The prevalence of pregnancy among adolescent girls and young women across the Southern African development community economic hub: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Incidence of unintended pregnancies and pregnancy experience among adolescents living with perinatally-acquired HIV in West Africa: a mixed-method study

BACKGROUND

Sexual and reproductive health issues in adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) have been left behind in HIV care programs. ALHIV are at risk of unintended pregnancy which jeopardizes their socio-economic future, health outcomes and exposes their newborn to HIV transmission. A better understanding of these events is needed. We studied the 18-month pregnancy incidence, and explored experiences of pregnancy among female ALHIV enrolled in the OPTIMISE-AO cohort, nested in the prospective paediatric IeDEA cohort in Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

METHODS

We conducted a mixed-method study nested in the OPTIMISE-AO-ANRS-12390 project, a stepped-wedge interventional trial launched in 2021 to support HIV-disclosure and antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence in assenting ALHIV aged 10-17 years in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. We estimated the 18-month incidence rate of pregnancy per 100 woman-years (WY) among those older than 14 years at inclusion. In Abidjan, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with eight adolescents who became pregnant since their inclusion to report their pregnancy experience.

RESULTS

After 18 months of follow-up, 12 pregnancies occurred among the 111 ALHIV followed up over 153 WY, yielding an overall pregnancy incidence of 7.8/100 WY (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 4.4-13.7). Stratified by age at enrolment, it was 2.2 (95%CI: 0.3-15.5), 7.6 (95%CI: 2.8-20.3), 13.1 (95%CI:5.4-31.4), 11.5 (95%CI: 2.8-45.8) per 100 WY in those aged 14, 15, 16, and 17 years, respectively. After birth, all the newborns (12/12) had received prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission ART, and were HIV-negative at the 6-week early infant HIV diagnosis. The eight ALHIV interviewed shared that the discovery of their pregnancy, all unintended, was a shock, and led to negative consequences, such as rejection from their family, and stigmatisation. Most attempted to terminate their pregnancy unsuccessfully. They reported major financial challenges associated with their pregnancy that forced them to find a job rather than going back to school after delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

In West Africa, the incidence of unintended pregnancy was high among female ALHIV and resulted in negative socioeconomic outcomes. HIV care programs should include interventions that improve awareness and access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception, to meet the needs of ALHIV in West Africa.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry on 13 February 2024 (reference no. PACTR202402863175053).

Exploring the impact of the Global Community-Based Education (G-CBE) program at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), Rwanda: insights from the inaugural cohort

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Community-Based Education (CBE) integrates practical experiences within community settings to deepen students' understanding of real-world issues. In July 2023, the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) launched the Global Community-Based Education (G-CBE) program, designed to immerse international students in diverse settings across Rwanda and enhance their grasp of social determinants of health, community health and social medicine.

OBJECTIVES

This study explores the experiences and perceptions of the first cohort of the G-CBE program at UGHE. It aims to evaluate how the program influenced the learning, career development, and understanding of community health for the 10 participating students.

METHODS

Qualitative methods were employed, including 10 in-depth interviews (IDIs) to gather insights into the participants' experiences and the perceived benefits of the G-CBE program.

KEY FINDINGS

Students reported gaining a comprehensive understanding of social determinants of health, developing a strong appreciation for community-driven approaches, and acquiring practical skills through hands-on experiences. The program also broadened their global health perspective and heightened their awareness of health inequities.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the significance of immersive community-based learning in global health education. The students' experiences will inform ongoing improvements to the G-CBE program, enhancing its effectiveness in preparing future health professionals.

Exploring mental health problems and support needs among pregnant and parenting teenagers in rural areas Of Limpopo, South Africa

BACKGROUND

Globally, teenage pregnancy is among the most social problems, affecting 21 million adolescents aged 15-19. Due to the increased responsibility of prenatal and postnatal care for their infants without support, pregnant and parenting teenagers, tend to experience mental health problems. Factors contributing to these problems among pregnant and parenting teenagers in rural African settings have hardly received scholarly attention and, therefore, are less understood. The purpose of the study was to explore mental health and challenges among pregnant and parenting teenagers,.

