PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF PREGNANCY IN ADOLESCENCE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Pregnancy is theoretically a biologically determined transitional period characterized by complex metabolic changes, major adaptations and identity change. In adolescence this situation is even more aggravating, as it generates an overload of physiological, psychological and social needs, resulting in a series of compromising events for the development of the individual. The objective was to describe the evidence found in the literature on the psychological consequences of teenage pregnancy. This is an integrative literature review, in the MEDLINE, LILACS and BEDENF databases, through the grouping of the following descriptors Health Science (DeCS): Pregnancy, Adolescence and Mental Health, together with the Boolean operator AND. We continued using the filters with the inclusion criteria, resulting in 346 articles. These, after a careful reading of the titles and abstracts, resulted in 35 articles. After exhaustive reading of the articles in full to verify if they responded to the research problem, the final sample consisted of 11 articles. Data integration resulted in two categories: a) Feelings experienced by pregnant teenagers and their psychological consequences and b) The role of the family and the health service for the mental health of pregnant teenagers. It is concluded that teenage pregnancy represents a psychosocial issue since it brings together psychological, emotional, sexual, social and cultural conflicts. Feelings such as insecurity, despair, fear, disorientation, loneliness are frequent, especially when the pregnancy is discovered. When pregnant, the young woman needs to simultaneously face the transformation processes typical of adolescence and those arising from pregnancy, going through an intense overload of physical and psychological efforts.