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This article examines the construction of policy problems through the exploration of the theoretical space opened up by the ‘What’s the Problem Represented to be?’ (WPR) approach developed by Bacchi (2009). It proposes a critical analysis of current policies governing teenage pregnancy in France through the deconstruction of the structures that have participated in shaping the ‘problem’ today. Focusing on discursive practices, the analysis unveils the political essence of the knowledge that constitutes the problem of ‘teen pregnancy’, and points to the constant flux characterising it, which is captured and stabilised in policymaking through problematisation. It is argued that these conclusions call for greater self-reflexivity in research and policymaking and prompt critical and feminist researchers to engage with disrupting current policymaking rationality.
Rape resulting in pregnancy warrants special attention due to the associated psychosocial and physical adversities. There are no guidelines for the management of teenage pregnancies resulting from rape in Sri Lanka.
Objectives
This case series aims to describe the experience of four teenagers who became pregnant as a result of rape in Sri Lanka.
Methods
This is a case series of 4 pregnant teenagers who became pregnant as a result of rape
Results
This case series highlight the deficiencies in services in Sri Lanka such as lack of legal framework to terminate pregnancy following rape, delay in legal procedure leading to prolonged institutionalization of pregnant teenager, not giving the teenage mothers the choice of breastfeeding and lack of awareness about the psychological consequences of rape and teenage pregnancy.
Conclusions
Formulating a national guideline on managing rape related pregnancy in teenagers in Sri Lanka, with the involvement of all stakeholders is a need of the hour.
Major historical shifts in the field of fertility, childbirth, and parenting have implications for feminist psychologists working on these topics. These shifts include approaches to sexuality and reproduction: a population control emphasis in the late 1940s, a reproductive rights paradigm in the 1990s, and progression from reproductive rights to reproductive justice. Feminist psychologists have to traverse the political landscape created by these broad approaches. In this chapter, we suggest ways in which such engagement may be facilitated through examination of mainstream assumptions and outcomes and the use of nuanced feminist research. Drawing from transnational feminisms, the principles of reproductive justice, and examples of research and interventions in reproductive decision-making, abortion, obstetric violence, "deviant" (m)others, early reproduction, and contraception, we argue that feminist psychology should attend to both global and cross-cutting power relations concerning fertility and reproduction, as well as localized dynamics.
To investigate how acceptable and feasible a school-based contraceptive clinic (SBCC) would be in a low-income South African community.
Background
Teenage pregnancy is an important issue in South Africa, with significant health and social consequences. Issues regarding lack of confidentiality in an intimate community, unwelcoming health workers, long distances to clinics and perceptions of contraceptive side effects may all inhibit contraceptive use by adolescents. Although SBCC has been initiated and investigated in other countries, this approach is inadequately researched in South Africa.
Methods
A mixed method study was conducted to assess the attitudes of one community towards establishment of an SBCC in their area. Methods of data collection included: focus group discussions (FGDs) with teenage girls from a local high school; a key informant interview with the school principal; a structured survey, including open-ended questionnaires with randomly selected parents of teenage girls from the same community; and a documentary analysis to explore relevant legal and policy considerations.
Findings
Teenage girls, the school principal and parents with teenage daughters largely supported the idea of an SBCC, but with concerns about confidentiality, the possibility of increased promiscuity and contraceptive side effects. While legal statutes and policies in South Africa do not pose any barriers to the establishment of an SBCC, some logistical barriers remain.
Pregnancy in adolescence is a global health issue, especially in developing countries. Additionally, the recommended gestational weight gain (GWG) is usually based on pre-pregnancy BMI and that might be complex for pregnant teens. The study objective was to compare three different methods of BMI classification and suggest the best way of determining pre-pregnancy BMI and monitoring GWG among pregnant adolescents.
Design
Pre-pregnancy weight, weight at first prenatal visit, height, sociodemographic, reproductive and perinatal data were collected. Weighted kappa and McNemar statistics were used to assess agreement between the classification methods.
Setting
Prof. Dr Jose Aristodemo Pinotti Women’s Hospital, University of Campinas, Brazil.
Participants
Primiparas younger than 19 years of age and with less than 20 weeks of gestational age (n 150).
Results
BMI of the primiparas was determined according to the WHO recommendation for adult women, the Child Growth Standards (CGS) and their gynaecological age (GA). The WHO and GA measurements presented a strong agreement with each other (κw=0·99; 95 % CI 0·97, 1·00), but did not agree with the CGS classification (κw=0·62; 95 % CI 0·50, 0·74 by WHO; κw=0·62; 95 % CI 0·51, 0·74 by GA). Also, inadequate GWG was observed in 72·2 % of cases and was correlated with a higher rate of caesarean birth.
Conclusions
BMI classification according to the CGS differed from WHO and GA. However, CGS and WHO agreed on perinatal outcomes. We recommend using BMI classification by WHO to assess pregnant adolescents, since it is easily applied and better known among health professionals.
This article explores links made between teenage mothers and isolation: in particular, the notion of ‘relational exclusion’ (Kidger, 2004). Political conceptualisations of social exclusion often ignore this aspect and instead focus on the economic dynamics of exclusion. As a consequence, policies aimed at addressing the exclusion of teenage parents often focus on education and employment as solutions. This article argues that friendships are overlooked as a source of potential support. It therefore builds on work that has observed teenage mothers’ isolation and loneliness to examine how a teenage pregnancy affects a young woman's friendship networks. It then goes on to expand understanding of how new friendships are formed and the types of support they provide. The article concludes by proposing that social policy has a role in facilitating friendship support through investment, integrating group support with one-to-one methods and tackling stigma.
The aim of this study was to explore the role and activities of the school nursing service in sexual health within a large inner London borough.
Background
School nurses (SNs) are specialist community public health nurses working with the school age population to promote their health and well-being and therefore are arguably in a prime position to promote the sexual health of children and young people. This is particularly pertinent in inner city boroughs where the rates of sexually transmitted infections and under-18 conceptions are a significant problem.
Methods
Following a review of the literature, a mixed methods study was undertaken which included an audit of documentary data to identify the referrals received in relation to sexual health and also included questionnaire surveys of school staff and SNs on their views of the role of the SN in sexual health.
Findings
SNs and school staff identified that SNs have a role in sexual health, which was reflected in the referrals received during the audit of documentary data. There appeared to be inconsistencies across the service and evidence suggested that the school nursing service may be underutilised in comparison to the number of students who require sexual health support. The current service appears to be predominantly reactive, particularly for males and those less than 12 years old. However, both SNs and school staff would like to see a more preventative approach; including greater sexual health promotion, condom distribution and school health clinics.
Governments often provide some form of social assistance to vulnerable groups. The right to social security is enshrined in the South African Constitution and the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004. The country provides for a child support grant to single parents or caregivers who are low-income earners. The impact of the child support grant on teenage pregnancy in South Africa has aroused interest in the last couple of years, sparking debate that it may be encouraging teenage pregnancy. However, empirical evidence has been produced to confirm this relationship. This study examines the relationship between receiving the child support grant and being pregnant with another child in two national data sets using logistic regression analysis and empirical data. The results indicate that teenagers who receive the child support grant are significantly less likely to be pregnant with another child compared with teenagers who do not receive the child support grant.
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