Factors contributing to high adolescent pregnancy rate in Kinondoni municipality, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This study seeks to describe the factors contributing to high adolescent pregnancy rate in Kinondoni Municipality, Dar-es-Salaam. Through the study we get to know the social economic characteristics of adolescents, the adolescents' general knowledge of reproductive health issues and the source of this knowledge.

The major discoveries made from this study are that the educational status and knowledge of reproductive health of these adolescents is low, some are already dropouts from school, and others were deprived of the chance to continue with secondary education. They have nothing tangible to do because of their low education and coupled with their low economic status, they are at risk of being involved in sexual activities at an early age, ending in pregnancies. In addition, their parents' educational and economic status was also found to be low.

It is important then, parents, teachers and the community in general to arrest the rate of adolescent pregnancies.