PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL FEMALE STUDENTS IN DIRE DAWA CITY, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The problem of teenage pregnancy is a global health and economic challenge. Sub Saharan African countries accounts for highest rate (101 per 1000) of birth to teen mothers‟ accounts for more than half of all birth. In Ethiopia teenage pregnancy is public health and demographic challenge that makes the second most populous country in Africa. Preventing the teen pregnancy is among the priority issues of the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health. Limited studies on sexuality and teenage pregnany in our country were included all adolescent in denominator which understates the magnitude of teenage pregnancy. Objective: To assess prevalence and associated factors of teenage pregnancy among secondary school female students in Dire Dawa city from Nov 4 to 18/2020, Eastern Ethiopia. Methodology: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 677 students selected from secondary schools of Dire Dawa city. Pretest was conducted on 35 feemale teenagers. One stage cluster sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data was intered into EpiData-version 3.1 and exported to STATA version 16 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression was carried out to assess association between outcome and predictor variables and p-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. Resul: prevalence of teenage pregnancy was 135 (19.94%, 95% CI: 16.9-23). age group (AOR=5.21, 95% CI 2.97-9.13), living with either of biological parents(AOR=2.44 95% CI 1.40-4.22), Living with neither of biological parents(AOR=3.22, 95% CI 1.62-6.41), knowledge of fertile period in the menustrial cycle(AOR=2,34, 95% CI 1.39-3.93), influence of peer pressure to have sex(AOR=3.28, 95% CI 1.87-5.72) and contraceptive non use(AOR=2.97, 95% CI 1.82-4.85) were significantly associated with teenage pregnancy. Conclusion: Nearly one-fifth of teenagers had teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is high indicating more to be done to insure that teenage preganacy prevention is effective and improve adolescent health. age group, living arrangement, knowledge of fertile period in cycle, influence of peer pressure to have sex and contraceptive non use were found to have a statistically significant association with teenage pregnancy