Teenage pregnancy in Nigeria: professional nurses and educators’ perspectives

Abstract

Background: Teenage pregnancy has been regarded as a negative occurrence in recent times due to its various negative consequences on the overall wellbeing of the teenage mother and her child, the whole family system and the entire community at large. Teenage pregnancy rate is a powerful indicator of the total well-being of a population. Purpose: The aim of the study was to explore professional nurses and secondary school teachers’ own perspectives on teenage pregnancy and to ascertain the current teenage pregnancy prevention programmes within the two selected communities in Kwara and Edo states in Nigeria. Methods: The study was qualitative and contextual with an exploratory strategy. A total of 80 participants, who were professional nurses and secondary school teachers, responded to the semi-structured interview and completed a questionnaire on demographic data. Template analysis style was combined with content analysis for data analysis. Results: Our findings revealed limited teenage pregnancy prevention initiatives in the communities. The majority of the participants expressed that teenage pregnancy is a common occurrence in their communities, but it is not acceptable. More than half of the participants did not accept the usage of contraceptives by teenagers. Conclusions: The study identified a number of factors that may influence the rate of teenage pregnancy in the communities. Therefore, strategies to reduce teenage pregnancy should focus on building social capital for teenagers in communities, making information on contraception more accessible and offering programmes that empower girls in the area of sexuality.