Browsing by Author "Laari, Matthew Naakiyab"

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    Factors Influencing Perinatal Outcomes Among Adolescent Pregnancies in Kassena Nankana Municipality, Upper East Region
    (2015-02-23) Laari, Matthew Naakiyab
    Adolescent pregnancies are regarded as the risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. This may be probably due to biological immaturity, unintended pregnancies and the challenges they often face during pregnancy and the care. There has been research report of high early neonatal mortality rate from pregnancies of younger maternal age (15-19years) in the Kassena Nankana Municipality. This appears to be declining since 2009 probably because of improved health services such as the newborn care in the municipality. The purpose of the study was to explore the factors that influence perinatal outcomes in adolescent pregnancies. The sample size was 200 adolescent mothers. Multistage sampling method was used to select the facilities. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants at the facilities. The data were analysed using STATA version 11 software programme and results presented in tables. The findings were that prematurity, traditional beliefs and practices, and low family planning uptake appeared to be more linked to influencing poor perinatal outcomes among adolescent pregnancies in this study. A lot more advocacy and sensitisation need to be done by the MHD to discourage unhealthy cultural practices, low family planning uptake and consumption of alcoholic beverages among the adolescents. The study also recommends that the MHD intensify education on family planning uptake by the youth. Youth centres with adolescent reproductive facilities including sex education and preconception classes need to be increased by the municipal to optimise good perinatal outcomes among adolescent pregnancies.