Prevalence and Risk Factors of Teenage Pregnancy in Liberia: Evidence from Demographic Health Survey

Abstract

Introduction:The rate of adolescent pregnancy varies enormously between countries and within countries. Teenage pregnancy is most common in lower-income and less-educated communities. Adolescent pregnancy is a significant public health concern in Liberia, posing an economic and social burden. This study is aimed at finding the prevalence and examining the risk factors of teenage pregnancy in Liberia. Method:The data for this present study was from the fifth round of Liberia’s Demographic and Health Survey, 2019-2020. The participants included in this study were 1,657 women aged 15 to 19 years. This study used descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression techniques to assess the effects of demographic, socio-economic, and reproductive health indicators on adolescent pregnancy. Results:The study found that 30.3% of teenage women aged 15 to 19 years had begun childbearing during the survey period. Age (OR = 6.9; p 0.001), non-use of contraception (OR = 2.53; p 0.001) were all significantly associated with teenage pregnancy in Liberia. ConclusionTeenage pregnancy is common in Liberia. Lack of education, early marriages and cohabitation, contraceptive non-use, rural location, and early sexual initiation are all factors that contribute to teen pregnancies. To lower the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy and its consequences, intervention measures promoting contraception use, preventing early sexual initiation, limiting early marriages, and creating family planning clinics, primarily in rural regions, are strongly recommended.