Positive experiences of teenage motherhood: a qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
Teenage pregnancy is seen as a cause for concern in the United Kingdom (UK). However, there has been little research from primary care looking at teenage motherhood and its implications.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the experiences of teenage mothers in relation to their role as mothers and their expectations of their futures.


METHODS
Qualitative study.


METHODS
East Devon, England.


METHODS
Nine women who had conceived their first child while still a teenager agreed to participate. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken, audiotaped, transcribed, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.


RESULTS
The women expressed positive attitudes to being mothers and described how it had affected their lives. For some, motherhood had been the impetus to change direction and consider a career, because they had someone else for whom they were responsible. They recognised that they were still young enough to enter further education or other aspects of employment as their children grew up.


CONCLUSIONS
For the women in this study, having been a teenage mother did not mean that their life and future were all over. Motherhood and bringing up children were valued in their own right. The women were realistic about their futures, often making plans to develop their careers.
Seamark
Clare J
CJ
The Honiton Group Practice, Marlpits Lane, Honiton, UK. cjseamark@doctors.org.uk
Lings
Pamela
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors