Teenage pregnancies, practices, and utilization of RCH services by the tribal and nontribal population of West and South Tripura districts: A mixed method study

BACKGROUND: As per NFHS III, 4.5% of the teen aged women of Tripura were pregnant, 18.5% have begun childbearing, and 14% have given live births. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of teenage pregnancies among tribal and nontribal population of West and South districts of Tripura, to study the social practice of care during these pregnancies, and to assess the utilization of RCH services by them. METHODS: A community-based mixed method study was conducted from 5(th) September 2014 to 4(th) September 2015 among 2108 tribal and nontribal women aged 15 to ≤18 years residing in the undivided West and South districts of Tripura chosen by multistage sampling. RESULT: Among the study women, 93.5% were married, 6.3% were unmarried, and 0.2% was either divorced or widowed. Out of total, 21.35% were pregnant and 57.92% had already delivered. ASHA services were received by 59.73% and 72.13% in West and South districts and by 68.09% and 63.69% of the tribal and nontribal, respectively. JSY registration was 53.99% and 83.43% in West and South districts and 71.56% and 66.91% among tribal and nontribal, respectively. Antenatal check-up was received by 96.26% and 90.79% in West and South districts and 89.39% and 97.66% among tribal and nontribal ever pregnant women, respectively. Home deliveries were higher among tribal and they had inadequate postnatal check-up. Practice of isolated confinement following childbirth was fewer and these rooms were unclean and ill-ventilated though normal clothing was used. Qualitative component revealed that underutilization of RCH services was mainly due to poor quality of services, ignorance, and economic constraints to reach health facility. CONCLUSION: Teenage pregnancy is prevalent in Tripura and more among tribal. Ignorance of the women and poor quality of RCH services at primary health care level are responsible for its underutilization.