Exploring the factors responsible for repeated adolescent pregnancies among single teenage mothers in Ikumbya Subcounty, Luuka District in Uganda

Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of single teenage mothers on repeat adolescent pregnancy in Ikumbya sub-county, Luuka district, Uganda. The specific objectives were to examine the personal, family, and community risk and protective factors associated with repeat pregnancy, and to explore the psychosocial issues and access to support services among single teenage mothers. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and the Life Course Perspective, the study adopted a qualitative research design using descriptive phenomenology to capture lived experiences. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit eight single teenage mothers aged 15–19 years, and data were collected through narrative interviews. Verbatim transcripts were subjected to content and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that repeat adolescent pregnancy was driven by intersecting vulnerabilities: individual-level factors such as financial dependence, myths about contraception, inability to negotiate safer sex, and defilement; family-level factors including poverty, neglect, and history of teenage mothering; and community-level influences such as peer pressure, stigma, and limited access to services. Psychosocial issues included distress, low self-esteem, and hopelessness, although some resilience was observed. The study concludes that without addressing these multi-level risks, single teenage mothers remain trapped in cycles of poverty and disadvantage. It recommends provision of adolescent-friendly mental health services, improved access to contraception, vocational and livelihood support, and strengthening of family and community support systems. The findings provide important insights for social work practice and policy, contributing to efforts to reduce repeat adolescent pregnancy and promote the well-being of vulnerable adolescent mothers in Uganda.