Experiences of Pregnancy and Parenting of Adolescent in Mittraphap Subdistrict, Kaedam District, Mahasarakham Province

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess teenage mothers’ experiences of pregnancy and while parenting within Mittraphap Subdistrict, Kaedam District, Mahasarakham province, during the months of October 2016 - March 2018. Participants were teenage mothers who had experiences in pregnancy and parenting by themselves. They were chosen by means of purposive sampling for 8 cases. The tools for research were in -depth interview, observation, descriptive data analysis, and content analysis. It was found that all teenage mothers were 14-19 years old, and they were studying in secondary school or high school. Five of them were in the same friend group, studied in the same schools, and lived in the same villages or nearby areas. All teenage mothers had knowledge about the methods of contraception but lack of awareness. They did not think about pregnancy prevention, problems, and consequences of pregnancy. Most of them did not live with their parents. They thoight that sexual intercourse was a normal behaviour. They copied their friends’ behaviors. While being pregnant, they felt stress, confused, and afraid that their parents would be regretful and disappointed. Above all, punishment and families’ denial were what they were extremely fearful. Moreover, abortion was an approach to end the problem, eventually. Most of them choose to consult their friends who were in the same groups and found the way out of the problem together before disclosing their pregnancy issues to their parents. By the time pregnancy occurs, their families had the most influence on decisions so as to terminate problems. Their choices were to get abortion or take part in antenatal care providing that teenage mothers dare to reveal themselves. Parents or families’ acceptance affected the quality of prenatal care and decreases mothers and infants’ complications in both body and mind. Providing love, understanding, and encouragement was found to be important because teenage mothers had to encounter issues of fear and stress, and they needed to mitigate their tension. Secondly, friends and public health officials who followed and encouraged them were main supporters for them in order to fight against problems, give advice and knowledge for antenatal care with quality, and be practical in all stages of antenatal care as well as child rearing. Most of them desired to go back to school expecting secure jobs and salary to look after themselves and their children, and create their family.