Social support among HIV-positive and HIV-negative adolescents in Umlazi South Africa: changes in family and partner relationships during pregnancy and the postpartum period

摘要

BackgroundPregnancy is common among adolescents in South Africa, yet the social experiences of adolescents during the pregnancy and postpartum period remain understudied in this context. We aimed to explore how adolescent women’s discovery and disclosure of both their pregnancy and HIV status affected their relationships with family members and sexual partners, with a particular focus on whether and how support changed throughout this time period.