Report: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents in Korogocho, Nairobi Kenya

Abstract

This report presents findings from a mixed-methods study on the lived experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescent girls in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. The study was implemented by the African Population and Health Research Center in partnership with Miss Koch Kenya, a community-based organization, and the Directorate of Children's Services, Nairobi County, building on earlier surveys conducted in Malawi and Burkina Faso. It followed reports of increased adolescent childbearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, when community health volunteers and local leaders in Korogocho identified 412 cases of pregnant and parenting adolescents, a figure far exceeding initial projections. While government and advocacy actors have largely focused on reducing adolescent pregnancy rates, the report notes that comparatively little attention has been paid to the wellbeing of girls who are already pregnant or parenting. Drawing on interviews and facility-based observations, the study documents these girls' experiences accessing antenatal care and other health services, and offers evidence to inform interventions that better support pregnant and parenting adolescents in Nairobi's informal settlements.