Healthcare professionals' experience of teenage pregnancy and motherhood in Haiti.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore healthcare professionals' experience of pregnant and motherhood in adolescence in Haiti. METHODS: The methodology for collecting and analyzing qualitative data was based on John Dewey's social survey. The study was conducted in nine health institutions in the North and North-East departments of Haiti from October 2020 to January 2021. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 15 healthcare professionals. All interviews were audio-recorded. The recordings were listened to carefully and transcribed in verbatim form. After checking and validation, the verbatims in Word format were exported to QDA Miner software version 6.0.5 for coding. The data were analyzed using Paillé and Mucchielli thematic analyses. RESULTS: Health professionals such as gynecologists, nurses, midwives, nursing assistants, matrons and health workers took part in the study. These study participants indicate that teenage pregnancy and motherhood are social and public health problems whose negative consequences affect teenage girls, children, healthcare professionals, the healthcare system, and Haitian society in general. The services offered to adolescent girls are medical, educational, psychological, economic, and social in nature. When caring for pregnant adolescents during the transition to motherhood, healthcare professionals face many challenges that are linked to the socio-economic status and physiological reality of adolescents, as well as the healthcare system. CONCLUSIONS: Programs involving home care visits should also be set up to offer ongoing support to pregnant or parenting teenagers. The distribution of food aid or materials such as clothing, hygiene products and baby kits should also be considered.

Perception and experience of relatives of pregnant teenagers: A qualitative study in the North and Northeast departments of Haiti.

Teenage pregnancy remains a global problem because of its consequences for the teenager, her child, her family, and society. In Haiti, this type of pregnancy burdens the family economy. In addition, the adolescent fertility rate is still high, despite efforts to reduce it. This article aims to analyze the perception and experiential experience of relatives of pregnant adolescents in Haiti. A qualitative study design based on Dewey's social survey was conducted. Data were collected from 17 relatives (partners, parents, guardians, and others) of pregnant adolescents in Haiti's North and Northeast departments. These data were analyzed using thematic analysis. According to the results, teenage pregnancy is seen as a disaster or a social problem in Haiti. It leads to many psychosocial and economic difficulties for the relatives, who are the only source of economic and social support for pregnant adolescents. Considering the vulnerability of relatives, policies, and interventions aimed at reducing the negative consequences of teenage pregnancy should consider this group of individuals.