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STATUS OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN KENYA KPA CONFERENCE 2019. 12 th April 2019 Sarova White Sands Hotel, Mombasa Presenter: Dr. Jeanne P. Understanding Adolescents. Persons aged between 10-19 years: On transition from childhood and adulthood 2 nd decade of life
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STATUS OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN KENYAKPA CONFERENCE 2019 12th April 2019 Sarova White Sands Hotel, Mombasa Presenter: Dr. Jeanne P
Understanding Adolescents • Persons aged between 10-19 years: • On transition from childhood and adulthood • 2nd decade of life • Experience intense growth (physical, social, emotional and cognitive) • On transition towards independence/self-identity: • Exposed to tough choices regarding school work, sexuality, drugs and social life. • Experience curiosity which leads to exploration: • This increases vulnerability to sexual abuse/violence, drugs/substance use, unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, child marriages, and STIs including HIV. • Poor risk assessment • Decision-making models don’t apply in high arousal situations • A heterogeneous group • Rural/urban, poor/wealthy backgrounds, in-school/out of school, married/unmarried
Proportion of Pregnant Adolescents among ANC Clients in 2018
Drivers of Teenage pregnancy and other challenges facing adolescents • Early sexual debut: • 11% of girls and 20% of boys between 15-19 years have had their first sexual encounter by age 15 • Lack of education including education on sexual reproductive health: • Girls without education are 3 times likely to experience teenage pregnancy (KDHS,2014) • 52% of girls and 58% of boys between the ages of 15-19 years have comprehensive knowledge of HIV • Poverty: • Adolescents from poor households twice as likely to experience teenage pregnancy (KDHS,2014) • compromises education attainment • Pre-disposes girls to early sexual relationships e.g. sex for pads • Sexual and gender based violence-relatives, teachers, bodaboda, touts • Harmful practices-Child marriages, FGM, Disco matanga • Lack of access to friendly SRH services • Drug and substance use
What needs to be done? • Strengthen school health programmes to ensure that adolescents have access to SRH information • Invest in education especially for marginalized and vulnerable adolescents e.g. those from poor house holds • Keep girls in school and support those who drop out for various causes including pregnancy to continue with their education • Invest in adolescent and youth friendly services by building the capacity of health providers • Empower communities on prevention of GBV • Establish/strengthen forums for multi-sectoral coordination of adolescent health programmes • Address harmful practices e.g. disco matangas which increases vulnerability of adolescents e.g. through by-laws • Promote male engagement in prevention of early and unintended pregnancy