Academic literature on the topic 'Teenage mothers Teenage pregnancy'

Magister Artium - MA<br>Globally, teenage pregnancy remains a disturbing phenomenon which impacts on the lives of teenagers, their families and society as a whole. Numerous attempts at addressing the problem have seen a decline in fertility rates but agreement still exists that the incidence of young girls bearing children is unacceptably high. Studies conducted over the years have emphasised both the causes and consequences of teenage births. Many studies too have explored the benefits of preventative strategies. Yet, despite all this, teenage pregnancy remains a cause for concern with many teenage girls remaining sexually active after a first pregnancy, and exposing themselves to subsequent pregnancies and births. This study was focused on teenage girls who had experienced unintended repeat pregnancies. Through the research a deeper understanding of the meanings that female teenagers ascribe to repeat pregnancies, were sought. A sample group of teenage mothers were allowed to take a step back from their experience of the repeat pregnancy; to think deeply about the experience, and to reflect on what they had learnt and how it has impacted on their current lives. The researcher employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive, explorative design in order to obtain a rich description of the experiences of teenage mothers who have been through a repeat pregnancy. The goal of the study was to explore and describe the reflections of these teenage mothers who had experienced unintended, repeat pregnancies. Data was obtained through semi-structured individual interviews where an interview guide was used. The data was analysed according to the steps outlined by Creswell (2009). Findings were noted and recommendations made. These recommendations are designed for role-players involved with teenagers and youth in general. Emphasis was placed on recommendations to professionals, like educators, healthcare workers and social workers who are at the coalface of dealing with teenagers who engage in sexual activity. Finally, recommendations for further research were made.

<p>Teenage pregnancy and motherhood is a challenging phenomenon worldwide. The goal of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions and experiencesof a sample of teenage girls about pregnancy, birth and motherhood. The objectives of the research were to engage voluntary participants in autobiographical &quot<br>life stories&quot<br>and semi structured interviews relating to the phenomenon being studied<br>to analyze the qualitative information and do a literature control of the findings and compare and verify and make appropriate conclusions and recommendations.</p>

The purpose of this study is to examine the problems that pregnant teenagers encounter at school and at home while they are trying to complete their high school education. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. Twenty pregnant adolescents, who were between the ages of 15 through 18, and were participants in a special teen pregnancy program were interviewed. The major findings in this study included the respondents': 1) unstable family life histories, 2) denial that they were pregnant, 3) need for self-identity as an adult, 4) conflict with parents and 5) motivation to complete their high school education. This study points to the need for more research on the problems that pregnant adolescents encounter in their everyday lives.

Digitized using a Konica Minolta 211 PCL Scanner. 300dpi (OCR).<br>Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Most portrayals in the media, research and clinical literature of teenage pregnancy and motherhood concentrate on the negative consequences for the teenager, the baby and society. Although these portrayals do capture the experience of some of the cases, they fail to grasp the complexity of these teenagers' life choices and the alternative positive impact teenage pregnancy and motherhood may have on their lives. This qualitative study focuses on the autobiographical narrative of the teenager as she experiences pregnancy and becomes a mother. The sample consists of eight participants from a rural community outside Stellenbosch, South Africa. One pre-birth interview as well as three interviews after the birth of the baby were audio taped and transcribed. Responses showed significant data with regards to the impact of the emotional experience of teenage pregnancy and motherhood on the teenager, as well as her experience of herself, changes in her life as well as the nature of the pregnancy and motherhood experience. To date, the literature does not account for the unique and individual nature of how teenage pregnancy and motherhood impacts the individual. In contrast, this research illustrates the changes in the thoughts, emotions and behaviours of teenagers when they become mothers.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die meeste uitbeeldings in die media, navorsing en kliniese literatuur met betrekking tot tiener swangerskap en moederskap fokus op die negatiewe gevolge vir die tiener, die baba en die samelewing. Alhoewel hierdie uitbeeldings tog die ervaringe van sekere van die gevalle verteenwoordig, misluk dit om die kompleksiteit van die tieners se lewenskeuses vas te vang, asook die alternatiewe positiewe impak wat tiener swangerskap en moederskap op hulle lewens kan hê. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie fokus op die outobiografiese naratiewe van die tieners soos hulle swangerskap en moederskap ervaar. Die deelnemers bestaan uit agt tieners vanuit 'n plaasgemeenskap buite Stellenbosch, Suid-Afrika. Een onderhoud tydens die tiener se swangerskap sowel as drie onderhoude na die geboorte van die baba is opgeneem en getranskribeer. Betekenisvolle data ten opsigte van die impak van die emosionele ervaring van tiener swangerskap en moederskap, asook die tiener se ervaring van haarself, veranderinge in haar lewensstyl en die aard van die swangerskap en moederskap ervaring het duidelik na vore gekom in die onderhoude. Tot op hede neem die literatuur nie die unieke en individuele aard van hoe tiener swangerskap en moederskap die individu beinvloed, in ag nie. In teenstelling illustreer hierdie navorsing die veranderinge in die denke, emosies en optrede van die tieners soos hulle moeders word.