METHOD(S)

The study adopted a qualitative descriptive, exploratory, and phenomenological design. Purposive sampling was used to select 22 pregnant and parenting teenagers 18 years or older. Data were collected in ten selected clinics within the Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) of DIMAMO and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The findings reveal that pregnant and parenting teenagers in rural areas experience various mental challenges such as depression. These challenges are caused by social problems such as stigmatisation, lack of support from families and friends, as well as parenting demands that contribute to poor progress at school or dropouts. Pregnant teens expressed concerns about the lack of spousal support resulting from abandoning their partners.

CONCLUSIONS

Stress and depression were self-reported as mental problems among participants with various psychosocial implications, such as school dropout and miscarriage. There are various contributing factors to the mental health problems identified among pregnant and parenting teenagers, including inadequate family and spousal support. Access to integrated reproductive, psychosocial, and mental health services could be essential for these pregnant and parenting teenagers, to improve their mental well-being and improve the support system.

Study protocol for a type-II hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to reach teenagers using mobile money shops to reduce unintended pregnancies in Uganda

INTRODUCTION

Unintended teenage pregnancies have become a global public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a notably high prevalence of unintended pregnancies among unmarried teenagers in Uganda. This study will develop an intervention programme using mobile money shops (vendors) as a platform to deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services to teenagers and assess its effectiveness and scalability in Uganda.

METHODS AND ANALYSES

This hybrid study comprises two integral components: an intervention study to assess the effectiveness of vendor-mediated intervention and implementation research to evaluate the implementation process. 30 vendors will be recruited for both intervention and control arms in 2 municipalities in Eastern Uganda, which have a high unintended pregnancy prevalence rate among unmarried teens aged 15-19 years. A preintervention and postintervention repeated survey involving 600 participants for each arm will be conducted over 4 months. The primary outcome is the rate of condom users among teenage vendor users. The secondary outcomes include the rate of preference for receiving SRHR services at vendors and knowledge regarding SRHR. A difference-in-differences analysis will be used to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. The Bowen model will be employed to evaluate the implementation design.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of Uganda Christen University and JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development in Japan. The findings will be widely disseminated. This study was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network in Japan (UMIN000053332) on 12 January 2024.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000053332.

Individual and community-level determinants of knowledge about fertile periods among adolescent girls and young women (10-24 years) in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel mixed effect analysis of a recent demographic and health survey

Background

Identifying fertility periods accurately will protect teenage girls and young women from unintended pregnancies and related complications. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of the fertile period among adolescent girls and young women is not well studied. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess adolescents' and young women's knowledge regarding fertility periods and its determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

The most recent demographic and health surveys' data were used. The study had 140,064 participants in all. The data was analyzed using STATA/SE version 14. Using a multilevel logistic regression model, factors associated with knowledge of fertile periods have been determined. P-values <0.05 showed the significance of the factors associated with the outcome variable. The data were interpreted using the adjusted odds ratio and confidence interval. The best-fit model was determined to be the one with the highest logliklihood ratio and the lowest deviance.

Results

One in five (20%) women between the ages of 10 and 24 had accurate knowledge about the fertile period. Age (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.40, 1.49), educational level (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.60, 1.77), knowledge of family planning (AOR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.39), distance (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 2.02, 2.98), residence (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10), and low community poverty (AOR = 3.06, 95% CI: 3.01, 3.12) had higher odds of knowledge about fertile period.

Conclusion

This research finds that adolescents and young women in sub-Saharan Africa have low knowledge of the reproductive period. It was discovered that factors at the individual and communal levels influence women's knowledge of the fertile period. While developing policies and strategies, the health ministries of Sub-Saharan African countries had to take into consideration input from women whose experiences indicated that obtaining reproductive health services was hindered by distance.

