Description
The purpose of this research is to identify challenges, coping mechanisms and livelihood strategies of teenagers that fall pregnant whilst in school. The study focuses on those young girls that continue with school during pregnancy and after delivery; those that drop of school due to pregnancy but re-enroll after delivery; and those that drop out due to pregnancy and do not re-enroll.
Importance of the study
School girls that fall pregnant prematurely lead adult lives and face physical, emotional, moral and intellectual challenges. Thus pregnant school girls form a social group with specific needs for survival, growth and development. Teenage pregnancy itself is a health risk to the girl since her body is not yet prepared for motherhood and increases the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. School pregnancy repercussions include dropping out of school, curtailed personal development and increased risk of HIV. Results from the study of the developmental processes of school girls that fall pregnant will assist in formulation of programmes and interventions to mitigate the negative impacts on the young women who are a highly vulnerable group. An understanding of coping mechanisms and survival strategies of these young mothers will facilitate interventions to enhance the welfare of the teenage mother and the offspring. These challenges, coping mechanisms and strategies will differ depending on whether the pregnant school girls continue in school, drop-out and re-enroll or drop-out of school for good. Among other issues, this research will explore the role of child support grants as a livelihood strategy for young women that fall pregnant whilst in school.
The study will comprise a nationally representative sample of young women who fell pregnant whilst in school will be selected for the cross-sectional quantitative interviews. Individual women in the sample will be interviewed about the timing of the pregnancy and how this affected their schooling, as well as how the pregnancy has affected their life choices over and above education.
Indepth interviews and focus group discussions will also be conducted with selected members of the sample to gather more qualitative information about the impact of schoolgirl pregnancy on the social development of young women as well as gather information on how such school girls can be assisted to overcome the increased life challenges that they face. Data will also be collected on the young women’s perceptions of factors contributing to school girl pregnancy and suggested interventions to mitigate the problem.
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