Social and Cultural Drivers of Teenage Pregnancy Among Schoolgirls in Tanzania
A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53449/dcvxym85Keywords:
adolescent pregnancy, cultural factors, school-going adolescents, social determinants, teenage pregnancyAbstract
The present study focused on identifying both the social and cultural factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy among secondary school girls in Tanzania. To achieve this, a systematic review of research studies conducted in Tanzania between 2020 and 2025 was undertaken, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 12 studies from peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, DOAJ, and AJOL were extracted to identify patterns, commonalities, and disparities in their findings. The findings indicate that key social factors contributing to teenage pregnancy include poor knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, limited access to and utilization of contraceptives, peer and social media influence, lack of parental guidance and poverty. Cultural factors, including traditional beliefs and societal norms, also emerged as significant contributors to early pregnancies. These results underscore that teenage pregnancy is caused by multiple factors ranging from individual, social, economic, and cultural determinants. The study recommends targeted interventions to address knowledge gaps, improve access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, strengthen educational and economic empowerment programs, and mitigate negative peer and social media influences, as these measures are essential for reducing teenage pregnancy and promoting the well-being and empowerment of adolescent schoolgirls in Tanzania.
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