Prevalence and associated factors of probable depression amongst pregnant and parenting young females: a comparison of adolescents and young adults in rural South Africa

Background

Pregnant teenagers have been reported to have an increased likelihood of experiencing depression than their non-pregnant peers. There is little research on the risk factors for depression in rural Black adolescents and young adults, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify the prevalence of probable depression and associated factors amongst pregnant and parenting young females.

Method

The study was a cross-sectional design, consisting of 362 pregnant and parenting adolescents and young adults aged 14-22. The study used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to measure probable depression. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS, version 27.0.

Results

The study found that the overall prevalence of probable depression was 42.8%. The study also found a relationship between alcohol consumption, lack of financial support, unplanned pregnancy, and probable depression in pregnant and parenting adolescents. The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in the present study was 81.8%.

Conclusion

Furthermore, the present study indicated that participants from low socio-economic status families and those who were HIV positive were at a greater risk of depression in both groups. Therefore, we recommend that measures be put in place for early detection and treatment of depression and that social support be given to adolescent mothers.

To Be or Not to Be: Addressing of PRISMA Checklist for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

The Article Abstract is not available.

A Tailored mHealth Intervention for Improving Antenatal Care Seeking and Health Behavioral Determinants During Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa: Development and Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

South Africa, a middle-income country, has an adolescent fertility rate far higher than that of high-income countries. Adolescent girls and young women have an increased risk of pregnancy-related complications and lower antenatal appointment attendance rates than older adult pregnant women. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions to improve health behaviors among pregnant adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries are scarce.

OBJECTIVE

This paper describes the development and components of an mHealth intervention to improve antenatal appointment attendance and health behavioral determinants among pregnant adolescent girls and young women in South Africa and details the protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial that evaluated the intervention's efficacy and user acceptability.

METHODS

The intervention, Teen MomConnect, sent tailored motivational behavior change and behavioral reinforcement SMS text messages to participants about antenatal appointment keeping and pregnancy behaviors. The delivery methodology of the intervention was adapted from MomConnect, an mHealth education program for pregnant women in South Africa that has nationwide coverage. In addition, participants received a face-to-face motivational interviewing session delivered by a trained research assistant. Pregnant adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 20 years were recruited from health facilities and community networks. Participants were randomized into the control group that received the standard MomConnect health SMS text messages or the experimental group that received the Teen MomConnect intervention. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire upon enrollment in the study and a follow-up questionnaire after the end of their pregnancy. The questionnaires assessed demographic characteristics, pregnancy behaviors, and the psychosocial determinants of antenatal appointment attendance (knowledge, attitudes, social support, risk perceptions, self-efficacy, intention, and action planning). Feasibility was assessed using descriptive analyses of acceptability, study implementation processes, and perceived satisfaction with the intervention. The number of appointments attended was obtained from the participants' clinic records. Appointment attendance was compared between the control and experimental groups, as were awareness of HIV status and the psychosocial determinants of antenatal appointment attendance.

RESULTS

Participant recruitment was conducted from May 2018 to December 2018, and the questionnaire-based data collection was completed by December 2019. Overall, 412 participants were enrolled.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper describes the Teen MomConnect intervention to improve antenatal appointment attendance and pregnancy health behaviors among adolescent girls and young women. The results on the intervention's preliminary efficacy and user acceptability will inform policy makers and health program officers on how tailored, age-appropriate, and motivational health behavior messages can be delivered via mobile phone to pregnant adolescent girls and young women.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR) PACTR201912734889796; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=9565.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/43654.

"Words are too small": exploring artmaking as a tool to facilitate dialogues with young South African women about their sexual and reproductive health experiences

Background

Adolescents and young women are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. However, conversations about sexual and reproductive health (S&RH) are difficult and stigmatised. Visual art-based approaches have been a useful adjunct to language-dependent interviews, encouraging embodied memory recall. Here, we explored a novel visual art-based methodology-"Stories from the Edge"-with a cohort of young women to understand how artmaking might facilitate dialogue of how S&RH experiences influenced behaviour, to enrich dialogues captured in the individual in-depth interviews (IDIs).

