Table 3 Characteristics of included studies

Al-Kloub et al. (2019) [38]

Jordan

(MENA)

To understand the lived experience of marriage and motherhood among Jordanian young women with a first-born child

To identify needs of Jordanian adolescent mothers and to develop the support necessary to enhance their maternal role and health outcomes

Descriptive qualitative

15 participants

10–14 years = 2

15–19 years = 13

All married

Hospital birth registers used to identify potential participants and snowball sampling through hospital recruited participants

Interviews

Colaizzis method

B

Apolet et al. (2020) [62]

Uganda (SSA)

To explore the challenges faced by adolescents during the antenatal, delivery and postnatal period and the extent to which the community score card intervention in Kibuku district addressed those challenges

Qualitative

15 participants

No breakdown of ages

Mix of married and single

Sub-county score card coordinators and village health team (volunteers actively involved in coordinating health related issues at community level) identified adolescents who had given birth in previous two years

IDIs

Manual thematic framework analysis

C

Asnong et al. (2018) [66]

Thailand (SEA)

To develop a better understanding of adolescent pregnancy, including sexual and reproductive health knowledge and family and community support structures on the Thailand-Myanmar border

Qualitative

20 participants (others key informants)

10–14 years = 2

15–19 years = 18

All married

76 potential participants identified from a clinic using convenience sampling. Participants were selected as they were attending for ANC during the study period

IDIs

Thematic analysis

B

Astuti et al. (2020) [67]

Indonesia (SEA)

To explore female and male Indonesian adolescents’ experiences during

pregnancy and early parenthood, because of premarital pregnancy

Explorative qualitative approach

20 participants

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 20 (16–19)

Married/due to because pre-marital conception

All potential participants were identified from antenatal care records or postnatal records

Interviews

Colaizzi method

B

Atuyambe et al. (2005) [63]

Uganda (SSA)

To explore problems experienced by pregnant adolescents to design appropriate policies and programs, and to raise issues for further research

Explorative qualitative design

44 participants

Age breakdown not specified

Marital status not specified

Participants selected from the community and among those receiving ANC at health units

FGDs

Manual Analysis—no further detail provided

C

Atuyambe et al. (2009) [68]

Uganda (SSA)

To explore adolescent health seeking behaviour during pregnancy and early motherhood to contribute to health policy formulation and improved access to health care

Qualitative

92 participants (others key informants)

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 92

Married and single

Recruited at antenatal or vaccination clinic

FGDs

Latent content analysis technique used

B

Bwalya et al. (2018) [39]

Zambia (SSA)

To describe the experiences of pregnant adolescents with the healthcare providers at the antenatal care clinic

To describe the experiences of pregnant adolescents with older pregnant women within the antenatal care clinic

To describe the experiences of pregnant adolescents with education provided at as part of antenatal care

Phenomenological study

Sample size of 16 but only 12 participants interviewed as reached saturation

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 12

Purposively selected from antenatal clinic records

SSIs

Thematic analysis

C

Chikalipo et al. (2018) [40]

Malawi (SSA)

To explore the views of pregnant adolescents towards the antenatal services they receive at Ndirande Health Centre in Blantyre, Malawi, specifically their perceptions of the care received

Exploratory study

15 participants

Age breakdown not provided. All 14–19 years Married and single participants

Purposively selected at antenatal clinic when attending for care

SSIs

Manual thematic analysis

B

Duggan and Adejumo (2012) [69]

South Africa (SSA)

To determine how well the existing maternity services catered for the needs of adolescent maternity clients (AMCs)

Grounded theory

18 participants

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 18

Purposive and snowball sampling. Health care workers working in facilities within study area assisted with identifying potential participants

FGDs and SSIs

Manual thematic analysis

A

Erasmus, Knight and Dutton (2020) [70]

South Africa (SSA)

To explore the perceptions and experiences of pregnant adolescents utilizing one Midwifery Obstetric Unit (MOU) in urban Western Cape for their maternal health needs, to understand and explore barriers to access to care amongst pregnant adolescents within this specific context

Exploratory qualitative design

10 participants (others key informants)

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 10

Married and single participants

Purposive sampling. No detail of recruitment process

SSIs

Manual thematic analysis

B

Govender, Naidoo and Taylor (2020) [41]

South Africa (SSA)

