Lived experiences of school-going early mothers in Swaziland

Early motherhood: voices from female adolescents in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana—a qualitative study utilizing Schlossberg’s Transition Theory

“…Having a strong desire to prove themselves as good mothers was also documented by (Macutkiewicz & MacBeth, 2017;Mcdermott, Graham, & Hamilton, 2004) reviews. Empirical evidence by Ntinda, Thwala, and Dlamini (2016) and Chohan and Langa (2011) revealed that adolescent mothers are mostly determined to add value to themselves but are sometimes constrained by various challenges that require many compromises. When providing support to pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers, it is important to tailor advice and support to their specific circumstances, such as their past experiences, ideas, and expectations regarding the role of motherhood.…”

“I have to provide for another life emotionally, physically and financially”: Understanding pregnancy, motherhood and the future aspirations of adolescent mothers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…Previous studies also found that the disclosure of an adolescent pregnancy could upset family members and result in strained relationships. 19,25 The participants in our study reported that their fathers were not supportive ,while their mothers were more supportive once they had grown used to the idea. Strained father-daughter relationships following the disclosure of an adolescent pregnancy were found in South Africa and Swaziland.…”

“…Strained father-daughter relationships following the disclosure of an adolescent pregnancy were found in South Africa and Swaziland. 19,25 The revelation of suicidal ideation, anger, guilt and shame confirms that pregnant adolescents experience psychological distress. One study suggests that the risk of suicide is three times greater in pregnant adolescents than in adult pregnant women.…”

“…Such pregnancies were also reported by Mohammadi et al, 24 who found this practice prevalent among married adolescent Iranian women. Mashala et al 19 and Ntinda et al 25 suggest that adolescents may justify their pregnancies by assigning complete responsibility to their partners.…”

“…Similarly, adolescent mothers in Swaziland felt that becoming a parent gave them a sense of maturity and the responsibility to provide and care for a child. 25 Ngum Chi Watts et al 23 argue that, while motherhood brings a lot of responsibilities, African Australian adolescent mothers associated motherhood with a sense of purpose. For many of these mothers, the health and well-being of their children was a primary concern.…”