reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 12
Specific Objective #2: Describe the physical and emotional needs
of adolescents during labor and delivery
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
INTRODUCTION
The birthing process is both physically
and emotionally demanding. The woman’s
body goes through transformation of
tissues and organs and tremendous
changes in hormones that affect every
bodily system. The combination of these
changes impact women’s emotions,
ranging from exhilaration, anticipation,
and anxiety during early labor to fear, a
sense of being overwhelmed, loss of
control, and a desire to end the process
immediately towards the end of labor.
BIRTH PREPARATION DURING THE
PRENATAL VISIT
During the prenatal visit(s), providers can
help adolescent women to develop a
birth plan that will focus on:
• What to do if any danger signs of
pregnancy occur.
• Identifying the person(s) to provide
physical and emotional support
during labor.
• When to check in with the health staff
if they suspect that labor is beginning.
• How they will get to the hospital or
clinic.
Childbirth preparation classes will give
both the adolescent and her support
person(s) the necessary information and
techniques to make labor more
comfortable.
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
DISCUSSION AND GROUP WORK
(30 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Briefly present the information under
the Introduction in the content section
on the left-hand side of the page.
• Explain that earlier during the
training, the psychosocial
characteristics of adolescents were
discussed.
• Ask Px to recall some of these
characteristics and list them on a flip
chart.
• Divide Px into 2 groups.
• Ask one group to discuss how to
address the psychosocial
characteristics of adolescents when
preparing for delivery during the
prenatal visit(s). For example,
adolescents are present-minded and
they don't plan ahead. Providers must
help adolescents plan for delivery
and answer questions such as: who
will help with the delivery, how will
they get to the hospital or clinic, what
will they do in case of an emergency,
etc.
• Ask the second group to discuss how
to address the psychosocial
characteristics of adolescents during
labor and delivery. For example,
adolescents often do not have
adequate information about their
bodies and what will occur during
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Adolescent Curriculum