Is a woman’s first pregnancy outcome related to her years of schooling? An assessment of women’s adolescent pregnancy outcomes and subsequent educational attainment in Ghana

• DOI: 10.1186/s12978-017-0378-2
• Publication Date: 2017-10-04T06:40:43Z
• Authors: Adriana A. E. Biney; Philomena Nyarko
• Keywords: Educational Attainment; Live birth

Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing pose challenges to young women's educational attainment. Studies show that while adolescent reduces attainment, not becoming pregnant resorting induced abortion when increases levels. This study examined relationships between adolescents' resolution of their first pregnancies subsequent outcomes, for all women ages 20–49 years across three age cohorts: 20–29, 30–39 40–49 year olds. Using the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey (GMHS) dataset, we conducted ANOVA, bivariate multivariate linear regression analyses on 8186 years. Women's outcomes were measured as live births, abortions, spontaneous abortions or no pregnancy, attainment constituted schooling. Findings showed schooling was highest who had lowest those experienced births. Women with births teenagers significantly fewer compared counterparts terminated pregnancies. Also, miscarriages stillbirths exhibited levels similar gave birth. Although teenage higher than counterparts, controlling at resulted in Finally, 30 39 olds only group whose results contradicted women. These findings may be due socio-economic political events affected time. Childbearing during adolescence does impact Therefore, addition encouraging mothers continue schooling, other interventions help keep girls school must focus preventing and/or delaying