Methods

Seven isiXhosa-speaking young women (aged 21-25 years) were recruited into a six-session art-based engagement, painting the stories of their S&RH experiences. Large format artmaking and IDIs contributed to the data set. IDIs were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated and then analysed thematically.

Results

Young women felt that the visual art-based methodology eased barriers to communicating experiences of S&RH-seeking behaviours, with one woman commenting that "words are too small" to capture lived experiences. Artmaking provided the opportunity to express emotional complexities of the pleasures of intimate relationships and the heartbreak of betrayal for which they had no language. Significant social relationships (family, partners, peers) influenced sexual and reproduction attitudes and practices more than healthcare facilities and staff and more distal socio-cultural attitudes/practices. These influences shifted from adolescence to adulthood-from family to peer and partners.

Conclusion

Young women valued using the art-based methodology, which facilitated recall and verbalising their S&RH experiences more fully than language-only research. The process outlined here could provide a creative method that builds communication skills to negotiate the needs and desires of young women with partners and staff at S&RH services.

Intimate partner violence victimization during pregnancy increases risk of postpartum depression among urban adolescent mothers in South Africa

BACKGROUND

It is estimated that 38.8% of mothers develop postpartum depression (PPD) in South Africa. While empirical evidence documents an association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization in pregnancy and PPD among adult women, the association has been underexamined among adolescent mothers (< 19 years). The study's purpose is to examine whether IPV victimization during pregnancy is associated with PPD among adolescent mothers.

METHODS

Adolescent mothers (14-19 years) were recruited at a regional hospital's maternity ward in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa between July 2017-April 2018. Participants completed behavioral assessments at two visits (n = 90): baseline (up to 4 weeks postpartum) and follow-up (6-9 weeks postpartum, when PPD is typically assessed). The WHO modified conflict tactics scale was used to create a binary measure of any physical and/or psychological IPV victimization that occurred during pregnancy. Participants with scores ≥ 13 on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were classified as having symptoms of PPD. We used a modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors to assess PPD in association with IPV victimization during pregnancy, controlling for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

Nearly one-half (47%) of adolescent mothers reported symptoms of PPD by 6-9 weeks post-delivery. Further, IPV victimization during pregnancy was highly prevalent (40%). Adolescent mothers who reported IPV victimization during pregnancy had marginally higher risk of PPD at follow-up (RR: 1.50, 95 CI: 0.97-2.31; p = 0.07). The association was strengthened and significant in covariate-adjusted analysis (RR: 1.62, 95 CI: 1.06-2.49; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Poor mental health was common among adolescent mothers, and IPV victimization during pregnancy was associated with PPD risk among adolescent mothers. Implementing IPV and PPD routine screenings during the perinatal period may aid in identifying adolescent mothers for IPV and PPD interventions and treatment. With the high prevalence of IPV and PPD in this vulnerable population and the potential negative impact on maternal and infant outcomes, interventions to reduce IPV and PPD are needed to improve adolescent mothers' well-being and their baby's health.

Psychosocial determinants of pre-exposure prophylaxis use among pregnant adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town, South Africa: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

In South Africa, at least 7.5 million people (age ≥15 years) are living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 2020, 220,000 new infections occurred, approximately one-third of which were among cisgender adolescent girls and women (age ≥15 years). The perspectives of pregnant adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) as key, targeted end-users of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in this setting are not well known.

METHODS

We purposively recruited participants enrolled in an ongoing cohort study at an urban antenatal clinic in Cape Town, South Africa for in-depth interviews between July-September 2020. We restricted our analysis to pregnant AGYW (age: 16-25 years) who initiated daily oral PrEP (Tenofovir/Emtricitabine) antenatally and self-reported either high PrEP persistence (≥25 days in the past 30 days and no missed PrEP collection), or low PrEP persistence and/or discontinuation (missing >5 days in the last 30 days or missed PrEP collection). The findings were organized thematically, per the adapted Health Behavior Model (2000), using Nvivo-v.1.5.

