Maternity in adolescence: meanings and implications

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: this study aims to identify the meaning and the implications of maternity to adolescent patients. METHODS: this is a descriptive and explorative research with a qualitative approach. Twenty-two pregnant teenagers participated in the study. They attended the prenatal service of a Primary Healthcare Center of a small city in northern Rio Grande do Sul. A semi-structured interview was conduced from July to August, 2008. The questions assessed by thematic analysis were: the meaning of maternity; the preparation or not of the teenager to take care of the child; changes perceived by the adolescent after detecting the pregnancy and the mate's reaction. RESULTS: the meaning of maternity was categorized as "the mother's image" and "giving birth to and seeing the child"; the implications of maternity in adolescence were associated to the preparation to take care of a child and to the changes deriving from the pregnancy defined as "changes in the affective relationship" and "emotional and social changes". CONCLUSIONS: the results show a diversity of feelings and meanings of maternity since adolescence is a complex and multi-dimensional phase. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the meaning of pregnancy and its implications in adolescence. They may also help to plan health actions directed at teenagers