Strategies for Preventing Teenage Pregnancy and Improving the Lived Experience of Motherhood among Adolescents in Haiti: A Qualitative Study

Background & aim: Teenage pregnancy remains a significant epidemiological and social health problem in Haiti. Its prevention and the improvement of the lived experience of pregnant teenagers appear to be imperative in light of its consequences. This article aimed to identify the traditional, community, and clinical practice recommendations that emerge from the participants' discourse to promote the implementation of strategies that can contribute to the prevention and improvement of the lived experience of teenage pregnancy in the Haitian context.Methods: A qualitative research design developed from Dewey's social inquiry was used. Data were collected from October ۲۰۲۰ to January ۲۰۲۱ in the North and North-East departments of Haiti from ۶۹ participants, including ۳۳ pregnant teenagers, ۱۵ health professionals, ۱۷ relatives of teenagers (partners, guardians, and sisters), and four agency leaders.  Thematic analyses were conducted as part of this qualitative study. Results: This study revealed recommendations to prevent teenage pregnancy in the Haitian context, to improve the transition from teenage pregnancy to motherhood, and to improve the living conditions of teenage mothers and their children. These intervention strategies are categorized into health system, community, family, adolescent, and state policy.Conclusion: The results of this study show that the fight against teenage pregnancy should be a collective responsibility and concern. The engagement of every member of the community is imperative in the quest for a sustainable solution to the problem and for healthy lives.

Keywords:

Teenage , pregnancy , Prevention , Recommendation