The motherhood constellation in teen pregnancy: A case study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the motherhood constellation in the context of teenage pregnancy. We used a multiple-case study, which involved three pregnant teenagers, primiparous, who were in the third trimester of pregnancy. Qualitative content analysis was performed and data were categorized following the four themes of the motherhood constellation: life-growth, primary relatedness, support matrix and identity reorganization. Being pregnant, the issues related to the primary relatedness theme appeared strongly linked to their expectations of motherhood and the baby, but some participants demonstrated difficulties in creating such expectations. The most striking differences in the motherhood constellation among pregnant teenagers occurred on the theme of identity reorganization, in which the aspects highlighted told about the reorganization and adolescent search for identity concurrent with the transition to the adult world, and a reorganization of the social identity level.