HIV infection and fertility among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa

Adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa are the population group with the highest level of unmet sexual and reproductive health needs worldwide. Early onset of sexual activity is associated with a double burden of HIV infection and pregnancy. However, so far both problems have been analyzed as independent events. My objective is to examine fertility patterns among HIV-positive and negative adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa and study the mechanisms underlying adolescent childbearing and/or adolescent HIV infection. For doing so, I will use household- and individual-level data from the Demographic and Health Surveys collected in 32 sub-Saharan African countries. This project seeks to demonstrate that early pregnancy and HIV infection are two concurrent risks faced by adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa when they initiate sexual activity. Failure to address the dual problems of high HIV prevalence and high adolescent fertility could have negative short-term and long-term consequences for adolescent girls and their future children.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sophia Chae

Student:

Partner:

Université Catholique de Louvain

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Université de Montréal

Program: