Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in south africa. Teenagers continue to fall pregnant despite living in countries which not only guarantee their reproductive and sexual rights but also attempt to protect them. The advent of democracy in south africa in 1994 was coincidentally accompanied by an avalanche of research on the nationwide risk factors of teenage pregnancy. Feb 26, 2015 an important key population in the southern african setting is young women aged 1524 years, who contribute nearly 30% of all new hiv infections in the region 1, 5, 6. In 2018, the estimated adolescent birth rate globally was 44 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19. A total sample size of fiftyfive 55 respondents was used for the study. In addition, the study revealed a gap in research regarding literature on determinants of adolescent pregnancy in the five subsaharan africa countries with the highest rates. Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south african youth. Teenage pregnancy, a case of underaged girl usually within ages of thirteen to nineteen years becoming pregnant, is a serious cankerworm that has eaten deep to the fabric of our societies in. Windhoek ndjianje tjiraure 16 always excelled as a student at a shipena high school in katutura.
Teenage pregnancy and the south african schools act. Department of social development, rufus giwa polytechnic, owo. Factors contributing to teenage fertility in coastal kenya. Many studies on teenage pregnancy have focused on the practices of adolescents in general and outcomes of their pregnancies, but very limited understanding of. The study adopted the simple percentage survey research design involving 40 teenagers. In south africa, a range of health policies and programs exist to address teenage pregnancy. However there are conditions to be met before a woman could start procreating. Teenage mothers add to the number of women who are illiterate. Contraception use and pregnancy among 1524 year old south. Interfaith brief on teenage pregnancy family planning 2020. This study sought to determine the attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of a group of south african adolescents regarding teenage pregnancy.
The study found that poverty, child labour, teenage pregnancy and distance to school are the major causes of dropout in the asunafo south district. Predictors of pregnancy among young people in subsaharan africa. National policy on prevention and management of learner. A complete set of stats sa publications is available at stats sa library and the following libraries. Worse still is the fact that teenage pregnancies fuel the poverty cycle. The level of unintended pregnancies among teenage girls in south africa sa has remained a public health concern. We, the faith community in southern africa african. Teenage pregnancy in south africa is growing rapidly among schoolgoing pupils and it leads to school dropout as the teenage mothers have to leave school to care for their babies.
A study of the high rate of teenage pregnancy in high. What can be done to reduce teen pregnancy and outof. Also due to changing social circumstances and values, adolescent pregnancy is a tolerated phenomenon in. A policy pathway to reducing teenage pregnancy in africa. Teenage pregnancy and parenting at school in contemporary south. To use the results of the study in designing appropriate interventions for teenage pregnancy with the view of curbing the problem of teenage pregnancy in limpopo. Pregnancy and parenting among schoolgoing learners is not uncommon in south africa. Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south. The department of basic education briefed the committee on teenage pregnancy in south africa, specifically focusing on schoolgoing learners.
Teenage pregnancy in south africa is driven by many factors including. Of the 15 included studies, 5 were conducted in south africa, 3 in ghana, 2 in ethiopia, 2 in tanzania. Teenage pregnancy is a public health concern both in developed and developing world 1,2,3. Teenage childbearing and educational attainment in south africa. Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female under the age of 20. Reducing teenage pregnancies has been a topical focus on the development agenda for decades.
In their hand lies the future generation to follow. The impact of youth falling pregnant in schools will leave an indelible gap when it comes to having skilled and educated youth going out into the. Durban shocking statistics have revealed that more than 3 000 girl children aged between 10 and 14 became mothers in south africa. Demographic profile of adolescents in south africa statistics southafrica, pretoria. Update report on teen pregnancy prevention, 2007, which was also developed collaboratively by the best start resource centre and the sex information and education council of canada. Inasmuch as the sa schools act has put in place directives to ensure that schools are free from discrimination, postapartheid south africa has witnessed numerous incidents of discrimination and exclusion on the basis of race, religion, language, ethnicity, teenage pregnancy, as well as the inability to pay school fees. Countries such as central african republic, niger, chad, angola and mali top the list of countries with highest adolescent birth rate above 178. But as we see from the situation nowadays, what were expecting from the youth is the contrary if the saying. Choice on termination of pregnancy act south african. The results of the study are similar to global reports 25. The researcher questions were divided into two sections, section a contains the respondents personal.
Section 1, 3, 710 amended by criminal law sexual offences and related matters amendment act 32 of 2007 from 16 dec 2007. Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in south asia. Review of south african research part 2 article pdf available in south african journal of psychology 291. Adolescent pregnancy is a concern worldwide and has risen at an alarming rate in south african society dommisse, 2007. Charting the future empowering girls to prevent early pregnancy iii executive summary adolescent pregnancy is dangerous and sometimes fatal. In south africa, studies have generally focused on teenage pregnancy, with an. Teen pregnancies are trapping young people in sa skills portal. Sexual and reproductive wellbeing of teenage mothers in a south. The title of my lecture is appropriate parental involvement is the jigsaw puzzle piece missing in the fight against teenage pregnancy in south africa. A study of the high rate of teenage pregnancy in high schools. Teenage pregnancy and parenting at school in contemporary. The major factors that influence basic school dropout in. Using an ecosystemic framework one can uncover the range of costs incurred when a students academic life is disrupted as a result of an unplanned pregnancy.
However, using the best available data, it is clear that teenage fertility in south africa approximated at 54 to 65. The alarming rate of teenage pregnancies among south africans became a driving force for the researcher to investigate this particular phenomenon. Durban south africa has a huge teenage pregnancy problem, with girls as young as 10 routinely falling pregnant. As you read this article another young girl has fallen pregnant. In wellnourished females, the first period usually takes place around the age of 12 or. Pregnancy can occur with sexual intercourse after the start of ovulation, which can be before the first menstrual period menarche but usually occurs after the onset of periods.
Factors influencing the adolescent pregnancy rate in the. It was also found that teachers attitude, corporal punishment, death and sickness of parents lead to dropouts in schools. South africa 2001, the population of soshanguve was approximately 311 000 people, with the highest proportion being the 20 to 29 year age group 22. For the latest information on adolesent pregnancy and sexual and reproductive health. Africa remains one of the continents with the highest levels of teenage pregnancies in the world. The highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world 143 per 1,000 girls aged 1519 years is in subsaharan africa. The fight to stop teenage pregnancy brand south africa. Background to the study one of the salient responsibilities of women is procreation as ordained by god. Pdf teenage pregnancy in south african schools poses a serious management and leadership challenge. There is information about all things related to pregnancy and having a. Teenage pregnancy levels and trend in subsaharan africa. Some have argued that these teenagers are being irresponsible but this is illogical as it.
The effects of teenage pregnancy on the behaviour of. South africa address unplanned teenage pregnancy at both an individual and structural level. Programmes team, national population unit npu pretoria, touchpoll south africa and other partners. This policy on the prevention and management of learner pregnancy has been developed to guide officials, principals, school management teams and educators who are in effect in loco parentis in their response to learner pregnancies. To explore key predictors of teenage pregnancy rate, a logistic regression model with teenage pregnancy rate as the predicted dependent variable and gdp per capita, health care expenditure and literacy was significant f 4. The effects of teenage pregnancy on the educational. In south africa, this percentage translates to 1,000 new infections in young women per year, more than fourtimes the number contributed by their male peers figure 1. Health statistics 2007 showed that the teenage pregnancy rate in south africa is. The high pregnancy rate amongst teenagers in schools in the libode district that has been experienced over years, followed by a sudden and s. Jan 27, 2018 adolescent pregnancy has been persistently high in subsaharan africa. Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in south africa. In principle, the government of south africa espouses progressive policies that encourage pregnant girls to remain in school and young mothers to return to school. Not only does teenage pregnancy pose a health risk to both mother and child, it also has social consequences, such as continuing the cycle of poverty including early school dropout by the pregnant teenager. Appropriate parental involvement is the jigsaw puzzle piece.
Lifeline pregnancy support pietermaritzburg this site is meant particularly for teenagers both the young mothers and fathers who are, or think that they may be, pregnant. These include but are not limited to culture, religion, moral values and beliefs, education and economic circumstances and the lack of support structures. Causes and statistics on teenage pregnancy in south africa among other things, girls aged 15 to 19 years old accounts for about 11% of all births worldwide. On december 11, 1996, south africa enacted the choice on termination of pregnancy act, which gives women of any age or marital status access to abortion services upon request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and in certain cases, extends access to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Perceptions of teenage pregnancy among south african. The effects of teenage pregnancy on the behaviour of learners at secondary schools in the mankweng area, limpopo by malahlela moyagabo kate submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of master of education in the subject inclusive education at the university of south africa supervisor. This act replaced a 1975 law that severely curtailed access to abortion services by requiring a physicians. Although the number of teenage pregnancies has declined drastically in most developed nations, it remains high in lessdeveloped nations. Apr 14, 2011 south africa s health ministry recently released statistics showing that almost 5,000 schoolgirls in johannesburg became pregnant in just one school year. University of venda, south africa research project no shs14psych011508 corresponding author. Teenagers, teenage pregnancy, pregnancy, sex, health. The context of teenage pregnancy in south africa has been highlighted extensively in the literature.
