Predictors of Unintended Pregnancies among Female Students in Technical Training Institutions in Kenya: A Case Study of Siaya Institute of Technology

Abstract

Despite the global decline in the incidences of unintended pregnancy, the rate remains high in Kenya, particularly in Siaya County where Siaya Institute of Technology (SIT) is situated. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reported in their Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2023 that teenage pregnancy stood at 21% in this county. Predictors of unintended pregnancies among technical college female students in Kenya particularly in SIT has not been clearly understood. These unplanned pregnancies often lead to illegal abortion, antenatal and postnatal health issues, trauma, stigmatization, economic burden due to prolonged study periods and poor academic performance among others. This study therefore sort to determine the potential predictors of unintended pregnancies among female students at SIT. Knowledge of the predictors of untimed pregnancy among female students is important in the prevention and management of such pregnancies and inform policy on the same. The study employed cross-sectional survey, where data was collected through structured questioners among 306 female students of SIT. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS software version 25.0. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze predictors of unintended pregnancies whereas the relationship between various predictors and unintended pregnancies was established by Chi-square (χ2) tests. Bivariate logistic regression model was used to test the association between unintended pregnancies and selected potential predictors. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence limit within a marginal error of 0.05 were considered statistically significant. A large portion of female students (73.2%) confessed having not conceived as compared to 26.8% female who had conceived. 57.3% of the students surveyed indicated that their pregnancies were unintended implying that the pregnancies occurred at a time when they would prefer to have it later. Unintended pregnancies was significantly associated with not using condom (OR 6.577, 95% Cl; 3.62–11.94; P value 0.0001), age at which one gets involved in sexual intercourse (OR 2.29, 95% Cl; 1.26–4.14; P value 0.010), difficulty in getting meals when in college (1.842, 95% Cl; 1.030–3.294; P value 0.040) and where the students sleep when at home (OR 2.333, 95% Cl; 1.09–4.98; P value 0.028). This study reveals that social factors such as not using protection during sexual intercourse, demographic factors like age at which one gets involved in sex, cultural factors such as where female students sleep when at home and socioeconomic factors such as ease of getting meals when in college are associated with unintended pregnancies. Consequently, health education should focus on sensitization of the use of both female and male condom while education policy should be formulated to ensure easy access to meals when in college. Presents and guardians should be sensitized on the need to sleep in the same house with theirs daughters when still in schools or colleges.