Coping responses during pregnancy and early motherhood among adolescents in Central Uganda.

Abstract

This study was conducted to better understand adolescents' experiences and coping strategies during pregnancy and childbirth in order to meet their needs. It explored and analyzed adolescents' coping responses during these stages in Wakiso district, Uganda. A qualitative interview study was carried out between March 2005 and April 2006.Twentyfour pregnant adolescents at six months of pregnancy were consecutively recruited from four health units and interviewed at the clinics. Follow up home interviews were conducted at one week and at six months after delivery. Narratives of adolescents' ' experiences and feelings regarding their pregnancy, delivery, and early motherhood were collected. Narrative analysis was performed, condensing or reconstructing their stories into a few richer and more coherent stories. Two narrative types and one narrative case emerged from the data: 'dealing with problems' (DWP), 'avoidance and shame' (AS) and 'violence and grief' (VG). The first narrative type fits into the 'problem-focused coping' as described by Folkman and Lazarus and the two last ones into the 'emotion-focused coping.' Results suggested that those displaying problem-focused coping were mostly the married adolescents. Health workers should be trained to identify and provide care and support to parents who have lost a child, and adolescent pregnancy resource centres initiatives should be promoted.