FACTORS INFLUENCE EARLY PREGNANCY TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS IN TANZANIA

Abstract This study aimed to investigate factors influence early pregnancy to secondary schools’ students in Tanzania. The study was guided by three (3) research questions which cover the aspects such as; factors influence early pregnancy to secondary schools’ students, effects of early school pregnancy and measures that should be employed to reduce or eradicate early school pregnancy among secondary school students. All literatures sources concerning factors influence early pregnancy to secondary schools’ students, effects of early school pregnancy and measures that should be employed to reduce or eradicate early school pregnancy among secondary school students were reviewed whereby purposeful sampling technique was used for selection of reviewed studies. The study used document review approach. Document analysis guide was used to collect information from 18 reviewed studies. Collected information were analyzed by using narrative synthesis method through textual narrative summaries for describing and identifying patterns and differences between multiple studies from diverse sources in order to address or examine an issue. It was found that home-based factors, students’ personal characteristics and economic factors such as family neglect, poor parenting and broken marriages, knowledge on reproductive health services, beliefs and attitudes on sexual health, early sexual practice, cell phone usage, peer group pressure, poverty level, parental level of education, parental occupation to the large extent influenced early pregnancy. Also, the study revealed that early pregnancy led to school dropout, diseases such as sexual transmitted diseases, anemia, malnutrition and bleeding, poverty, street children, emotional instability, complication during delivery, school attendance, academic performance, emotional behavior, broken marriages and miscarriages, increased family burden and abortion. The study recommends that collaboration of different sectors such as Department of Health, Department of Social Development and Department of Education to work together to address the different levels identified to be influencing early pregnancy among secondary schools’ students.