Journal
Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research
MJAAR
Delayed Motherhood in Africa: A Multifaceted Analysis of Medical Risks and Socioeconomic Drivers
Arinaitwe Julius, Ahumuza Audrey
| Journal | Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR) |
| Volume / Issue | Vol. 5, No. 3 |
| Published | 31 March 2026 |
| ISSN | 3006-6417 |
Abstract
Background: Delayed motherhood -- defined as first childbirth at or after age 30 -- is a growing demographic phenomenon across sub-Saharan and North Africa, driven by intersecting socioeconomic forces including educational attainment, urbanization, economic precarity, and shifting gender norms. Objective: This study aimed to quantify the prevalence and socioeconomic drivers of delayed motherhood across African regions and to assess its association with maternal and neonatal medical outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical design was employed using simulated nationally representative data (n=1,240) drawn from five African regions. Univariate descriptive statistics characterized sample distributions; chi-square tests and ANOVA evaluated bivariate associations between maternal age groups and health outcomes; and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) elucidated latent pathways linking socioeconomic determinants to delayed motherhood and subsequently to medical risks. Binary logistic regression identified independent predictors of composite adverse maternal outcomes. Results: The mean age at first birth was 28.7 years (SD=5.82), with 39.4% of women classified as delayed mothers. Bivariate analyses revealed statistically significant gradients across all seven medical outcomes by age group (all p
Keywords
Medical Risks
Cite This Article
Arinaitwe Julius & Ahumuza Audrey (2026). Delayed Motherhood in Africa: A Multifaceted Analysis of Medical Risks and Socioeconomic Drivers. Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research, 5(3). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=325
More in This Issue
View full issue →
21
Impact of Digital Payment Systems on Small Retail Business Growth: Case Study of Digital Payment Adoption Among SMEs in Kampala Central Business District
Digital payment systems
mobile money
retail business growth
SMEs
22
23
Navigating the Storm: A Case Study of Fluctuating Moods and Ego in Research Supervisors at Higher Institutions of Learning in Uganda
research supervision
mood fluctuations
ego-driven behaviors
postgraduate education
24
Navigating the Storm: A Case Study of Fluctuating Moods and Ego in Research Supervisors at Private Universities in Uganda
Research supervision
supervisory relationships
mood fluctuations
ego-driven behaviors
25
Patriots and Patriotism in the 21st Century: Conceptual Evolution and Political Mobilization
Patriotism
Patriotic Identity
Political Mobilization
Nationalism