title: 'Pregnancy Has Its Advantages': The Voices of Street Connected Children and Youth in Eldoret, Kenya.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the reproductive health or family planning needs of street-connected children and youth in resource-constrained countries. The study objective was to describe how street-connected children and youth (SCCY) in Eldoret, Kenya, perceive pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative study was conducted between August 2013 and February 2014. A total of 65 SCCY aged 11-24 years were purposively sampled from the three referral points: 1) A dedicated study clinic for vulnerable children and youth at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH); 2) Primary locations in which street children reside known as "bases/barracks"; and 3) Street youth community-based organizations. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. Content analysis was performed after thematic coding by 4 independent coders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of SCCY interviewed were male (69%) and sexually active (81.5%). None had gone beyond primary level of education. The strong desire for SCCY to go through conventional life experiences including marriage and child bearing was evident. Sub-themes around desired pregnancies included: sense of identity with other SCCY, sense of hope, male ego, lineage, source of income, and avoiding stigmatization. The desire for children was highly gendered with male SCCY more focused on their social status in the street community, while for females it was primarily for survival on the street. Female SCCY generally lacked agency around reproductive health issues and faced gender-based violence. Abortions (either assisted or self-induced), infanticide, and child abandonment were reported. Respondents described a lucrative market for babies born to SCCY and alleged that healthcare workers were known to abduct these babies following hospital deliveries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate gender differences in the reasons why SCCY become pregnant and have children. We also noted gender inequalities in reproductive health decisions. SCCY friendly interventions that provide tailored reproductive health services are needed.
authors.affiliation: Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Juddy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wachira
authors.affiliation: Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamanda
authors.affiliation: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lonnie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Embleton
authors.affiliation: Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), Eldoret, Kenya.|College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Violet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Naanyu
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ayuku
authors.affiliation: Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), Eldoret, Kenya.|College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya.|Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Indiana University, Fairbanks School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.|Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Braitstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004532:Ego; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D013240:Stereotyping