Factors Associated With Teenage Pregnancy in Tanzania: Analysis of the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey

Abstract

Objective: Few studies on teenage pregnancy in Tanzania have used a nationally representative sample. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy in Tanzania. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of 3,083 teenagers aged 15-19 years drawn from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. Results: After controlling for other covariates, we found that teenagers aged 18-19 years (AOR = 4.5, 95% CI:3.3, 6.1), those who said that getting permission to access healthcare was not a big problem (AOR = 2.7, 95% CI:1.4, 5.3), and those from the Southern zone (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5, 3.9), had higher odds of reporting ever having been pregnant. Those with secondary or higher education levels (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.39) and those who married after age 15 (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8), had lower odds of reporting ever having been pregnant. Conclusion: This study highlights the significant factors associated with teenage pregnancy among teenagers aged 15-19 years in Tanzania. The education system should facilitate the majority of girls obtaining at least a secondary level of education. Teenager-friendly sexual and reproductive health services need to prioritize older teenagers, with lower education levels and those from poor families.