Revista de Gravidez e Saúde Infantil

Abstrato

Challenges in Decision Making Among Homeless Pregnant Teens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Mulualem Merga, Kirubel Anteab, Mezinew Sintayehu and Hinsermu Bayu

Background: Homeless youth are particularly at high risk for teen pregnancy; studies indicates most of homeless young women become pregnant, because circumstances in which they live and work increase their vulnerability to sexual exploitation and abuse and put them at a higher risk of unintended pregnancies, and other reproductive health problems.Generally despite declines in teen pregnancy, and births internationally, teen age, homeless girls often become pregnant, but little is known about the extent to which the traumaexperienced during the key developmental stages of childhood challenge their decision making process.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to identify challenges in decision making among homeless pregnant teens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Method:Qualitative study was conducted among street girls who were 13 to 19 years old and reported being pregnant during the study or have history of past pregnancy using focus group discussions and through individual deep interview. Study participants were selected using Snowball sampling techniqueas well as from care center.

Result: At the time of the study all most all participants had cited the difficulties of their situations and listed as worrying about further complication of their life by early parenthood ,worrying about their children’s fate of living in impoverished single-parent life, burning of their plastic shelter by police, losing their job due to pregnancy, getting pregnant from very close family, financial constraint for abortion, lack of basic needs and the traumaexperienced during the key developmental stages of childhood challenge their decision making process.

Conclusion: Homeless pregnant teensface a big challenge todecide on the fate of their pregnancy due to all traumatic factors which led them to street and pregnancy, partners’ reaction, worrying about future fate of their un-born child, and others.