Prevalence of early childbearing practice among young women in Nigeria: Evidence from 2021 multiple indicators cluster survey

Michael A. Omoyemiju, Soladoye S. Asa

Abstract

Globally, Early Childbearing Practice (ECbP) remains one of the harmful practices affecting many young women and denied them the right to make personal and vital decisions related to education, sexual and reproductive health. The UNICEF estimated that not less than 14% of young women gave birth before the age of 18 with associated psychological, social, physical and reproductive health challenges. The study determined the prevalence of ECbP among young women aged 15-19 years in Nigeria and examined the influence of socio-demographic characteristics on ECbP. A cross-sectional data of women aged 15-19 years from the Nigeria 2021 Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) were used. A statistically representative total weighted sample of 8,474 women aged 15-19 years who had had a live birth were selected for the study. Bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were employed to answer the research questions and hypothesis at a 5% level of significance. The results showed that the prevalence of ECbP in Nigeria was 9.23% and there was a statistically significant association between place of residence and ECbP (χ2 = 296.25, p < 0.05). The logistic regression results showed that ECbP was positively associated with age [OR=3.95, 95% CI= 2.89-5.38] while attaining a higher level of education reduced the likelihood of ECbP [OR=1.45, 95% CI = 0.94-2.24] in Nigeria. The study concluded that ECbP among young women aged 15-19 years was prevalent in Nigeria but mild. Nevertheless, reproductive health policies that would reduce the negative consequences of ECbP must be strengthened for improved overall welfare of young women in Nigeria.

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