Prevalence and Determinants of Teenage Pregnancy in Nepal: Evidence from NDHS

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Despite the improvement in reproductive health, teenage pregnancy continues to be a critical public health issue in Nepal, impacting maternal health, social welfare, and economic development. This research has explored the prevalence and factors influencing teenage pregnancy, using data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2022. While the rate of teenage pregnancy has decreased, from 18.5 percent in 2006 to 13.6 percent in 2022, it still presents serious challenges. The analysis indicated that socio-demographic factors, including place of residence, caste/ethnicity, religion, and educational levels of both women and their husbands, are not significant predictors of teenage pregnancy. Instead, employment status, economic conditions (quintiles) of households, and age at marriage has proven to be substantial determinants of teenage pregnancy. Similarly, adolescents who get marriage before the age of 15 are almost three times more likely to experience teenage pregnancy compared to those who marry between the ages of 16 and 19. These results highlight the necessity of tackling both structural and behavioral elements particularly delaying age at marriage and improving economic opportunities of women in efforts to reduce teenage pregnancy in Nepal. The research shows the requirement for focused interventions and policies that address changeable risk factors to foster adolescent reproductive health and promote gender equality.