Teenage Pregnancy and Young Motherhood: Medical encounters

This article draws on completed qualitative research with pregnant teenagers, young mothers and the professionals (including midwives and health visitors) who support them. The aim of the project was to consider health and wellbeing in pregnancy, birth and postnatally for women who become pregnant under the age of twenty years. The research was commissioned and funded by Coventry and Walsall Primary Care Trusts. Here we draw on a selection of our data and following a brief discussion of relevant background material and our method we consider experience of antenatal and parentcraft classes, birth experience and experience on the maternity ward. We conclude by suggesting that young women in this situation do have specific needs and are subject to specific risks. Overwhelmingly our data suggests that the greatest risk to young pregnant women or mothers is their lack of access to appropriate services. By access we mean not only the physical presence of young women but their unproductive encounters within these services when they are accessed.