Abstract

ZANCHI, Mariza et al. Teenage maternity: life's new meaning?. J. Hum. Growth Dev. [online]. 2016, vol.26, n.2, pp. 199-204. ISSN 0104-1282.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.119268.

OBJECTIVE: To identify transformations arising from teen pregnancy from the perspective of young women. METHODS: Study of qualitative and descriptive approach with 34 young women of low socio-economic strata that gave birth in the year 2010 as teenagers. The data have been collected through semi-structured interviews with questions about life before and after maternity, explored through content analysis. RESULTS: The life of the teenagers before pregnancy is heterogeneous in social, work and schooling aspects. After maternity, the freedom of being is re-configured, bringing losses related to the abandonment of studies, to the reduction in social life and to the stigma of teenage maternity; the gains from resignification of lifestyle, the abandonment of illegal and criminal conduct, increased self-confidence the reduction of exposure to violence inside the family, accompanied by new responsibilities, from the reconciliation of study and work or the abandonment of one of these activities. CONCLUSION: Maternity generates a feeling of satisfaction brought about by the experience of being a mother, with a new social identity.

Keywords : pregnancy in adolescence; life changing events; social change.

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