Understanding teenage pregnancy decision making and family formation process: a Czech Republic qualitative study

Renata Vašková, Charles University, Prague

Data gathered in the qualitative study by 60 semi-structured interviews with pregnant teenage girls or teenage mothers were used to describe teenagers´ decisions about pregnancy resolution. This study looks mainly at social support networks and their influence on the decisions of pregnant women. The paper also looks at the role of the partner during the transition to parenthood, as well as the family formation process after deciding for motherhood - in particular, the importance of marriage and a partner’s presence in the life of today’s pregnant teen. The qualitative study reacts to overtime changes in decision-making process about pregnancy termination among teenage women. This can be seen in the quantitative analysis of demographic trends. An interpretive approach then tries to crystallize the perception of problem in the young mother’s own words.