Support Teenage Mothers Not Teenage Pregnancy: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Pregnant Students in Public Secondary Schools in Guiuan

Abstract

This study focuses on teenage pregnancy, a continuous social problem that greatly hinders the academic performance and progress of young people. This phenomenon is especially common in low-income societies where knowledge about reproductive health and related support are inadequate. This study aimed to examine the lived experiences of pregnant teenagers in terms of their academic experiences before, during, and after pregnancy, including the obstacles they faced, the strategies they used, and the mechanisms that allowed them to continue studying at public secondary schools in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The qualitative approach of narrative Inquiry was applied to this study. Three informants between 16 and 17 years old, who got pregnant while attending public secondary schools, were carefully chosen as informants for this project. Data collection took place through in-person semi-structured interviews to allow in-depth descriptions of their experiences. Creswell and Poth’s Data Analysis Spiral served as an analysis framework. The findings of the study shows that teenage pregnancies have significant impacts on the respondents socially, emotionally, and academically. Challenges faced included being shunned by other people, financial troubles, tiredness, and increased duties related to caring for the child during pregnancy. Although these were challenging moments for the teens, they helped increase their resilience and motivation. They largely depended on the help of people around them such as family members, friends, teachers, and, to some degree, government agencies in order to stay in school despite the hardships. Therefore, there is need to ensure that the necessary structures are put in place for them to complete their studies.