The Influence of government and faith-based interventions on the management of teenage pregnancy in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess government and faith-based interventions measures on the management of teenage pregnancy with reference to Mombasa County, Kenya. The findings show that the issue of teen pregnancy is of great concern in the county of Mombasa.  This is evidenced by the high rate of school dropout among girls who got pregnant, early motherhood, transmission of venereal diseases, cases of abortion and death after abortion in some cases. Pearson correlation shows that family stability (0.006, P>0.05) and school based interventions (r=0.063, p>.05) did not have significant effects on the management of teenage pregnancy. On the other hand, the regression coefficients shows that religious interventions could statistically predict the management of teenage pregnancy (P values <0.05). Furthermore, government interventions had a statistically significant moderating influence on the relationship between ecological transformative social change strategies and the management of teenage pregnancy. As a result, the government interventions are urgently needed to address teenage pregnancy in Mombasa County. There is need to put measures in place aimed at checking teenage pregnancies and their associated consequences such as abortions, girls dropping out of school as well as early marriages among others. There is also need to strengthen the contribution of families and school interventions in curbing teenage pregnancy. Civil society organizations, role models and other targeted community based interventions should be carried out to advocate for changes that could lead to reduction in teenage pregnancy among girls. The government in its capacity should be at the centre of ecological transformative social change strategies and the management of teenage pregnancy in Mombasa County.