Pooled prevalence and associated factors of teenage pregnancy among women aged 15 to 19 years in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from 2019 to 2022 demographic and health survey data

Abstract Background Teenage pregnancy is becoming one of the most common social and public health problems worldwide, with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. Health risks and adverse outcomes of pregnancy and childbirth among adolescent girls are the commonest cause of the global burden of maternal morbidity and mortality. This study is intended to determine the pooled prevalence and determinants of teenage pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa using the most recent demographic and health survey data (2019–2022). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the most recent demographic and health surveys of four countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, and Cameroon) in sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2019 and 2022. A total weighted sample of 12,829 teenagers aged 15 to 19 years was included in the study. Data extracted from demographic and health survey data sets were cleaned, recorded, and analyzed using STATA/SE version 14.0 statistical software. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with the dependent variable. Finally, variables with a p -value ≤ 0.05 and an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval were declared statistically significant. Results The pooled prevalence of teenage pregnancy among women aged 15 to 19 years was 18.15% (95% CI: 17.49, 18.83). Teenage pregnancy was positively associated with the respondent’s age AOR = 2.97; 95% CI (2.55, 3.46), educational status AOR = 2.21; 95% CI (1.62, 3.03) and AOR = 1.80; 95% CI (1.54, 2.12), wealth status AOR = 2.61; 95% CI (2.12, 3.22) and AOR = 1.65; 95% CI (1.33, 2.05), relation to the household head AOR = 2.09; 95% CI (1.60, 2.72), and unmet need for contraception AOR = 14.3; 95% CI (11.5, 17.8). On the other hand, it was negatively associated with marital status AOR = 0.08; 95% (0.07, 0.10), working status AOR = 0.75; 95% CI (0.64, 0.88), age at first sex AOR = 0.68; 95% CI (0.58, 0.80), contraceptive use AOR = 0.25; 95% CI (0.20, 0.30), contraceptive knowledge AOR = 0.27; 95% CI (0.19, 0.40), and community contraceptive utilization AOR = 0.85; 95% CI (0.73, 0.99). Conclusion In the current study, one out of six young women aged 15 to 19 experienced teenage pregnancy. Therefore, addressing unmet needs for family planning, improving women’s educational status, and giving special attention to teenagers with low educational and economic status are recommended.