Peer-reviewed article
Bibliometric analysis of teen pregnancy research in Asia-Africa: Explore the future scope.
Nugraheny E, Paramashanti BA, Ambarwati ER, Yanti Y, Ocktariyana O et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This bibliometric analysis reviewed 369 published articles on adolescent pregnancy from 2010 to 2023, focusing on research trends in Asian and African countries. South Africa and the United States produced the most publications, with major research clusters emerging around HIV infection, child health, health services, and pregnancy outcomes. The analysis identified gaps in research on vertical transmission, breastfeeding, and partner violence in relation to teen pregnancy. The study calls for more interdisciplinary research to address teenage pregnancy as a public health problem.
Key points
- 369 relevant articles were included in the bibliometric analysis covering 2010-2023
- South Africa and the United States were the leading countries in publication output
- Four main research clusters were identified: HIV infection, child health, health services, and pregnancy
- Top journals publishing this research include PLOS One, Reproductive Health, and BMC Public Health
- Identified research gaps include vertical transmission, breastfeeding practices, and partner violence related to teen pregnancy
Limitations
This is a bibliometric analysis that describes research trends and publication patterns rather than evaluating the effectiveness of interventions or the actual burden of adolescent pregnancy. The study cannot tell us what outcomes adolescent mothers and their children experience, or which interventions to address teen pregnancy actually work.
Abstract
Background Adolescent pregnancy is prevalent in Asian-African countries. Hence, it is critical to track the progress of research and development trends related to the topic. The study aimed to characterize published articles on teen pregnancy by measuring the authors' country and affiliation, most relevant and cited journals, thematic research, and growth trends. Materials and methods Descriptive statistics and retrospective bibliometric analysis were used. Using the Scopus database, we collected published articles from 2010 to 2023. Titles and abstracts were screened. Eligible papers were reviewed based on co-occurrence analysis. Classification and visualization of results were conducted using VOSviewer software version 1.6.17. Results A total of 369 articles were relevant and included in the review. The countries that produced the most publications were South Africa and the United States. The most relevant affiliation was with the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the University of Kwazulu-Natal. The most relevant source journals were PLOS One, Reproductive Health, and BMC Public Health. The most cited sources were Lancet, PLOS One, and AIDS Journal. Four clusters were obtained that reflect the main topics, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, child, health services, and pregnancy. The current research terms include HIV infection and maternal health services. Conclusions This study suggests more research on the term "vertical transmission, breastfeeding, and partner violence" related to teen pregnancy. In addition, this research will inspire researchers and adolescent health policymakers to expand the scope of research to solve teenage pregnancy problems based on interdisciplinary theories and methods.