ADOLESCENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THEIR PREGNANCY AND PARENTING IN A SEMI-RURAL COMMUNITY IN THE WESTERN CAPE

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to illuminate the pregnancy and parenting experiences of adolescents from Sir Lowry’s Pass Village in the Helderberg Basin. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling and participated in unstructured interviews. Findings highlight factors contributing to the pregnancies and the challenges participants experienced during pregnancy and parenting such as poverty, stigma, loss, and lack of parenting skills. The complexity of being a child in the house of their parents while having their own child is illuminated. Positive experiences include their children as source of meaning and the aspirations they have for their children.