School of Maternal, Neonatal & Reproductive Health

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Browsing School of Maternal, Neonatal & Reproductive Health by Author "Chirwa Msuku, Jessie Achsah"

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    Pregnancy related stigma experienced by adolescent mothers in Blantyre District
    (2016-09-01) Chirwa Msuku, Jessie Achsah
    Adolescent pregnancy in Malawi is high with 26% of all births to girls aged between 15 to 19 (Malawi national Statistical Office and ICF Macro, 2011). This early childbearing for adolescents brings challenges such as stigma. This qualitative descriptive study was done using a phenomenological approach to investigate adolescent mothers’ lived experiences of stigma related to adolescent pregnancy in Blantyre district. The objectives of the study were to identify the sources of pregnancy related stigma experienced by adolescents; to determine how the experience of pregnancy related stigma affect adolescent mothers’ socially, academically and when utilising health services, and to determine the strategies pregnant adolescents use to cope with stigma. The study was conducted in Blantyre between September and December 2016. Convenience sampling technique was used to select 18 pregnant adolescents attending antenatal clinic at Ndirande health centre in Blantyre. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data from participants on one to one in-depth interview. Nvivo 10 was used to code the data. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis guided by Colaizzi’s (1978) method. Four main themes emerged from the data which were; sources of stigma; stigma to parents; effects of stigma on adolescents’ life and the coping strategies used to deal with stigma. The findings showed that the sources of stigma pregnant adolescents experienced was from within themselves (self-stigma), family members, friends and other community members. On the effects of pregnancy related stigma, pregnant adolescents face rejection, social isolation, mockery, have feelings of shame and fear, thoughts of abortion and often drop out of school because of pregnancy. Accepting their situation, praying, isolation, use of media and social support are the strategies pregnant adolescent used to cope with the experiences of stigma. Recommendations include that adolescent or youth health programs should be intensified in schools, and support groups for pregnant adolescents should be created to assist pregnant adolescents and avoid experiences of stigma.