PREVALENCE OF UNWANTED TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG TEENAGERS ATTENDING KIBAGABAGA LEVEL II TEACHING HOSPITAL, RWANDA

Abstract: Globally, an unwanted adolescent pregnancy is one of the biggest concerns. Annually, around 12 million adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 experience pregnancy, with 75% residing in sub-Saharan Africa. In Rwanda, unwanted adolescent pregnancy is recognized as a critical public health setback requiring coordinated efforts across multiple sectors. Despite previous successes in reducing teen pregnancies in Rwanda, progress has recently stalled. No studies have been published to elucidate level of unwanted teenager pregnancy in Gasabo district or Kibagabaga Level II Teaching hospital. It was this reasons that let to study prevalence of unwanted teenager pregnancy in Gasabo district and lastly evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among teenagers attending Kibagabaga Level II Teaching Hospital, Rwanda. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches through interviews and surveys. The design was descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective, covering data from the last five years. A sample of 341 teenage girls was selected using purposive and retrospective sampling techniques, and data were analyzed in SPSS version 25 using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that the period prevalence rate of teenage pregnancy among teenagers was 9.18% (31) with associated significant protective values of RR (0.01, 0.91) and p-value of 0,023. Knowledge of the negative attitudes and practices toward contraception significantly increased vulnerability. 94 (30.3%) of the respondents identified condoms as the method they were most familiar with. However, awareness of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as implants (4.1%) and emergency contraceptive pills (6.3%) was notably low. Attitudinal and practice assessments revealed similarly concerning trends where 58.1% (198) believed a girl should not suggest condom use to her boyfriend, and only 10.6% (36) reported using them consistently, while 60.7% (207) used them occasionally, and 28% (98) never used condoms. The study concluded that comprehensive SRH education, accessible youth-friendly services, and engagement of religious and cultural leaders are critical. Recommendations included establishing a youth-dedicated room (Icyumba cy’urubyiruko) at Kibagabaga Hospital served by trained SRH providers, expanding school and community outreach programs, integrating SRH into all education levels, and strengthening parent-adolescent communication on sexuality. Keywords: Prevalence, teenage pregnancy, health information, knowledge, attitude, practice, Kibagabaga, Rwanda. Title: PREVALENCE OF UNWANTED TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG TEENAGERS ATTENDING KIBAGABAGA LEVEL II TEACHING HOSPITAL, RWANDA Author: Mick Ndayishimiye, Maurice B. Silali International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 14, Issue 1, April 2026 - September 2026 Page No: 336-350 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 27-June-2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20955369 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/prevalence-of-unwanted-teenage-pregnancy-among-teenagers-attending-kibagabaga-level-ii-teaching-hospital-rwanda