Investigating the key drivers of increased adolescent pregnancies in Makululu Compound in Kabwe District.

Abstract

This research report investigates the key drivers of increased adolescent pregnancies in Makululu compound, Kabwe District, utilizing a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological lens. The study engaged 34 participants, including 26 adolescent girls who were either currently pregnant or had been pregnant before, selected through snowball sampling, and 8 key informants from clinical staff, guidance teachers, ward councillors, and staff members from Restless Development Zambia and USAID DREAMS, chosen through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analysed deductively, identifying emerging themes based on codes of interest. The findings revealed several significant factors contributing to adolescent pregnancies in Makululu, Kabwe district. Poverty emerged as a prominent issue, with most residents facing financial hardships and unemployment. This economic strain often leads young people to engage in transactional sex to afford desired lifestyles, such as owning smartphones and fashionable clothing. Early marriage, parental absence, alcohol consumption, and cultural factors also contribute to this issue. The prevalence of poverty and unemployment in Makululu creates an environment where young people are compelled to engage in risky behaviours such as transactional sex, to meet their basic needs and desires. This economic strain exacerbates the risk of adolescent pregnancies.