Title: Adolescents' perceptions. Brazil: views on pregnancy.

POPLINE Document Number: 134797

Source citation:

WOMEN'S STUDIES NEWSLETTER, 1997 Jun;4(1):2-4.

Abstract:

An ongoing 3-year study at the Servico de Adolescentes offered by the Maternidade Escola Assis Chanteaubriand in Fortaleza, Brazil is comparing the characteristics and experiences of 375 adolescents seeking prenatal care with 197 who sought emergency treatment for incomplete abortion. Prenatal subjects are being interviewed during their first clinic visit, at week 35 of pregnancy, at 45 days postpartum, and at 1 year postpartum. Abortion patients are being interviewed at hospitalization, 45 days later, and 1 year later. Preliminary findings show that 64% of the prenatal patients perceived nothing bad about the pregnancy, while 41% of the induced abortion group perceived nothing good. While most mothers, friends, and partners were supportive of the pregnancies in the prenatal groups, this was not the case in the abortion group. Most of the subjects would have preferred to delay pregnancy, but 46% of the prenatal clients and 13% of the abortion patients wanted to become pregnant when they conceived. The abortion patients were slightly older and less likely to be in a stable union than the prenatal clients. Both groups became sexually active at about age 15, but the abortion patients had more sexual partners and these partners were older than those of the prenatal clients. Most respondents in both groups had been in a relationship for a fairly long time, and each group reported low use of contraception. Almost 25% of the prenatal group considered abortion, and 39% of these attempted to abort. At least 40% in both groups had a mother or older sister who became pregnant during adolescence.

Keywords:

Brazil
Surveys
Adolescent Pregnancy
Adolescents
Perception
Antenatal Care
Abortion
Social Adjustment
Behavior
South America, Eastern
South America
Latin America
Americas
Developing Countries
Sampling Studies
Studies
Research Methodology
Reproductive Behavior
Fertility
Population Dynamics
Demographic Factors
Population
Youth
Age Factors
Population Characteristics
Psychological Factors
Maternal Health Services
Maternal-Child Health Services
Primary Health Care
Health Services
Delivery of Health Care
Health
Fertility Control, Postconception
Family Planning
Social Behavior