The teenage pregnancy rate is the share of the female population aged 13 to 19 that becomes pregnant in a given year. It is linked to child marriages and the associated increase in fertility rates among teenagers in a population.
In Kenya, the DHS defines the teenage pregnancy rate as the percentage of women aged 15 – 19 who have ever been pregnant. It includes those who were pregnant at the time of the survey, those who have ever had a live birth, and those who have ever had a pregnancy loss. The rate is restricted to women of reproductive age (15 – 49) and thus excludes thirteen and fourteen-year-old teenagers.
In 2022, the teenage pregnancy rate for women aged 15 – 19 in Kenya was 14.8%.
Teenage pregnancies increase with age.
The older girls become, the more likely they are to become pregnant. As a result, teenage pregnancies were fewer among those aged 15 at 2.7% compared to those who were 19, with a pregnancy rate of 31.1%.
The result is expected since eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds have reached the age of majority and are legally allowed to marry and have children in Kenya. However, the pregnancy rate was higher among 16-year-olds at 5.5% than 15-year-olds. Additionally, eighteen-year-olds had a higher rate of 20.9% than seventeen-year-olds at 12.8%.
Teenage pregnancies are higher in rural than urban areas
Rural areas have higher rates of teenage pregnancies than urban areas. In 2022, the rate in rural areas was 16% compared to 12.1% in urban areas. Researchers have paid considerable attention to this question, finding that various sociocultural and economic factors contribute to the prevalence of teenage pregnancies.
For instance, the closure of schools during Covid-19 led to higher teenage pregnancies as more girls stayed out of school.[1] In Bungoma County, researchers found that cultural factors such as early marriages and parenting practices contributed to teenage pregnancies in the county.[2]
In Migori County, Nyatike Sub-County, researchers found that proximity to Lake Victoria and mining sites contributed to higher teenage pregnancies in addition to other factors such as poverty, early marriages, and inadequate sexual education.[3] Similar influences were found in Kakamega County, where religious, cultural, and family views influenced child marriages and, consequently, teenage pregnancies.[4]
Teenage pregnancies are associated with lower educational attainment
Staying out of school is associated with lower education attainment and higher rates of teenage pregnancy. Among women aged 15 – 19 in 2022, 37.8% of those who had ever been pregnant had no education. In contrast, only 4.8% had more than secondary education.
Keeping young girls in school serves the dual advantage of increasing their educational attainment and reducing the pregnancy risks associated with staying out of school.
Poverty increases the risks of teenage pregnancies
As previous researchers have found, many girls are married off at younger ages for socioeconomic, cultural, and religious reasons. Moreover, girls from poor backgrounds are more likely than their counterparts to be exposed to environments that predispose them to early sexual intercourse and marriages.
In 2022, 21.1% of women aged 15 – 19 who had ever been pregnant were in the lowest wealth quintile compared to only 7.1% in the highest wealth level. The rate was also higher among those in the near-bottom of the wealth distribution (17.5%) than those in the second highest (12.9%).
Teenage pregnancies are more prevalent in some counties than in others
Adolescent pregnancies are common in rural areas; however, the distribution also varies by region and county, with some being disproportionately affected than others.
The county with the highest teenage pregnancy rate was Samburu County at 50.1%, followed by West Pokot at 36.3%, Marsabit at 29.4%, Narok at 28.1%, Meru at 23.6%, Homa Bay at 23.2%, Migori at 22.4%, Kajiado 21.8%, and Siaya 20.9%.
The counties with the lowest rates were Nyeri (4.5%), Nyandarua (5.2%), Kirinyaga (7.3%), Murang'a (7.4%), Vihiga (7.7%), and Nairobi (8.4%). The map below shows the distribution of teenage pregnancy rates in Kenya by county in 2022.[5]
See Also
- Child marriages and teenage pregnancies in Kenya
- Child marriages and increased fertility rates
- Polygamy in Kenya by county
- Divorce and separation in Kenya
- Marriage rates in Kenya by county
References
[1] Masaba, B. B., Mmusi-Phetoe, R., Odhiambo, J. A., Bernard, R. O. N. O., Kabo, J. W., Moraa, D., ... & Ojiambo, S. L. (2022). Drivers of early marriage and teenage pregnancy in Kenya and Uganda during COVID-19 lockdown period: A systematic review. Journal of Integrative Nursing, 4(4), 202-210.
[2] Wamalwa, E. M. W., & Okoth, P. J. M. Cultural and Socioeconomic Factors Contributing to Upsurge in Teenage Pregnancies in Kabuchai Constituency, Bungoma County Western Kenya.
[3] Oduor, K. O., & Kithuka, B. (2020). Factors Associated with High Rate of Pregnancy Among Teenagers Aged 13-19 Years in Nyatike Sub-County, Kenya. East African Journal of Health and Science, 2(1), 38-50.
[4] Cherotich, A., Olayo, R. N., & Odero, E. A. (2024). Cultural Factors as Determinant of Teen Pregnancy Prevalence in Kakamega County, Kenya. African Journal of Empirical Research, 5(3), 474-486.
[5] KNBS and ICF. 2023. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022: Volume 1. Nairobi, Kenya, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: KNBS and ICF.
