Summary

In this session, you have learned that:

1. Pregnancy for adolescents, especially under the age of 16, has many risks including obstructed and prolonged labour.
2. 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
3. You should use the FANC chart to provide an antenatal care service for young women.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Young mothers have the compound challenge of continuing to establish their own identity while they adjust to the role of being a mother.
7. You should help the young mother successfully take on the role and responsibilities of mothering.