in Model II). However, results in the full model indicate that girls from
high wealth index households are 13 percent more likely to be mothers at a statistic significance of 0.05.
0
20
40
60
80
Under 20 20- 29 30 and above
Proportion
Partner's age
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Proportion
Region of residence
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Table 1 Results of factors associated with adolescent motherhood in Kenya
Variable name Model I Model II
Β Exp(β) Β Exp(β)
Respondent's education level
None - 1.000 - 1.000
Primary 1.162 3.195* 0.017 1.017
Secondary and above 2.217 9.176* 0.380 1.463
Type of place of residence
Rural - 1.000 - 1.000
Urban -0.559 0.572** -0.842 0.431
Household wealth index
Low - 1.000 - 1.000
Average 0.397 1.488*** 0.978 0.978***
High 0.287 1.332 1.126 1.126***
Region of residence
Nairobi - 1.000 - 1.000
Central 0.272 1.312 0.778 2.176
Coast -0.558 0.572 -0.048 0.953
Eastern -0.093 0.911 -0.183 0.833
Nyanza -0.903 0.405** -0.962 0.382
Rift Valley -0.540 0.583 0.074 1.077
Western -0.344 0.709 0.353 1.424
North Eastern 0.637 1.891 0.898 2.456
Ever use of contraception
Never - 1.000 - 1.000
Ever -2.022 0.132* -1.178 0.308*
Partner's age
Under 20 - 1.000
20- 29 -0.192 0.826
30 and above -0.001 0.999
Partner's education level
None - 1.000
Primary 0.592 1.808
Secondary and above 1.113 3.045***
χ-test 275.634 33.562
-2log likelihood 1337.400 280.643
*ρ<0.001; **ρ<0.01; ***ρ<0.05
Further, girls who have ever used contraception are 0.87 and 0.69 times, in Models I and II respectively,
less likely to be mothers compared to their colleagues who have never used contraception, both at a statistic
significance of 0.001. Partner’s age was not found to be statistically related to adolescent motherhood whereas
partners with some secondary education were 2.05 times more responsible for adolescent motherhood than their
colleagues with no education (in Model II).
5.1 Discussions
This paper examined the factors associated with adolescent motherhood in Kenya using 2008/09 Kenya
demographic and health survey data. Results of bivariate analysis indicated that childbearing start at an earlier
age of 13 years in Kenya, and that it is high among girls with primary educational qualifications, those of rural
residence, residents in households of low wealth index, those who have never practiced contraception, residents
of Nyanza region and those whose partners are aged 20-29 years and have primary education qualifications. The
early entry into child bearing state signifies more likelihood of getting into marriages earlier than otherwise
anticipated. This is because ex-nuptial childbearing is culturally and socially discouraged in most communities in
Kenya (Ikamari 2008) and that women with ex-nuptial births have a lower chance of getting married (Ikamari
2005). Such early marriages affects the social networks of the girls, their decision making power, long term
sexual and reproductive behaviour and health, ability to negotiate with partners and family over healthy
behaviours, and more significantly human rights abuse (Bruce 2007). The births to these women category face a
myriad of challenges: they are subjected to elevated risks of infant and child deaths, lower intellectual and
academic achievement, health complications, social behaviour problems and problems of self control primarily
due to the effects of single parenthood and lower educational qualifications. Majority of adolescent mothers
belonging to poor households places both the mothers and their newborns at increased risk of illness, and they
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face more challenges in accessing timely and high quality care compared to those belonging to wealthier
households. As a result of poverty, many young women are forced to marry at a young age, making them to start
child bearing early due to unprotected and increased sexual frequency, and in most cases marry someone who is
older than them (Palamuleni 2011).
In the logistic regression results, educational qualification of both the respondent and the partner was
found to be significantly related to adolescent motherhood in Kenya. The respondent’s educational level was
however found significant only in the model that excluded the effects of the partner on adolescent motherhood.
Adolescents with some education were found to be more likely to initiate child bearing, with the likelihood
increasing from adolescents with primary education to those with at least secondary education. This can be
attributed to the ignorance such girls possess, thinking that they know a lot pertaining sexual health than their
counterparts with no education at all. Such girls, especially in rural areas and in cases of abject poverty, are lured
into sex for gifts and little monies to enable them meet their day-to-day needs considering that majority are
school girls. Schools too may fail to offer sexuality education, making the girl-child to rely on information that is
often inaccurate from peers about sexuality, pregnancy and contraception. A study by Ikamari (2008) found
women with primary education to have a higher statistically significant risk of getting a first birth compared to
women with no education. Bledsoe et al. (1999) said that exposure to limited schooling may undermine
traditional practices of sexual abstinence while at the same time has not adequately facilitated the acquisition of
life skills and related reproductive behaviour such as increased use of contraception and negotiation of sex
associated with increased schooling.
Motherhood is more likely among adolescents in rural Kenya than among those in urban Kenya. The
less likelihood of urban adolescent being mothers is due to the widespread contraception information in urban
settings and the proximity and accessibility to family planning services compared to those in rural areas. Girls
who have ever used contraception were 0.69 times less likely to have initiated childbearing at a statistical
significance of 0.001 than their colleagues who have never used contraception. Especially with the upward trend
in modern contraceptive use, it is expected that unpreparedness for pregnancies will decline in Kenya.
6. Conclusions
Results of bivariate analysis show that motherhood in Kenya begin as early as 13 years of age, and that
adolescent motherhood is high among girls with primary school educational qualifications, those of rural
residence, low wealth quintile households, residents of Nyanza region, and those who have never used
contraception. Just like the girls, majority of their partners have primary school educational qualifications and
are aged between 20 and 29 years.
Multivariate analytical findings showed that adolescent motherhood is a consequence of an
interlocking set of factors, among them, educational attainment of the woman, type of place of residence,
household wealth index, region of residence, ever use of contraception, and partner’s educational attainment, all
of which were found to be statistically related to adolescent motherhood.
A supportive environment with evidence-informed policies effectively developed, implemented,
enforced, monitored and evaluated can ultimately contribute to stopping adolescent pregnancies and achieving
safe motherhood in Kenya. Such an environment will improve adolescents’ access to quality reproductive health
information; enhance their self-esteem and confidence to use existing services. There is need to invest substantial
efforts to understand the individual social and cultural factors affecting adolescents’ reproductive health
outcomes and design policies that address them appropriately. Policy makers especially parliamentarians ought
to exhibit strong and visible efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancies including enacting, reforming and
enforcing laws that prohibit: marriage of girls before the age of 18, coerced sex and severely punish perpetrators.
Acknowledgement
I would want to acknowledge Justine Akwenda for her social, moral and spiritual support and advices even as I
carried out this research; may God reward you abundantly.
References
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