Peer-reviewed article
Factors associated with skilled attendants at birth among married adolescent girls in Nigeria: evidence from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2016/2017.
Babayemi O Olakunde, Daniel A Adeyinka, Bertille O Mavegam, Olubunmi A Olakunde, Hidayat B Yahaya et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study analysed data from 789 married adolescent girls aged 15-19 in Nigeria who gave birth in the two years before a 2016-2017 survey. Only 27% had a skilled birth attendant at delivery. Girls aged 18-19, those having their first child, those who received antenatal care from skilled providers, wealthier families, and those in south-west Nigeria were more likely to have skilled attendance at birth. The findings suggest that reducing early pregnancy, poverty, and improving access to skilled antenatal care could increase skilled birth attendance among this vulnerable group.
Key points
- Only 27% of married adolescent girls (15-19 years) in Nigeria had a skilled birth attendant at delivery
- Girls aged 18-19 were significantly more likely to have skilled birth attendance than younger girls
- Having antenatal care from skilled healthcare providers was strongly associated with skilled birth attendance
- Wealthier families (at least poor and middle wealth quintiles) had higher rates of skilled birth attendance compared to the poorest families
- Geographic location mattered: girls in south-west Nigeria had better access to skilled birth attendants than those in north-central regions
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional analysis that can only show associations, not prove causation. The study cannot explain why these factors are associated with skilled birth attendance, such as whether antenatal care improves access to skilled attendants or if other unmeasured factors affect both outcomes.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study examines the factors associated with skilled birth attendants at delivery among married adolescent girls in Nigeria. METHODS: The study was a secondary data analysis of the fifth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted between September 2016 and January 2017. Married adolescent girls aged 15-19 y who had live births in the last 2 y preceding the survey were included in the analysis. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses with a skilled birth attendant (doctor, nurse or midwife) at delivery as the outcome variable and sociodemographic, male partner- and maternal health-related factors as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Of the 789 married adolescent girls, 387 (27% [95% CI=22.8-30.7]) had a skilled birth attendant at delivery. In the adjusted model, adolescent girls who were aged ≥18 y (ref: <18 y), primiparous (ref: multiparous), had antenatal care (ANC) provided by skilled healthcare providers (ref: no ANC), belonged to at least the poor and middle wealth index quintiles (ref: poorest), and resided in the south west zone (ref: north central), independently had a significantly higher likelihood of having a skilled birth attendant at delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that will reduce pregnancy in younger adolescent girls, poverty, and increase ANC provided by skilled attendants, are likely to improve deliveries assisted by skilled birth attendants among married adolescent girls in Nigeria.