Prevalence of teenage pregnancy in relation to the challenges faced by teenage pregnant mothers in the Manya Krobo District of Ghana

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy has been a social canker in the whole world and causing a lot of problems to governments, societies, and individuals as well. This study explored the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in relation to the challenges faced by teenage pregnant mothers in the Manya Krobo District of Ghana. It also assessed the effects of teenage pregnancy on the socioeconomic development of the society. Five research questions and two hypotheses were posited to guide the study. The descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. The stratified and purposive sampling procedures were used to select a sample of 150 (100 pregnant teenagers and 50 health workers). Two self-constructed questionnaires were designed to collect data. The data collected were analyzed using Chi-square, and descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentage scores. The study revealed that teenage pregnant girls face various health, education and socio-economic challenges such as complications of delivery and low birth weight, inability of parents to send wards to school and ridiculing and mockery by school mates, and societal rejection respectively. It was concluded that teenage pregnancy is a serious public health issue that has observable negative health, educational, and socio-economic effects on the pregnant girls. It was recommended that the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) carry out educational programmes in communities on the challenges anddangers of teenage pregnancy and its effect on the society.