Predictors of unintended pregnancy among adolescent schoolgirls during the COVID-19-induced school closures: The case of rural and underserved communities in Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, unintended pregnancies account for one in three births and are associated with adverse maternal and child health outcomes—a problem that appears to have worsened during the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures. Hence, this study examines unintended pregnancy and its predictors among adolescent schoolgirls within the context of COVID-19-induced school closures in rural and underserved communities in Ejisu municipality in Ghana. The sample comprised 310 adolescent girls aged 13–19 years who had a pregnancy during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and both bivariate and multivariate regression techniques were used to analyze the data. Of the total respondents, 227 (73.2%) had unintended pregnancies during the COVID-19 lockdown. The majority, 234 (75.5%), were aged between 16 and 19 years, 275 (88.7%) lived in rural areas, and 126 (40.6%) lived with only their mothers. Regression results demonstrated that girls who lacked knowledge of contraception (crude odds ratio = 0.691, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.479, 0.581]) and sex education (crude odds ratio = 0.209, 95% CI = [0.121, 0.362]), had multiple sex partners (adjusted odds ratio = 1.382, 95% CI = [0.289, 0.921]), and lived with only their mothers during the COVID-19 lockdown were more likely to experience unintended pregnancy than their counterparts. Awareness of the predicting factors identified in this study can guide parental roles in reducing the likelihood of their children being lured sexually or victimized during disruptive occurrences like COVID-19-induced school closures.