'Just because she's young, it doesn't mean she has to die': exploring the contributing factors to high maternal mortality in adolescents in Eastern Freetown; a qualitative study

Reproductive Health
Lucy November, Jane Sandall

Abstract

In Sierra Leone, 34% of pregnancies and 40% of maternal deaths are in the adolescent population. Risks are known to be higher for younger adolescents, this being borne out by a household survey in Eastern Freetown in 2015. This current qualitative study, funded by Wellbeing of Women's international midwifery fellowship, was conducted to explore the causes of this high incidence of maternal death for younger teenagers, and to identify possible interventions to improve outcomes. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews (n = 19) and focus groups (n = 6), with a wide range of professional and lay participants, recorded with consent. Recordings were transcribed by the first author and a Krio-speaking colleague where necessary, and Nvivo software was used to assist with theming of the data around the three main research questions. Themes from discussions on vulnerability to teenage pregnancy focused on transactional sex, especially for girls living outside of their birth family. They included sex for school fees, sex with teachers for grades, sex for food and clothes, and sex to lessen the impact of the time-consuming duties of water collection and petty trading. In addition, the criminal justice system and the availabi...Continue Reading

References

Aug 29, 2006·Transfusion·Bruce H NewmanArthur J Roth
Aug 13, 2009·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth·Sabine Gabrysch, Oona M R Campbell
Apr 27, 2011·Lancet·John Donnelly
Feb 13, 2014·Public Health Nursing·Marjorie A Schaffer, Ngozi Mbibi
Jun 27, 2014·Lancet·Caroline S E HomerLinda A Bartlett
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Feb 22, 2017·American Journal of Preventive Medicine·Renee E SievingMichael D Resnick
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Jun 1, 2016·African Journal of Emergency Medicine : Revue Africaine De La Médecine D'urgence·Tanja Z ZaninPooja Agrawal

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Citations

Nov 8, 2019·Health Policy and Planning·James W T ElstonGrazia Caleo
Sep 20, 2019·Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters·Ulrika Rehnström LoiMarlene Makenzius
Apr 21, 2018·Reproductive Health·Aline LabatKim E Dickson
Jun 5, 2020·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Daphne Bussink-VoorendJelle Stekelenburg
Oct 17, 2021·Systematic Reviews·Helen H HabibAugustine Ankomah

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
contraception

Software Mentioned

Nvivo

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