Improving educational and reproductive outcomes for adolescent mothers in South Africa: A cross-sectional analysis towards realising policy goals

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of study participants.

	Total N = 851 %(n); M (SD)
Sociodemographic characteristics
Age at first pregnancy, years	16.6 (1.7)
Current age, years	18.4 (1.8)
First-born child age, years	2.0 (1.7)
Living with HIV	29.85% (254)
Adolescent mother lives with their caregiver	90.83% (773)
Rural residency	29.96% (255)
Orphanhood (maternal or paternal)	40.07% (341)
Food security	69.10% (588)
Informal housing	22.41% (186)
Household size	6.3 (2.7)
Adolescent mother is the primary caregiver	92.13% (784)
Adolescent mothers with more than one child	9.75% (83)
Grade delay preceding the pregnancy	51.70% (440)
Policy-aligned provisions and protective characteristics
Friendly and respectful health staff	3.9 (1.3)
Antenatal care services	35.96% (306)
Formal childcare use	31.29% (266)
Confidence and self-efficacy	20.60 (3.48)
School attendance during pregnancy	74.90% (576)
Child support grant receipt	95.96% (688)
Community-based collaborations and support	1.18% (10)
Selected policy-aligned outcomes
School return	68.20% (562)
Grade advancement	50.75% (406)
Pregnancy/HIV prevention	59.60% (503)

Table 2. Correlations between proposed provisions and protective characteristics.

	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.
1. Friendly and respectful health staff	–
2. Antenatal care services	−.042	–
3. Formal childcare use	.076*	−.026	–
4. Confidence and self-efficacy	.174*	.027	.128*	–
5. School attendance during pregnancy	−.022	.111	.088	.057	–
6. Child support grant receipt	−.086*	−.152	.276*	−.035	.19	–
7. Community-based collaborations and support	−.006	−.091	.080	.050	.13	−.271	–

Note. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Table 3. Multivariable associations between hypothesized provisions and protective characteristics and outcomes for adolescent mothers.

	Adjusted Odds Ratio	Std. Err.	z	P>|z|	[95% Conf. Interval]
School return
Friendly and respectful health staff	0.96	0.08	−0.41	.678	0.81	1.15
Antenatal care services	1.04	0.24	0.17	.866	0.66	1.65
Formal childcare use	3.07	0.90	3.81	.000	1.72	5.46
Confidence and self-efficacy	1.09	0.04	2.32	.020	1.01	1.17
School attendance during pregnancy	7.05	1.75	7.86	.000	4.33	11.47
Child support grant receipt	0.33	0.21	−1.72	.085	0.09	1.17
Community-based collaborations and  support	0.98	1.14	−0.02	.983	0.09	9.71
Grade promotion
Friendly and respectful health staff	1.25	0.09	2.92	.004	1.08	1.46
Antenatal care services	1.22	0.24	0.99	.320	0.83	1.79
Formal childcare use	1.61	0.37	2.08	.038	1.02	2.51
Confidence and self-efficacy	1.07	0.03	2.18	.029	1.01	1.14
School attendance during pregnancy	2.69	0.62	4.30	.000	1.71	4.23
Child support grant receipt	1.33	0.64	0.58	.559	0.51	3.42
Community-based collaborations and support	0.69	0.58	−0.43	.666	0.12	3.61
Pregnancy/HIV prevention
Friendly and respectful health staff	1.14	0.08	1.92	.054	0.99	1.31
Antenatal care services	0.79	0.14	−1.35	.178	0.56	1.11
Formal childcare use	1.33	0.27	1.43	.152	0.89	1.97
Confidence and self-efficacy	0.96	0.03	−1.42	.155	0.91	1.02
School attendance during pregnancy	1.09	0.23	0.40	.693	0.72	1.65
Child support grant receipt	0.69	0.31	−0.81	.417	0.30	1.67
Community-based collaborations and support	0.49	0.39	−0.88	.381	0.10	2.39

Table 4. Summary of adjusted probabilities and probability differences for policy-aligned outcomes.

	Exposure versus no exposure
	Adjusted probability	Adjusted probability difference
School return
No services	39.72 [30.55–48.88]	–
Friendly and respectful health staff	38.21 [26.42–49.99]	−1.50 [−8.56–5.56]
Formal childcare use	63.04 [51.71–74.37]	23.32 [11.61–35.04]***
Confidence and self-efficacy	45.60 [35.05–56.16]	5.89 [0.83–10.95]*
School attendance during pregnancy	77.75 [73.21–82.28]	38.03 [28.28–47.78]***
All services	92.09 [87.78–96.40]	52.37 [41.16–63.60]***
Grade promotion
No services	36.62 [28.26–44.97]	–
Friendly and respectful health staff	46.28 [35.27–47.28]	9.66 [3.07–16.24]**
Formal childcare use	46.53 [35.66–57.39]	9.91 [0.60–19.21]*
Confidence and self-efficacy	41.34 [31.65–51.04]	4.73 [0.40–9.06]*
School attendance during  pregnancy	57.52 [52.06–62.98]	20.90 [11.51–30.30]***
All services	78.67 [71.78–85.57]	42.06 [30.20–53.92]***
Pregnancy/HIV prevention
No services	55.22 [46.19–64.24]	–
Friendly and respectful health staff	61.56 [50.63–72.49]	6.34 [0.01–12.67]*
Formal childcare use	61.96 [51.51–72.41]	6.74 [−2.37–15.86]
Confidence and self-efficacy	67.91 [56.54–79.28]	−3.34 [−7.97–1.27]
School attendance during pregnancy	57.25 [51.69–62.81]	2.03 [−7.93–11.99]
All services	66.76 [57.62–75.90]	11.54 [−2.35–25.44]

Note. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Table

	Exposure versus no exposure
	Adjusted probability	Probability difference
School return
No services	39.72 [30.56–48.88]	–
Formal childcare use	63.03 [51.71–74.35]	23.30 [11.61–35.00]***
Confidence and self-efficacy	45.61 [35.06–56.16]	5.88 [0.84–10.93]*
School attendance during pregnancy	77.72 [73.19–82.26]	38.00 [28.26–47.74]***
All services	92.56 [88.85–96.27]	52.84 [41.80–63.87]***
Grade promotion
No services	36.62 [28.26–44.97]	–
Friendly and respectful health staff	46.28 [35.27–57.28]	9.66 [3.07–16.24]**
Formal childcare use	46.53 [35.66–57.36]	9.91 [0.60–19.21]*
Confidence and self-efficacy	41.34 [31.65–51.04]	4.73 [0.40–9.06]*
School attendance during pregnancy	57.52 [52.06–62.98]	20.90 [11.51–30.30]***
All services	78.67 [71.78–85.57]	42.06 [30.20–53.92]***
Pregnancy/HIV prevention
No services	77.36 [66.67–88.05]	–
Friendly and respectful health staff	84.28 [72.19–96.39]	6.91 [5.22–8.62]***

Note. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.