Majority of service providers believe poverty is a major factor causing teenage pregnancy while these practices as strategies by the youth to alleviate poverty, they however are further exposed to stis and in particular, hiv and aids. Media release 15 may 2017 south africa demographic and health survey 2016 key indicators report the results of the south africa demographic and health survey, 2016 as presented in the key indicators report released today show that the total fertility rate tfr for the 3 years preceding the survey was 2,6 children per woman. Pdf the advent of democracy in south africa in 1994 was coincidentally accompanied by an avalanche of research on the nationwide risk. Challenges, trends and policy issues article pdf available in mediterranean journal of social sciences 4. Causes teenage pregnancy arise from individual, familial and societal factors. Teenage pregnancy, factors, south asia, young people. However, because young people under age 18 make up 50% of the population in south africa reddy et al. Teenage pregnancy in south africa is mainly a problem among women who live in rural, povertystricken areas, south africas urban female adolescents, however, are also at a high risk of finding themselves pregnant at an early age. In south africa sa, more than 30% of teenage girls fall pregnant,1 while between 65% and.
Adolescent pregnancy and associated factors in south african. In south africa, contraceptive use is low in adolescents in the sense that sexual maturation and initiation of sexual activities is taking place at a younger age. Adolescent pregnancy, occurring in girls aged 1019 years, remains a serious health and social problem worldwide, and has been associated with numerous risk factors evident in the young peoples family, peer, school, and neighbourhood contexts. In developing countries it is the leading cause of death for adolescent girls, affectingin generalthe poorest girls in the poorest countries. In fact, among the 19yearolds, it has declined from 35 percent to 28 percent. Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in subsaharan africa. Whilst teenage pregnancy has been presented as a serious challenge facing education authorities in south africa, the south african demographic and health survey 1998, also indicated that teenage pregnancy was one of the major problems in south africa. This topic is based on research done under the research focus area population and health which has identified sexual and. It comprises the magisterial areas of lusikisiki and flagstaff. With respect to factors that lead to teenage pregnancy, it was. Chapter i introduction background of the study here in the philippines, we believe in the saying of our national hero dr.
Financial needs can also result in teenage pregnancy. The municipality is bordered by the bizana local municipality to the north, the port st johns local municipality to the south and the ntabankulu local municipality to the northwest. According to a 2012 world health organization fact sheet on adolescent pregnancy, it is estimated that 16 million adolescent girls give birth every year most in low and middleincome countries. Teenage pregnancies remain a serious health and social problem in south africa. In nigeria, according to the health and demographic survey in 1992, 47% of women aged 2024 were married before 15, and 87% before 18. Teenage pregnancy in south africa is mainly a problem among women who live in rural, povertystricken areas, south africa s urban female adolescents, however, are also at a high risk of finding themselves pregnant at an early age. But her hopes of becoming an engineer were dashed when she fell pregnant and gave birth to a boy. To use the results of the study in designing appropriate interventions for teenage pregnancy with the view of curbing the problem of teenage pregnancy. In spite of this, there are limited empirical research studies on determinants of teenage pregnancy in africa. Finally, the level of teenage pregnancy in southern africa was the lowest in 1992, increased in 2005 and was the highest in 2011 with a level at 28. It is also for the parents of teenagers who fall pregnant. Lehohla said, on the basis of evidence, teenage pregnancy in south africa is not rising but has remained stable. Black teenage pregnancy in south africa and the rest of africa is discussed. Pretoria teenagers between the age of 10 and 19 have contributed.
Women in africa, in general, get married at a much younger age than women elsewhere leading to earlier pregnancies. Questionnaire, indepth interview, focus group discussions and observation were used to collect data for the study. Awareness of prevention of teenage pregnancy amongst. Teenage pregnancy has become a very serious social problem in south africa, and pregnancy under the age of seventeen has been viewed as a catastrophe for individuals, family and society greathead, 1998. Teen pregnancies may have decreased according to statistics, but this trend needs to be eliminated altogether as south africa is losing a host of talented young people to this scourge. Amended by choice on termination of pregnancy amendment act 1 of 2008 from 18 feb 2008.