Teenage pregnancy: knowing the family's experience

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of intense physical and physiological changes, since identity formation is often characterized by mood swings. This new stage sees also the beginning of the adolescent sexual activity. Pregnancy may occur due to the lack of information and no access to contraceptive methods or it can even be sought after as many young women believe it to be their passport to adulthood. When pregnancy happens in non-stable relationships the responsibility is often shared with the teenager's family. This study aimed to understand the family's experience in adolescent postpartum, to identify significant changes in family life, to understand what it means to have a teenager in the family who has recently given birth, and to recognize the family coping mechanisms and its implications. The theoretical benchmark was the Symbolic Interactionism (SI) and the methodology the Narrative Method. Data was collected through consented semi-structured interviews, since it allowed us to understand more fully the experiences and needs of the respondents. The families studied changed their routines and reassessed their priorities. In this teenage group the pregnancy supplied new mechanisms to deal with the problems experienced by their families.