Prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa, a multilevel analysis

Abstract

Background Unintended pregnancy predisposes women to unsafe abortion, malnutrition, mental illness, and even death. Though adolescent girls and young women are at higher risk of unintended pregnancy, there is a paucity of evidence in its burden and associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. Method This study was a secondary data analysis of 36 sub-Saharan African countries with a total weighted sample of 17,797 adolescent girls and young women. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted and, the Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported to assess the association between the independent variables and unintended pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Result The pooled prevalence of unintended pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa was 30.01 with 95% CI (29.38–30.74). In multivariable multilevel logistic regression analysis, adolescent girls, and young women with higher education (AOR = 0.71 95%CI 0.52–0.97), those who know modern contraceptive methods (AOR = 0.86 95%CI 0.75–0.98), and traditional contraceptive methods (AOR = 0.90, 95%CI 0.59–0.95), married (AOR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.73–0.88), those from female-headed households (AOR = 0.86,95%CI 0.78–0.94), had lower odds of unintended pregnancy. Whereas adolescent girls and young women from Central Africa (AOR = 2.09,95%CI 1.23–3.55), southern Africa (AOR = 5.23, 95%CI 2.71–10.09), and Eastern Africa (AOR = 1.07,95%CI 1.07–2.66) had higher odds of unintended pregnancy. Conclusion Prevalence of unintended pregnancy in Sub-Saharan Africa is high. Therefore, educating adolescent girls and young women, and improving their knowledge about family planning services is vital. It is also better for the government of countries in sub-Saharan Africa and other global and local stakeholders to work hard to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs to reduce unintended pregnancy.

Magnitude of unintended pregnancy among rural reproductive women in Ethiopia: A Multilevel analysis using 2016 EDHS data

“…The current study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of unintended pregnancy among rural women in Ethiopia by using EDHS 2016 data through multilevel analysis. The overall prevalence of unintended pregnancy in this study was 31.66% which is comparable with study conducted in national report of EDHS 2011 [32], Shashmanie, Ethiopia [39], Egypt [40] and Sab Saharan Africa [41].…”

Exploring the association between unintended pregnancies and unmet contraceptive needs among Ugandan women of reproductive age: an analysis of the 2016 Uganda demographic and health survey

“…The issue of unintended and poorly spaced pregnancies is a major concern for women’s health and well-being in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). According to a 2022 study, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy in SSA was 33.9%, with 11.2% being unwanted pregnancies and 22.1% being mistimed pregnancies [ 3 ].…”

“…However, there were significant regional and subregional variations in the trends and levels of unintended pregnancy. The highest rates of unintended pregnancy were found in Africa (101 per 1,000 women), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (76 per 1,000 women), Asia (59 per 1,000 women), Europe (44 per 1,000 women), and North America (42 per 1,000 women) [ 3 , 5 ]. Within Africa, eastern Africa had the highest rate of unintended pregnancy (116 per 1,000 women), followed by central Africa (107 per 1,000 women), western Africa (94 per 1,000 women), southern Africa (77 per 1,000 women), and northern Africa (61 per 1,000 women) [ 3 ].…”

“…The highest rates of unintended pregnancy were found in Africa (101 per 1,000 women), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (76 per 1,000 women), Asia (59 per 1,000 women), Europe (44 per 1,000 women), and North America (42 per 1,000 women) [ 3 , 5 ]. Within Africa, eastern Africa had the highest rate of unintended pregnancy (116 per 1,000 women), followed by central Africa (107 per 1,000 women), western Africa (94 per 1,000 women), southern Africa (77 per 1,000 women), and northern Africa (61 per 1,000 women) [ 3 ]. The regional and subregional differences in unintended pregnancy rates reflect the variations in contraceptive prevalence and unmet need for contraception, as well as the social and cultural factors that influence women’s reproductive choices and behaviors.…”

Integrative evaluation and experimental validation of the immune-modulating potential of dysregulated extracellular matrix genes in high-grade serous ovarian cancer prognosis

“…Furthermore, it’s crucial to recognize that matrix components function not as isolated entities but as an interconnected network of matrix molecules [ 21 ]. Recent research has established the prognostic and predictive value of dysregulated stromal components in early non-small cell lung cancer [ 22 , 23 ]. A thorough exploration of how these matrix networks undergo modification in HGSOC tumors and their subsequent impact on cancer cell behavior warrants comprehensive exploration.…”