Pages: (71-79 )
Abstract
Teenage pregnancy has remained a major public and social health concern in Nigeria with increasing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. Knowledge of teenage pregnancy and its influencing factors have been found to be true in keeping teenagers aware in other to making informed decisions about this social issue. This study therefore investigates the knowledge of causes of teenage pregnancy and its influencing factors among selected secondary school girls in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design, using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Multi-stages sampling procedure was used to randomly select 168 senior secondary school girls in Ilishan High school. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the knowledge level as well as to identify the factors influencing teenage pregnancy among school girls.
Results show that majority had good knowledge of the causes of teenage pregnancy. Family/parental background as well as peer-influence was identified as factors influencing teenage pregnancy
Good knowledge on the causes of teenage pregnancy has been documented in this study as well as factors influencing it. This study can therefore be a baseline for further intervention study on teenage pregnancy.
Keywords: Teenage pregnancy, factors, knowledge, school girls,