Summary

In this session, you have learned that:

• Pregnancy for adolescents, especially under the age of 16, has many risks including obstructed and prolonged labour.
• You should educate and counsel pregnant adolescents on protecting themselves from malaria (sleeping under ITN), getting balanced and nutritious food, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), personal hygiene, taking adequate rest, breastfeeding, HTPs and danger symptoms during pregnancy
• You should use the FANC chart to provide an antenatal care service for young women.
• You should encourage young women to deliver at a health facility and help them to work with a supporter to develop a birth preparedness and complication readiness plan.
• While offering support to young women in labour you should be patient, understanding, compassionate and caring. You should ensure that they understand what is happening and what you are doing.
• Young mothers have the compound challenge of continuing to establish their own identity while they adjust to the role of being a mother.
• You should help the young mother successfully take on the role and responsibilities of mothering.