Socio-Economic Consequences of Adolescent Childbearing
in Osun State, Nigeria
John Lekan Oyefara*
Abstract
This study examines the socio-economic consequences of
women’s age at first childbirth in Osun State, Nigeria.
Cross-sectional survey of 1,000 women, of reproductive
age (15-49 years), was made. The socio-economic
backgrounds of the responding pre-childbirth family were
reflected upon and observed that all the respondents had
similar pre-childbirth socio-economic background. The
only discriminatory variable separating the respondents
into two groups was the timing of the first childbirth.
The first group consisted of 500 women, who had their
first childbirth under the age of 20. The second group
consisted of 500 women, who had their first childbirth
at the age of 20 and above. Findings show significant
direct relationship between age at first childbirth and
educational attainment at P<0.01. In addition to above
the first childbirth during adolescence had less or no
chance to join school for further study. There is
significant inverse relationship between the age at
first childbirth and marital stability at P<0.01. In
conclusion, the women in the States, who have their
first childbirth as adolescent, are more likely to have
poor socio-economic status at adulthood than those who
delay childbearing until their twenties.
JEL. Classification: B21; H75; I31; J12
Keywords: Adolescent, Fertility, Socio-economic consequences, Osun State, Nigeria
