Adolescent motherhood and family support: implications for maternal care and self-care in the postpartum

Abstract

Maternity in adolescence has impacts on how these women are made mothers. While acquiring biological capacity to bear children, adolescents still require maturation of the personality, essential to the pursuit of motherhood. The difficulties of physical and emotional development of teenage mothers can imply greater risk of morbidity and the infant mortality during the perinatal period. In this context of research, it was considered important to elucidate aspects related to maternal care and self-care in puerperium among primiparous adolescents and the support received from their social environment. The goals of this research include: Identify among adolescent mothers, users of health services, what they consider to be child's health care in the perinatal and postpartum period as well as self-care in puerperium; identify available resources in their social environment to promote and support the care for the child and self care. This is an exploratory study of qualitative approach which will be held at the primary care network that comprises the Health System of Ribeirão Preto, SP. The sample is for convenience and shall consist of primiparous adolescents who attend to basic health services for a puerperal consultation or consultation on child care and vaccination. Data will be collected based on interviews with the teenagers under their consent and respective legal guardians' as well. Thematic content analysis will be used for data analysis. Standards for research involving human subjects established by Resolution 196/96 of the National Health Council will be followed.