Reflections of former teenage mothers: Multigenerational and enduring layers of stigma

Introduction: A growing body of literature has highlighted social stigma encountered by teenage mothers. Less is known, however, about ways in which such experiences manifest across time. In this article, the author reports findings from a qualitative project that explored the retrospective reflections of former teenage mothers about their lives and mothering journeys from adolescence to midlife. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were undertaken with 22 women who had given birth as teenagers and whose eldest child was between the ages of 18–40. Findings were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach, which integrated a feminist lens. Findings: Surprise findings reveal that some of the participants discussed ways in which their children had been exposed to rejection, differential treatment, or labelling because of being born to a teenage mother. Further, stigma was experienced as an ongoing source of tension, even up to the point of midlife for some of the women interviewed. Conclusion: Stigma has been recognised to be a phenomenon that can perpetuate social inequalities for teenage mothers. Enduring and multigenerational stigmas described by some participants affected family dynamics, healthcare interactions, educational experiences, and undermined their social and reproductive worth. Complex layers of stigma described by women within this study are thus crucial for social workers to recognise and challenge when promoting the wellbeing of adolescent mothers and their children.