EC Gynaecology

The rising number of teen pregnancies in Uganda is a worrisome situation for the population as the population is facing increased mortality due to a lack of knowledge about sexual health. Many factors are leading to the decline in women’s reproductive health in Uganda.

We have accumulated all the statistical data that are setbacks for sexual health maintenance in the country. After analysis of setbacks and understanding the factors for teen pregnancies we have formulated a solution-based approach that can help in reducing the number of teen pregnancy cases in the region and at the same time can help in the enhancement of women's reproductive health.

Keywords: Teen Pregnancies; Uganda; Sex Education

1. Ganchimeg T., et al. “Pregnancy and childbirth outcomes among adolescent mothers: a World Health Organization multicountry study”. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology1 (2014): 40-48.
2. Conde-Agudelo A., et al. “Maternal-perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with adolescent pregnancy in Latin America: Cross-sectional study”. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology2 (2005): 342-349.
3. Mayor S. “Pregnancy and childbirth are leading causes of death in teenage girls in developing countries”. British Medical Journal7449 (2004): 1152.
4. Kassa GM., et al. “Prevalence and determinants of adolescent pregnancy in Africa: a systematic review and Meta-analysis”. Reproductive Health1 (2018): 195.
5. Amongin D., et al. “Trends and determinants of adolescent childbirth in Uganda- analysis of rural and urban women using six demographic and health surveys, 1988-2016”. Reproductive Health1 (2020): 74.
6. Neal SE., et al. “Adolescent first births in East Africa: disaggregating characteristics, trends and determinants”. Reproductive Health 12 (2015): 13.
7. Comprehensive Sexual Education.
8. Muhwezi WW., et al. “Perceptions and experiences of adolescents, parents and school administrators regarding adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues in urban and rural Uganda”. Reproductive Health 12 (2015): 110.
9. Oyat C. “The Challenges of Sustained HIV/AIDS Education in Uganda: A case study in Northern Uganda”. Gulu University Medical Journal (GUMJ) 4 (2009): 13-18.
10. Herman L., et al. “Knowledge, Perceptions and Acceptability to Strengthening Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health Education amongst Secondary Schools in Gulu District”. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology7 (2013): 1787-1802.
11. Achora S., et al. “Perceptions of adolescents and teachers on school-based sexuality education in rural primary schools in Uganda”. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Journal 17 (2018): 12-18.
12. Bunoti SN., et al. “Awareness of pubertal body changes among primary school children aged 10-14 years in Eastern Uganda; challenges and opportunities”. Reproductive Health 19 (2022): 180.
13. Achora S., et al. “Perceptions of adolescents and teachers on school-based sexuality education in rural primary schools in Uganda”. Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Journal 17 (2018): 12-18.
14. Debating Sex and Sovereignty: Uganda’s new national Sexuality Education Policy (2022).
15. Sexual Victimization, Self-Efficacy to Refuse Sex While Drinking, and Regretting Alcohol-Involved Sex among Underserved Youth in Kampala, Uganda (2022).
16. Menstrual characteristics, menstrual anxiety and school attendance among adolescents in Uganda: a longitudinal study (2021).
17. Contraceptive use among adolescent and young women in North and South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A cross-sectional population-based survey (2021).
18. Effect of peer counselling on acceptance of modern contraceptives among female refugee adolescents in northern Uganda: A randomised controlled trial (2021).
19. Why don’t adolescent girls in a rural Uganda district initiate or complete routine 2-dose HPV vaccine series: Perspectives of adolescent girls, their caregivers, healthcare workers, community health workers and teachers (2021).
20. The extent to which the design of available reproductive health interventions fit the reproductive health needs of adolescents living in urban poor settings of Kisenyi, Kampala, Uganda (2021).
21. Sexual risk behaviors, mental health outcomes and attitudes supportive of wife-beating associated with childhood transactional sex among adolescent girls and young women: Findings from the Uganda Violence Against Children Survey (2021).
22. Boozalis JA., et al. “A new hope: introducing comprehensive sex education to a Christian secondary school in Uganda after repeal of parliamentary ban”. 4 (2020): e2020024.
23. Vithalani J and MJAHS. Herreros-Villanueva, HIV Epidemiology in Uganda: survey based on age, gender, number of sexual partners and frequency of testing 18.3 (2018): 523-530.
24. Zuilkowski SS and MCJAC Jukes. “The impact of education on sexual behavior in sub-Saharan Africa: a review of the evidence”. 24.5 (2012): 562-576.
25. Kirby DB., et al. “Sex and HIV education programs: their impact on sexual behaviors of young people throughout the world”. 40.3 (2007): 206-217.
26. Bell S and PJHE Aggleton. “Social influences on young people's sexual health in Uganda” (2013).
27. Beyers CJAA. “Sexuality education in South Africa: A sociocultural perspective”. 43.3 (2011): 192-209.
28. The World Starts with Me: A multilevel evaluation of a comprehensive sex education programme targeting adolescents in Uganda (2021).
29. Early sexual debut: A multi-country, sex-stratified analysis in sub-Saharan Africa (2021).
30. Very young adolescent perceptions of growing up in rural southwest Uganda: Influences on sexual development and behavior (2021).
31. ‘Sex education should be taught, fine...but we make sure they control themselves’: teachers’ beliefs and attitudes towards young people’s sexual and reproductive health in a Ugandan secondary school (2021).
32. Attitudes and Risky Sexual Behavior among Youth in Kampala, Uganda: Empirical Analyses of Risk Factors by Gender (2021).
33. Social influences on young people’s sexual health in Uganda (2013).
34. Institutional and contextual obstacles to sexuality education policy implementation in Uganda (2020).
35. Evaluation of a school based comprehensive sexuality education program among very young adolescents in rural Uganda (2019).
36. Perception of adolescent= and teacher son school-based sexually education in rural primary schools in Uganda (2018).
37. Assessing Comprehensive Sexuality Education Programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Adolescents’ and Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Contraception (2020).
38. Rijsdijk LE., et al. “The World Starts with Me: A multilevel evaluation of a comprehensive sex education programme targeting adolescents in Uganda”. BMC Public Health334 (2011).