Pregnancy Among American Reactions and Prenatal Care Indian Adolescents:

Pt~tposc: Adolescent childbearing is twice as common among Native Americans as among all US races combined. Despite this, little is written about lhe psychosocial context or prenatal care of pregnant Native American adolescents. The objective of this study was to explore the reactions and prenatal care of Navajo and Apache adolescents delivering infants at Shiprock I’ndian Hospital, New Mexico, between January and March 1991, and Whiteriver Indian Hospital, Arizona, between May and June 1991. Methods: Of the 25 eligible adolescents aged 19 years and younger, 15 Navajo and 5 Apache participants were interviewed within 24 hours of delivery. The interview consisted of 121 questions divided into 5 areas: sociodemographics, personal and family reactiofis to the pregnancy, knowledge and attitudes toward prenatal care, barriers to care, and ways to improve access to care. Results: The mean age was 17.4k1.1, 6 were married, and 13 were primiparous. According to the Maternal Health Services Index, 5 adolescents received adequate, 13 intermediate, and 2 inadequate prenatal care. During the pregnancy, 3 adolescents used tobacco, 3 used alcohol, and none admitted to other drugs. Although only 1 adolescent planned the pregnancy, 15 were not using contraception when they became pregnant. In exploring reactions to the pregnancy, 13 adolescents were afraid to tell their families and 4 concealed the pregnancy unt;l confronted. During the pregnancy, 7 adolescents described loneliness and 6 expressed suicidal ideation. Al-