CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION                                                                                   1

1.1       Background of the Study                                                                               1

1.2       Statement of Problem                                                                                     2

1.3       Objective of the Study                                                                                   4

1.4       Research Questions                                                                                         4

1.5       Significance of the Study                                                                               5

1.6       Scope of the study                                                                                          5

1.7       plan of the Study                                                                                            5

1.8       Operational definition of terms                                                                      6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW                                                                        7

2.1       Introduction                                                                                                    7

2.2       Early Pregnancy                                                                                              7

2.3       Contemporary Objectives to Early Pregnancy and Co-habitation                  12

2.4      Effect on Children                                                                                           13

2.5       Religious view on Early Pregnancy and Co-habitation                                  14

2.6       Effect of marriage and family life                                                                  16

2.6.1    Abuse and infidelity                                                                                       18

2.6.2    Fertility                                                                                                           19

2.6.3    Financial Effects                                                                                             20

2.6.4    No effect                                                                                                         21

2.7       Theoretical Framework                                                                                   21

2.7.1    Social Exchange Theory                                                                                 21

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY                                           23

3.0       Introduction                                                                                                    23

3.1       Research                                                                                                          23 

3.2       Population of the study                                                                                  23

3.3       Sample and sampling technique                                                                      23

3.4       Instrument of Data collection                                                                         24

3.5       Validity of the instrument                                                                              25

3.6       Reliability of the instrument                                                                           25

3.7       Method of Data Analysis                                                                               25

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1       Introduction                                                                                                    26

4.2       Demographic Variables                                                                                   26

4.3       Discussion of findings                                                                                    40

4.4       Reliability Test                                                                                                46

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

5.0       Summary of findings                                                                                      51

5.1       Conclusion                                                                                                      52

5.2       Recommendations                                                                                          52

References                                                                                                                  54

Appendixes                                                                                                                 57

The sexual life of young adults has attracted global attention in that its consequences which include early and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion, early childbearing, spread of STDs, have become a major public health concern. This is not surprising, since cohabitation is becoming the order of the day in our communities (Alade, 2013). Young adults are increasingly linked to risky sexual behaviours such as casual sex, keeping multiple sexual partners (promiscuity), sexual hawk (prostitution). It has been reported as common phenomenon among Nigeria University Undergraduates, (Alo, 2008). Few Nigerians researchers (Alade, 2013) have produced empirical evidence demonstrating how cohabitation had been a pervasive social problem in Nigeria tertiary institutions. Early pregnancy has become the order of the day problem among youths. It poses health risks to the mother as well as the child such as prematurity, low birth weight, birth injuries and damage can occur in the birth process that renders them infertile or endangers their lives. Abortion as most victims of early pregnancy do, is often a life costing operation and only few who have the financial muscle seeks the services of a qualified and experienced doctors while those who do not have the financial strength  run to quacks or resort to self-medication thereby causing health hazards. The most prevention method of early pregnancy is to educate oneself about early pregnancy and be able to device methods of preventing the occurrence. Though, these studies focused mainly on the positive and negative effects of cohabitation; but the social and health implications of cohabitation among undergraduates is yet to be empirically ascertained and that is the gap. The current study examined the effect of early pregnancy among undergraduates in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye, Ogun state. The broad objective of this study is to examine the effect of early pregnancy among undergraduates in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye, Ogun state. The study will albeit examining the students attitude towards early pregnancy. It will aid in understanding the effect of early pregnancy on academic performance, socio-relations with peers and social activities.

            The social exchange theory developed in the 1960s, focuses on the exchange of resources between people and has thus been used extensively in the study of relationships. The study used descriptive research design to generate a well-structured questionnaire administered to students in Olabisi Onabanjo University.The research population five (5) faculties in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye main campus. The sample was restricted to undergraduates in faculty of social sciences, using simple random sampling technique.A total of Two hundred and twenty (220) questionnaires were completed and used for the analysis. The data generated were analyzed using the chi square method.

  The study revealed  that,  X2c (187.5) is greater than ,  X2t (3.871), at 5% level of significance,  early pregnancy endanger students to engaged in pre-marital sex and study found out that, there is prevalence rate of early pregnancy among the undergraduates  as a result of cohabitation. The findings of this study shows that early pregnancy among the undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University is quite alarming and caused mainly by lack of accommodation, problems with roommates and other factors. The students perceive cohabitation as normal which exposes them to all sort of sexual activities and early pregnancy.

It was concluded that sexual activities among students is increasingly alarming. From the study, it was also discovered that, the rate in which undergraduates of Olabisi Onabanjo University cohabitates is nothing to write home about. It was therefore recommended that the university authority should provide more hostels for students, in order to reduce pre-marital sex and quest for unnecessary cohabitation and the living conditions of the hostels provided must be habitable, so that undergraduates will not think of living off campus.