Maternity and paternity: the view of the teenage couple

Abstract

Objective: To understand the experience of pregnancy in adolescence through the reports of teenage mothers and fathers. Methods: A descriptive exploratory study of qualitative nature in which interviews were conducted with 11 teenage couples, whose pregnant girls were admitted to a reference maternity hospital. Data collection was conducted in the period between June and August 2010 through a semi-structured interview based on guiding questions for teenage mothers and fathers. The speeches were recorded, fully transcribed, analyzed and grouped into thematic categories. Results: It was evidenced: the initial impact of the news for the teenage couple, the change of attitude towards life because of the unplanned pregnancy and the child’s birth, the immaturity to assume the role of mother and father and the emergence of problems of family and social nature. Conclusion: The pregnancy for a teenage couple is not something planned, but they start to see themselves as mothers and fathers and express feelings related to the triad father-mother-son. However, for teenage mothers, taking care of the child is the most important thing, while for teenage fathers, sustaining the family is essential and worrisome. doi:10.5020/18061230.2014.p101

Keywords

• Gravidez na Adolescência
• Saúde do Adolescente
• Relações Familiares.