To explore and understand the phenomenon of adolescent pregnancy and motherhood

To gain insight into the future aspirations of adolescent mothers

Descriptive

18 participants

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 18

Participants single or in relationships, not married

Purposively selected from quantitative strand, as part of larger mix-ed methods study

FGDs

Thematic analysis

B

Gyesaw and Ankomah (2013) [23]

Ghana (SSA)

To explore the experiences of unmarried teenage mothers in relation to pregnancy, delivery, and early motherhood

Qualitative

63 participants

No breakdown. All participants 14–19 years. All single

Health professionals assisted with recruitment. Snowballing also used through those adolescents identified at facilities. Key persons in the community also helped identify eligible adolescents

FGDs and IDIs

Manual thematic analysis

B

James, Rall and Strümpher (2012) [71]

South Africa (SSA)

To explore and describe the perceptions of pregnant teenagers of the ANC clinic environment

To recommend guidelines to midwifery operational managers for strategies to create teenager-friendly ANC clinic environments

Qualitative

12 participants

No age ranges provided

Potential participants identified from antenatal clinic register

SSIs

Transcription and analysis withing 12 h

C

Mashala et al. (2012) [72]

South Africa (SSA)

The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences and challenges of pregnant South African adolescents by focusing on their thoughts and feelings

about their pregnancies and prospects

Phenomenological study

9 participants

No breakdown of ages

(Mean age = 16.33 years)

No recruitment processes explained. Likely purposively sampled at health facility—not clear

SSIs

Thematic analysis

C

Mohammadi et al. (2016) [73]

Iran (MENA)

To explore the lived experiences of pregnant teenage women in Iran

Hermeneutic phenomenology

11 participants

10–14 years = 0

15–19 years = 11 – All married

Participants recruited from health facilities where they had registered for antenatal care

SSIs and IDIs

Thematic analysis

B

Nabugoomu et al. (2018) [74]

Uganda (SSA)

To understand community stakeholder perceptions of the needs of teenage mothers in rural Eastern Uganda

To understand the barriers, they face in meeting those needs

Qualitative

11 pregnant adolescents, 14 lactating adolescents = 25 (others key informants)

Ages of adolescents not specified

Recruited through community health team workers

SSIs

Thematic analysis

B

November and Sandall (2018) [75]

Sierra Leone (SSA)

To better understand the factors which put younger women at greater risk of

maternal death, to work with local people to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce these risks

Qualitative

20 adolescent participants (others key informants)

No age ranges specified

Recruited within a local training institution or through community health workers

FGDs and SSIs

Software used to aid coding and analysis- Doesn't state type of analysis

C

Sewpaul et al. (2021) [76]

South Africa (SSA)

To investigate pregnant adolescents' general knowledge, attitudes, motivating factors, and experiences of antenatal appointment attendance and their healthcare behaviours during pregnancy

Phenomenological study

19 participants aged 13–19 years. No breakdown of ages or marital status. Purposive sampling, with participants recruited at health facilities

FGDs and IDIs

Thematic analysis

B

Shahabuddin et al. (2017) [77]

Bangladesh (South Asia)

To explore maternal health care-seeking behaviour of adolescent girls and their experiences related to pregnancy and delivery in Bangladesh

Prospective qualitative study

25 adolescent participants and 23 at follow up. (Other key informants). No ages provided. All married

Purposive sampling with support of field staff working on maternal health project

FGDs and IDIs

Thematic analysis

B

Shahabuddin et al. (2019) [78]

Nepal (South Asia)

To explore the health care-seeking behaviour of married adolescent girls in Nepal during pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery

prospective qualitative study

22 participants and 18 at follow up. (Others key informants) No ages provided for pregnant adolescents. All married

Purposive sampling with support of field staff working on maternal health project

IDIs

Thematic analysis- guided by the Social-Ecological Model (SEM)

B

Tatum et al. (2012) [79]

Mexico (LAC)

To examine the factors influencing how young women in a setting in which abortion was recently legalized make reproductive decisions when confronted with an unwanted pregnancy

Qualitative

23 participants

10–14 years = 5

15–19 years = 18

Recruitment for IDIs and FGDs was conducted by private recruiters. The recruiters, who maintain a database of contacts acquired through snowball sampling, used these contacts to locate suitable participants

FGDs and IDIs

Thematic analysis

C