One Foot Wet and One Foot Dry

Abstract

This study explores married Vietnamese adolescents' perceptions and experiences related to transition into motherhood and their encounter with health care service. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women younger than 20 who were either pregnant or had newly delivered. It emerged from the narratives that young women experienced ambivalence in the transition to motherhood in that they felt too young but also happy to be able to please their husband and the extended family. Patterns were shown indicating that the participants experienced lacking power with regard to decisions in relation to pregnancy, delivery, and contraceptive usage. Feelings of being patronized and ignored in the encounter with health care providers were seen in the narratives. Findings might be used for reproductive health care providers, social workers, and educators in their contact with young mothers to empower them to make their own decisions with regard to marriage, childbearing, and contraception.