Pregnancy in unmarried teenaged girls in America today is a growing concern to health care workers, educators, government officials and parents. Pregnancy during adolescence is not an issue because births to teenagers are increasing but because teenage pregnancy is no longer a societal option. This paper describes adolescent pregnancy from within the context of the subculture of adolescence and from the perspective of 16 pregnant, teenaged girls. The findings revealed a description of the life experiences of pregnant teenagers and introduced health-care issues that were not previously disclosed in other research studies of pregnant teens. The anthropological concepts of liminality, the double-bind, social labeling, and schizmogenesis served to guide the research. The concepts also helped to explain many behaviors and observations that were made of the informants throughout the research. An ethnographic approach using participant observation and ethnographic interviews was used to collect data from 16 pregnant, unmarried, teenaged girls in a large Southwestern, urban area. The informants ranged in age from 14 through 19 years and represented various backgrounds. Nine informants resided in a home for unwed, pregnant teenagers with the remainder residing in diverse locations. Data analyses occurred concurrently with data collection as part of an ongoing process. Data were ordered and transcribed within a framework designed to enhance thematic analysis. Transcribed interview and observational data were transferred onto the Ethnograph, a data-management software program. Data were coded using substantive and conceptual codes. Codes were linked according to patterns of association and frequency of occurrence which in turn led to the revealing of recurrent thematic patterns. In all, eight themes were revealed: (1) pregnancy is bad; (2) loneliness; (3) waiting it out; (4) dependency; (5) looking bad; (6) giving up baby; (7) losing what was; and (8) losing control. Thematic content also disclosed many inconsistencies and double-binds between the larger Western macroculture and adolescent subculture. Ethnographic themes and expressions of these themes provided new information for constructing health-related interventions with pregnant teens.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1993.<br>Title from title page screen, viewed February 16, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Lanny E. Morreau (chair), Jeffrey Hecht, Paula Smith, Miryam Assaf-Keller. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-123) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University 2005<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to undertake a phenomenological investigation on teenage motherhood and to learn how this experience forms part of the teenage mother's life. Using the snowball sampling method, five women aged between 26 and 35 years were selected to participate in the study. All the five women became mothers during their teenage years. Indepth interviews were conducted in Northern Sotho and Tshivenda depending on the language preference and fluency of the participant. The interviews were audio-taped, and later transcribed and translated. A phenomenological method of analysis was used to transform the original data into natural meaning units (NMUs) which were further interrogated so as to distil central sociological themes that were associated with the experience of teenage motherhood. Apart from the finding that the participants got pregnant when they were aged between 16 and 18, five sociological themes associated with teenage motherhood were identified. These are: • Lack of knowledge about sexual relationships contributes to teenage pregnancy and motherhood. • Early childbearing has a negative impact on the teenage mother's social relationships. • Teenage mothers tend to experience emotional problems after delivery of their babies. • Teenage motherhood has a long term disruptive effect on the teenage mother's educational and occupational opportunities. • Teenage motherhood leads to significant lifestyle changes for those who have been through the experience. In view of the above themes, sexual education both at school and at home, is suggested here as a more viable option to help minimise the risk of teenage motherhood in society. Whilst other options like abortion and the newly introduced child support grant are also available to the teenage mother, these are not considered favourable.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die huidige studie was om 'n fenomenologiese ondersoek oor tienermoederskap te doen en uit te vind hoe hierdie belewenis deel uitmaak van die tienermoeder se bestaan. Deur die sneeubaltoetsingsmetode is vyf vroue tussen die ouderdomme van 26 en 35 jaar gekies om deel te neem aan die studie. AI vyf vroue het tydens hulle tienerjare moeders geword. Diepteonderhoude is in Noord-Sotho en Venda gevoer, afhangende van die taalvoorkeur en -vlotheid van die deelnemer. Klankopnames is van die onderhoude gemaak wat later getranskribeer en vertaal is. 'n Fenomenologiese analisemetode is gebruik om die oorspronklike data na natuurlike betekeniseenhede (NMUs - natural meaning units) te herlei wat verder ondersoek is om sentrale sosiologiese temas geassosieer met die belewing van tienermoederskap te identifiseer. Behalwe vir die bevinding dat die deelnemers swanger geraak het toe hulle tussen die ouderdom van 16 en 18 jaar was, is vyf sosiologiese temas geassosieer met tienermoederskap geïdentifiseer. Hierdie temas is: • 'n Gebrek aan kennis oor seksuele verhoudings dra by tot die voorkoms van tienerswangerskappe en -moederskap. • Vroeë kinderbaring het 'n negatiewe impak op die tienermoeder se sosiale verhoudings. • Tienermoeders is geneig daartoe om emosionele probleme te ondervind na die geboortes van hulle babas. • Tienermoederskap het 'n langtermyn ontwrigtende effek op die tienermoeder se opvoedings- en werksgeleenthede. • Tienermoederskap lei tot betekenisvolle veranderinge in lewenstyl vir diegene wat die ondervinding deurgemaak het. Met inagneming van bogenoemde temas word hier voorgestel dat seksuele opvoeding beide op skool en by die huis 'n meer lewensvatbare opsie is om die risiko van tienermoederskap in die samelewing te verminder. Alhoewel ander opsies soos aborsies en die nuutingestelde toekennings van kinderonderhoud ook vir die tienermoeder beskikbaar is, word hierdie opsies nie as bevorderlik beskou nie.