Pregnancy Care Practices among Childbearing Adolescents and Young Mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Tosin Oni, Obafemi Awolowo University
Aanuoluwapo Afolabi, MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices
Stephen Adebowale, University of Ibadan
Akinrinola Bankole, Guttmacher Institute
Akanni I. Akinyemi, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Olufunmilayo Banjo

Almost a quarter of adolescent women are mothers by age 16 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, evidence is sparse on pregnancy care practices (PCP) among childbearing adolescents and young mothers (CAYM) in SSA. Data were extracted from the latest Demographic and Health Surveys of sixteen SSA countries. Analysis was based on a pooled weighted sample of 34,276 women with childbirth experience. Adjusted generalized linear models were fitted. The prevalence of optimal PCP ranged from 1.0% and 2.2% in East Africa (lowest) to 8.9% and 10.6% in West Africa (highest) for adolescent and young mothers respectively. Adolescent mothers who reportedly wanted the pregnancies as at when conceived had a 3% significantly higher likelihood of PCP than their counterparts with unwanted pregnancies. Optimal PCP is very low among CAYM in SSA. CAYM need to be enabled, as shown in the Anderson model’s adaptation, to be able to access pregnancy care services.