Abstract
BackgroundAdolescent pregnancy is a global public health and social phenomenon. However, the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy varies between and within countries. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the spatial distribution and factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria.MethodsUsing data from the women’s recode file, a sample of 9448 adolescents aged 15-19 were considered as the sample size for this study. We employed a multilevel and spatial analyses to ascertain the factors associated with adolescent pregnancy and its spatial clustering.ResultsThe spatial distribution of adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria ranges from 0 to 66.67%. A high proportion of adolescent pregnancy was located in the Northern parts of Nigeria. The likelihood of adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria was high among those who had sexual debut between 15 to 19 years [aOR = 1.49; 95%(CI = 1.16-1.92)], those who were currently married [aOR = 67.00; 95%(CI = 41.27-108.76)], and adolescents whose ethnicity were Igbo [aOR = 3.73; 95%(CI = 1.04-13.30)], while adolescents who were currently working [aOR = 0.69; 95%(CI = 0.55-0.88)] were less likely to have adolescent pregnancy.ConclusionA high proportion of adolescent pregnancy was located in the Northern parts of Nigeria. In addition, age at sexual debut, educational level, marital status, ethnicity, and working status were associated with adolescent pregnancy. Therefore, it is vital to take cognizant of these factors in designing adolescent pregnancy prevention programs or strengthening existing efforts in Nigeria.
Highlights
Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health and social phenomenon
It was key to reaching the millennium development goals (MDGs), which prompted World Health Organization (WHO) to campaign and advocate for capacity building, productive outcomes, and prevention of early pregnancy among adolescents in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs)
This study investigated the spatial distribution and factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Nigeria using the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS)
Summary
Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health and social phenomenon. The prevalence of adolescent pregnancy varies between and within countries. The health concern and social problem of adolescent pregnancy is not a phenomenon peculiar to a specific region globally; rather, it is prevalent in both high-income and low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), only that the rate varies [1, 2]. Goal 3, Target 3.7, seeks to guarantee global access to reproductive health care facilities. Despite these interventions, the problem persists, especially in LMICs, where access to education, information, and healthcare services are limited [10,11,12]
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