Pregnancy in unmarried adolescents in Nigeria

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted between January 1999 and December 2000 to determine the characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of 198 consecutive unmarried adolescents seen at the maternity unit of the Federal Medical Center Abakaliki in Nigeria. Unmarried pregnant adolescents constituted about 10.7% of the 1846 deliveries that occurred within the period of review. Most of these adolescents were students with older male partners and the sexual relationship had come about as a result of material need coercion or abuse. The study showed that such teenagers leave school during pregnancy with little hope of returning after the birth. It was also noted that there was a very low level of contraceptive awareness and use among these teenagers. Adoption was the preferred option for the pregnant teenagers whose parents or male partner were unwilling to cater for the expected baby. Consequently a lack of financial support was pivotal to their willingness to consider adoption. Hence sex education as well as access to reproductive health information and care will help reduce the occurrence of unwanted pregnancies and their lasting impact on adolescents their families and society as a whole.