RESULTS

We interviewed 18 AGYW (mean age = 22 years), at a mean of 14 weeks postpartum. Higher self-esteem and high-quality study provider-client relationships, including empathic psychosocial support, facilitated PrEP continuation. Reported barriers included unstable social structure characteristics (i.e., financial hardship) and individual factors (i.e., unintended pregnancy, parental rejection, and inadequate peer- and [non-cohabiting] partner support). Participants self-perceived a need for PrEP, feeling susceptible to non-consensual, forced sex, or considering partners' (presumed) sexual risk-taking. Limited community awareness regarding PrEP availability and/or perceived complexity in navigating health system access to PrEP, impede continuation.

CONCLUSIONS

PrEP-focused healthcare access pathways for pregnant and postpartum AGYW need to be simplified. Further research is needed on health system determinants (i.e., structural barriers, provider-client interactions, and related outcomes) of oral PrEP utilization. In 2022, South Africa announced regulatory approval of long-acting PrEP options (i.e., the dapivirine ring for non-pregnant women and injectable cabotegravir, respectively); these may mitigate implementation barriers reported in this study. However, the safety and efficacy of long-acting PrEP (e.g., injectables, implants) among pregnant or breastfeeding women, specifically, remains to be confirmed in this setting.

Young people's access to sexual and reproductive health prevention services in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online questionnaire

INTRODUCTION

The South African government responded swiftly to the first wave of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with a nationwide lockdown. Initial restrictions from March-July 2020 required people to stay at home unless accessing essential, life-saving services. We sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns affected young people's access to sexual and reproductive health services in a high-prevalence HIV setting.

METHODS

We analysed data from a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire conducted with 15-24 year-olds from September-December 2020 in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The questionnaire was promoted through social media platforms. Participants were asked whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions affected their access to sexual and reproductive health services, through closed-ended and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics using proportions were used to summarise responses, and open text was analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Of 3431 respondents, the proportions reporting 'more difficulty' accessing HIV testing services, HIV self-screening kits, condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis and antiretroviral treatment since the COVID-19 pandemic were 16.8%, 13.7%, 13.9%, 11% and 7%, respectively. In 796 open-text responses, participants described challenges accessing HIV services due to clinics being overwhelmed and prioritising patients with COVID-19, resulting in young people being turned away. Some were afraid of contracting COVID-19 at or en route to clinics. Others were unable to reach clinics because of restricted transport or financial insecurity.

DISCUSSION

Young people in Eastern Cape rely on local clinics for services, and large proportions of young males and females faced difficulties or fears accessing clinics during the COVID-19 lockdown. Clinics became overwhelmed or inaccessible, limiting young people's access to sexual and reproductive health services. In high HIV risk contexts, prevention services and tools must be more accessible to young people, outside of clinics and within the communities and spaces that young people can access without fear or cost.

Adolescent mothers and their children affected by HIV-An exploration of maternal mental health, and child cognitive development

BACKGROUND

Some children born to adolescent mothers may have developmental challenges, while others do not. Research focusing on which children of adolescent mothers are at the highest risk for cognitive delay is still required. Both maternal HIV status and maternal mental health may affect child development. An examination of maternal mental health, especially in the presence of maternal HIV infection may be timely. This study explores the relationship between the mental health of adolescent mothers (comparing those living with and not living with HIV) and the cognitive development performance scores of their children. Additional possible risk and protective factors for poor child development are explored to identify those children born to adolescent mothers who may be at the greatest risk of poor cognitive development.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data utilised within the analyses was drawn from a large cohort of adolescent mothers and their children residing in South Africa. Detailed study questionnaires were completed by adolescent mothers relating to their self and their child and, standardised cognitive assessments were completed by trained researchers for all children using in the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. Chi-square, t-tests (Kruskal Wallis tests, where appropriate), and ANOVA were used to explore sample characteristics and child cognitive development scores by maternal mental health status (operationalised as likely common mental disorder) and combined maternal mental health and HIV status. Multivariable linear regression models were used to explore the relationship between possible risk factors (including poor maternal mental health and HIV) and, child cognitive development scores.

