Abstract
Britain has a problem with teenage pregnancies (DoH, 1992) and is said to have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe (Social Exclusion Unit, 1999). As a result, a commitment has been made by the present Government to reassess issues surrounding this subject. However, society appears to have adopted a belief that teenage pregnancy occurs as the result of reckless behaviour (Health Education Authority, 1998). The question is, therefore, do midwives also hold such feelings and attitudes, and does this effect the care that they deliver? This study was conducted to explore the attitudes of six community midwives working in the north of England. It adopted a phenomenological approach, examining the lived experiences offered by these midwives. Emerging themes are presented, and discussion relating to the findings, showing that the midwives had encountered some dilemmas through their experiences with pregnant teenagers. Implications for future midwifery practice are identified, including the need for support for those midwives experiencing some tough dilemmas that they encounter through their daily practice.
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