title: 'It has not ruined my life; it has made my life better': a qualitative investigation of the experiences and future aspirations of young mothers from the North West of England.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Teenage pregnancy has been portrayed as problematic and leading to negative long-term health outcomes. However, this assumption has been questioned. This qualitative study explores the experiences and future aspirations of teenage mothers in North West England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with teenage mothers recruited from children's centres located in deprived areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The young mothers felt motherhood was a positive experience, which provided them with a valued social role. Within the communities they lived, they felt well supported. For many of the young mothers, dislike of school had occurred pre-pregnancy and becoming a mother had led the young women to reassess the value of education and employment. However, in common with many older mothers, while their child is young they choose to prioritize motherhood. The young women relied heavily upon family and the support of trusted professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motherhood can be a positive experience that makes sense in the lives of young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. To be effective, policy must recognize the valued social role motherhood provides for these young women. The negative long-term outcomes observed may largely be a result of their disadvantaged position within society and this should be the focus of interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Elspeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Debbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stanistreet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: policy; qualitative research; social exclusion; teenage pregnancy