RESULTS

The study included 954 adolescent mothers; 24.1% (230/954) were living with HIV, 12.6% (120/954) were classified as experiencing likely common mental disorder. After adjusting for covariates, maternal HIV was found to be associated with reduced child gross motor scores (B = -2.90 [95%CI: -5.35, -0.44], p = 0.02), however, no other associations were identified between maternal likely common mental disorder, or maternal HIV status (including interaction terms), and child cognitive development scores. Sensitivity analyses exploring individual maternal mental health scales identified higher posttraumatic stress symptomology scores as being associated with lower child cognitive development scores. Sensitivity analyses exploring potential risk and protective factors for child cognitive development also identified increased maternal educational attainment as being protective of child development scores, and increased child age as a risk factor for lower development scores.

CONCLUSIONS

This study addresses a critical evidence gap relating to the understanding of possible risk factors for the cognitive development of children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV. This group of mothers experience a complex combination of risk factors, including HIV, likely common mental disorder, and structural challenges such as educational interruption. Targeting interventions to support the cognitive development of children of adolescent mothers most at risk may be of benefit. Clearly a basket of interventions needs to be considered, such as the integration of mental health provision within existing services, identifying multiple syndemics of risk, and addressing educational and structural challenges, all of which may boost positive outcomes for both the mother and the child.

The development of children born to young mothers with no, first- or second-generation HIV acquisition in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The intergenerational effects of HIV require long-term investigation. We compared developmental outcomes of different generations impacted by HIV-children of mothers not living with HIV, the 'second generation' (ie, with recently infected mothers) and the 'third generation' (ie, children of perinatally infected mothers).

METHODS

A cross-sectional community sample of N=1015 young mothers (12-25 years) and their first children (2-68 months, 48.2% female), from South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. 71.3% (n=724) of children were born to mothers not living with HIV; 2.7% (n=27; 1 living with HIV) were third-generation and 26.0% (n=264; 11 living with HIV) second-generation children. Child scores on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), the WHO Ten Questions Screen for Disability and maternal demographics were compared between groups using χ2 tests and univariate approach, analysis of variance analysis. Hierarchical linear regressions investigated predictive effects of familial HIV infection patterns on child MSEL composite scores, controlling for demographic and family environment variables.

RESULTS

Second-generation children performed poorer on gross (M=47.0, SD=13.1) and fine motor functioning (M=41.4, SD=15.2) and the MSEL composite score (M=90.6, SD=23.0) than children with non-infected mothers (gross motor: M=50.4, SD=12.3; fine motor: M=44.4, SD=14.1; composite score: M=94.1, SD=20.7). The third generation performed at similar levels to non-exposed children (gross motor: M=52.4, SD=16.1; fine motor: M=44.3, SD=16.1, composite score: M=94.7, SD=22.2), though analyses were underpowered for definite conclusions. Hierarchical regression analyses suggest marginal predictive effects of being second-generation child compared with having a mother not living with HIV (B=-3.3, 95% CI=-6.8 to 0 .1) on MSEL total scores, and non-significant predictive effects of being a third-generation child (B=1.1, 5% CI=-7.5 to 9.7) when controlling for covariates. No group differences were found for disability rates (26.9% third generation, 27.7% second generation, 26.2% non-exposed; χ2=0.02, p=0.90).

CONCLUSION

Recently infected mothers and their children may struggle due to the disruptiveness of new HIV diagnoses and incomplete access to care/support during pregnancy and early motherhood. Long-standing familial HIV infection may facilitate care pathways and coping, explaining similar cognitive development among not exposed and third-generation children. Targeted intervention and fast-tracking into services may improve maternal mental health and socioeconomic support.

Adolescent parenthood and HIV-infection in South Africa-Associations with child cognitive development

HIV, both directly and indirectly, impacts child development outcomes. The most severe impacts are for children infected with HIV, and those exposed but uninfected are also shown to have challenges-though less severe. However, little is known regarding the development of children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV. This study aims to examine cognitive development for children born to adolescent mothers, comparing those children living with HIV, those HIV exposed and uninfected (HEU) and those HIV unexposed (HU). Analyses utilise cross-sectional data from 920 adolescent mother (10-19 years)-first born child dyads residing in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Participants completed detailed study questionnaires inclusive of validated and study specific measures relating to sociodemographic characteristics, HIV, and maternal and child health. Trained assessors administered standardised child development assessments (using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning) with all children. Chi-square tests and ANOVA tests were used to explore maternal and child characteristics according to child HIV status (HIV, HEU, HU) on cognitive development. Linear regression models were used to explore the cross-sectional associations between child HIV status and child cognitive development. 1.2% of children were living with HIV, 20.5% were classified as being HEU and, 78.3% were classified as HU. Overall, children living with HIV were found to perform lower across developmental domains compared to both HEU and HU groups (composite score of early learning: 73.0 vs 91.2 vs. 94.1, respectively: F = 6.45, p = 0.001). HEU children on average scored lower on all developmental domains compared to HU children, reaching significance on the gross motor domain (p<0.05). Exploratory analyses identified maternal education interruption as a potential risk factor for lower child cognitive development scores and, higher maternal age to be protective of child cognitive development scores. These exploratory findings address a critical evidence gap regarding the cognitive development of children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV in South Africa. Analyses identify stepwise differences in the average scoring on child cognitive development domains according to child HIV status among children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV; with children living with HIV performing worse overall. Young mothers and their children may benefit from adapted interventions aimed at bolstering child development outcomes. Targeted programming particularly among younger adolescent mothers and those experiencing education interruption may identify those families, particularly in need. Attention to maternal continuity of education and age of conception may be interventions to consider.

Adolescent Motherhood and HIV in South Africa: Examining Prevalence of Common Mental Disorder

The mental health of adolescents (10–19 years) remains an overlooked global health issue, particularly within the context of syndemic conditions such as HIV and pregnancy. Rates of pregnancy and HIV among adolescents within South Africa are some of the highest in the world. Experiencing pregnancy and living with HIV during adolescence have both been found to be associated with poor mental health within separate explorations. Yet, examinations of mental health among adolescents living with HIV who have experienced pregnancy/parenthood remain absent from the literature. As such, there exists no evidence-based policy or programming relating to mental health for this group. These analyses aim to identify the prevalence of probable common mental disorder among adolescent mothers and, among adolescents experiencing the syndemic of motherhood and HIV. Analyses utilise data from interviews undertaken with 723 female adolescents drawn from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of adolescents living with HIV (n = 1059) and a comparison group of adolescents without HIV (n = 467) undertaken within the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Detailed study questionnaires included validated and study specific measures relating to HIV, adolescent motherhood, and mental health. Four self-reported measures of mental health (depressive, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and suicidality symptomology) were used to explore the concept of likely common mental disorder and mental health comorbidities (experiencing two or more common mental disorders concurrently). Chi-square tests (Fisher’s exact test, where appropriate) and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to assess differences in sample characteristics (inclusive of mental health status) according to HIV status and motherhood status. Logistic regression models were used to explore the cross-sectional associations between combined motherhood and HIV status and, likely common mental disorder/mental health comorbidities. 70.5% of participants were living with HIV and 15.2% were mothers. 8.4% were mothers living with HIV. A tenth (10.9%) of the sample were classified as reporting a probable common mental disorder and 2.8% as experiencing likely mental health comorbidities. Three core findings emerge: (1) poor mental health was elevated among adolescent mothers compared to never pregnant adolescents (measures of likely common mental disorder, mental health comorbidities, depressive, anxiety and suicidality symptoms), (2) prevalence of probable common mental disorder was highest among mothers living with HIV (23.0%) compared to other groups (Range:8.5–12.8%; Χ² = 12.54, p = 0.006) and, (3) prevalence of probable mental health comorbidities was higher among mothers, regardless of HIV status (HIV & motherhood = 8.2%, No HIV & motherhood = 8.2%, Χ² = 14.5, p = 0.002). Results identify higher mental health burden among adolescent mothers compared to never-pregnant adolescents, an increased prevalence of mental health burden among adolescent mothers living with HIV compared to other groups, and an elevated prevalence of mental health comorbidities among adolescent mothers irrespective of HIV status. These findings address a critical evidence gap, highlighting the commonality of mental health burden within the context of adolescent motherhood and HIV within South Africa as well as the urgent need for support and further research to ensure effective evidence-based programming is made available for this group. Existing antenatal, postnatal, and HIV care may provide an opportunity for mental health screening, monitoring, and referral.

