BACKGROUND: Unwanted pregnancy is a worldwide problem. In Sub-Saharan Africa, increasing number of girls are becoming mothers by the age of 18 years old. Tanzania as one of the country in Sub-Saharan Africa, unwanted pregnancy is a very big problem among adolescent secondary school girls. Pregnancy during adolescent age has been associated with school dropout, abortion and early marriage among girls in Tanzania. Despite various intervention made concerning reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies among secondary school girls, still the knowledge about the factors contributing and consequence of unwanted pregnancy among secondary school girls is not well addressed in some of the government schools in Ilemela District, Mwanza, Tanzania.
METHODOLOGY: This was an analytical cross-sectional study that was carried out between August and October 2021 in public advanced schools located in Ilemela district, Mwanza. Participants were selected systematically and data collected through questionnaires, later analyzed by using SPSS and results are presented in charts and tables.
RESULTS: The research involved a total number of 150 participants, whereby 97.3% (n=146) participants were of age 16-19 years, 2.7% (n=4) participants were of age above 20 years. Regarding the factors contributing to unwanted pregnancies among adolescent secondary school girls, respondents were able to identify the factors the leading one being poor parental guidance(31.3%),lower education among girls (29.3),poverty (21.3%),lack of religious guidance(8.7%), girls desire to be awarded high grade (6.7%), breakdown of cultures (2.7%). Also in the assessment of level of knowledge about consequences of unwanted pregnancies, respondents had a good level of awareness as most them were able to identify the leading effects of unwanted pregnancy among adolescent secondary school girls being Dropping out of school 44% followed by abortion 18% and maternal death 10.7%. Furthermore more than third quarter of respondent’s claimed that parents (73.3%) and teachers at school (16%) are the ones responsible for teaching girls about sex and reproductive health.
CONCLUSION: Almost half of the participants suggested that poor parental guidance being a major risk factor for unwanted pregnancy among adolescent girls followed by low education among girls and poverty. Also majority of them suggested dropping out of school, abortion and maternal death as effects of unwanted pregnancy among school girls (44%, 18% and 10.7% respectively). From these suggestion it shows that they have good knowledge as they were aware of the effects of unwanted pregnancy but also majority of them were aware on how to prevent early pregnancy through abstinence, although parents and guardians still play an important role in providing sexual and reproductive health to girls.
= DEFINITION OF TERMS; , ADOLESCENCE: Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. The WHO has considered the adolescence period to range from 10 to 19 years of age. (WHO 1975). DEFINITION OF TERMS; PARENT: In this study, a parent is considered to be the biological father or mother or guardian DEFINITION OF TERMS; REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. DEFINITION OF TERMS; UNWANTED PREGNANCY A pregnancy that a woman or girl does not decide to have on her own will; is undesired. DEFINITION OF TERMS; TEENAGER A young person aged between 13 and 19 years. DEFINITION OF TERMS; PREGNANCY The period during which a woman carries a developing fetus, normally in the uterus. DEFINITION OF TERMS; SEXUAL HEALTH: Sexual health is a state of complete physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. DEFINITION OF TERMS;
= ABBREVIATIONS AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. FCI Family Care International. HCG Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. HIV Human immunodeficiency virus. NACP National AIDS Control Programme. STD Sexually Transmitted Disease. WHO World Health Organization.