Factors Responsible for Teenage Pregnancy and its Implication on Adolescent Health and Education: Perception of Secondary School Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Teenage pregnancy has implications on adolescents’ growth and development, and assessing the perceptions of students would be a panacea to improving their knowledge base. Aim: The study determined the perception of students about factors responsible for teenage pregnancy, and its implication on adolescents’ health and education. Methods: A descriptive survey design was adopted, and 300 students were randomly selected from two secondary schools to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Findings reveal that most (46.7%) students admitted that lack of parenting care was responsible for teenage pregnancy. Furthermore, lack of self-control (36.7%) and lack of sex education (13.3%) were identified as responsible factors for teenage pregnancy to occur. Majority of the students (60%) admitted that polygamous family system acted as contributory parenting factor for teenage pregnancy. On their health and educational implication, a greater percentage (60%) among the respondents stated that teenage pregnancy could lead to school dropout, and some (20%) among the respondents admitted that it could lead to abortion, while 16.7% believe that it could lead to sexually transmitted infections. On the aftermath implication during pregnancy and delivery, most of the respondents (60.7%) acknowledged that it could lead to malnutrition, anaemia and bleeding. Conclusion: The study concluded that lack of parenting; self-control and sex education were responsible factors for teenage pregnancy among the adolescents. The educational and health implications borders on school dropouts, abortion, sexually transmitted infections among others. Parents, teachers and government agencies would provide supportive systems with regards to prevention of teenage pregnancy.