Risk factors for poor mental health among adolescent mothers in South Africa

In South Africa, high rates of adolescent pregnancy and HIV pose prominent public health challenges with potential implications for mental wellbeing. It is important to understand risk factors for mental health difficulties among adolescent mothers affected by HIV. This study aims to identify the prevalence of likely common mental disorder among adolescent mothers (both living with and not living with HIV) and explores hypothesised risk factors for likely common mental disorder. Cross-sectional data from adolescent mothers (10-19 years; n=1002) utilised within these analyses are drawn from a cohort of young mothers residing in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. All mothers completed a detailed questionnaire consisting of standardised measures of sociodemographic characteristics, mental health, and hypothesised risk factors. Logistic regression models were utilised to explore associations between hypothesised risk factors and likely common mental disorder. Risk factors were clustered within a hypothesised socioecological framework and entered into models using a stepwise sequential approach. Interaction effects with maternal HIV status were additionally explored. The prevalence of likely common mental disorder among adolescent mothers was 12.6%. Adolescent mothers living with HIV were more likely to report likely common mental disorder compared to adolescent mothers not living with HIV (16.2% vs 11.2%, X2=4.41, p=0.04). Factors associated with likely common mental disorder were any abuse exposure (OR=2.54 [95%CI:1.20-5.40], p=0.01), a lack of perceived social support (OR=4.09 [95%CI:2.48-6.74], p=<0.0001), and community violence exposure (OR=2.09 [95%CI:1.33-3.27], p=0.001). There was limited evidence of interaction effects between risk factors, and maternal HIV status. Violence exposure and a lack of perceived support are major risk factors for poor mental health among adolescent mothers in South Africa. Violence prevention interventions and social support may help to reduce risk. Identified risk factors spanning individual, interpersonal, and community levels have the potential to impact adolescent maternal mental health.

“It Was a Mistake, but We Knew That Something Might Happen”: Narratives of Teenage Girls' Experiences With Unintended Teenage Pregnancy

It has been over a quarter of a century since the sexual reproductive health of young people came under the spotlight. The upsurge in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections spurred on an era of intense development of services and strategies to ensure people's reproductive health rights were attainable, including the right to choose when to fall pregnant and have a baby. The statistics on teenage pregnancy are more than just numbers, but a represent stark reality for some girls in South African schools. Given that pregnancy in the teenage years is largely unintentional, prevention strategies need to extend beyond addressing risky sexual behavior; gaining deeper insights into teenagers' experiences and the events leading up to pregnancy would serve to better inform pregnancy prevention programs. This study explored the experiences of teenage mothers and pregnant teenagers, with the objective of acquiring a broader understanding of alternative approaches to preventing unintended pregnancy. A qualitative study was conducted in Ekurhuleni's township in the east of Johannesburg, South Africa. Fifteen narrative interviews with girls aged 13–19 years were conducted between July 2015 and July 2016, and were analyzed chronologically through narrative analysis. The findings revealed that participants who had engaged in socio-sexual and romantic relationships had no intention of falling pregnant and were familiar with existing strategies to prevent pregnancy. Social-sexual relationships were presented as an important aspect of their lives and demonstrated their ability to create spaces and opportunities to spend time with their social sexual partners and engage in sexual activity. Focusing on how teenage girls evaluate their sexual activity against the consequences of their actions is critical. However, sexual and reproductive health programs should refrain from representing young people's sexual behavior as a pathological condition, framing it instead as an integral component of creative sexual development. Programs should include relevant practical advice in relation to sexual engagement and be considered an extension of the State's existing Road to Health program.