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Background In Sweden, antenatal and child health care are offered free of charge to all expectant and new parents. Professionals in antenatal and child health care play an important role in supporting parents. Previous research shows that same-sex mothers face heteronormative assumptions and insufficient support during their transition to parenthood. Objective To explore professionals' experiences of supporting two-mother families in antenatal and child health care. Method A qualitative method with focus group discussions was used. An interview guide was followed, and the discussions were held online. The data was analysed according to inductive content analysis. Settings and participants The participants were midwives (n = 8) and nurses (n = 5) in antenatal and child health care from different parts of Sweden. Participants were recruited through the coordinating midwives and child health care nurses in the different regions. Findings One main category was identified: Striving to be open-minded in supporting same-sex mothers. Health care professionals described meeting well-prepared mothers, with an equal commitment between each other, and mothers on guard against heteronormative views. Professionals provided support through empowerment by creating a safe environment and aiming at providing equal support to all parents or tailored support to same-sex mothers. Mothers described handling challenges, as a balancing act to acknowledge both mothers. Struggling with documents and communication and a lack of information were other challenges to be handled. Professionals reflected on their own professional competence and expressed that knowledge acquired through education, experience and personal interest all contributed to their competence. Conclusions Forms and documentation need to be updated to be gender neutral to be including to a variety of family constelleations. Health care professionals need time to reflect on norms and challenges to better support both mothers in a two-mother family.

The aim was to investigate same-sex mothers' self-assessed experiences of forming a family, and the association between heteronormative information, parental support and parenting stress. Design: A quantitative, cross-sectional study. Methods: In a web survey conducted in Sweden in 2019, same-sex mothers (N = 146) with a child aged 1-3 years answered questions about their experiences of forming a family through assisted reproduction and questions about parenting stress. Descriptive statistics describes the process of forming a family. Pearson's correlation analyses and independent sample t tests were used to test hypotheses about heteronormative information, parental support and parenting stress. Results: Same-sex mothers experienced going through assisted reproduction treatment as stressful, and parental groups as not being supportive. Heteronormative information correlated with both lower perceived parental support and higher perceived parenting stress. Non-birth mothers experienced less acknowledgement and support than birthmothers.

The aim of this study was to investigate sexual behavior, contraceptive use, risk factors as well as sources of sex information among first-year high-school students in Sweden. Secondly, to assess differences between genders and study programs as well as changes over a 40-year period. A repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted in two cities. A questionnaire comprising 77 items was used. The study population consisted of 415 students (63.4% females). The median age of sexual intercourse was 15 years. In total, 37% had had sexual intercourse, compared to 56.3% in 2009 and 45% in 1999 (p < 0.001), and the proportion of students who had their first sexual intercourse was not influenced by gender. More students in vocational programs (46.3%), compared to theoretical (33.3%), had experience of at least one sexual intercourse (p = 0.019). The same extend of contraception use at first and latest intercourse was reported, compared to previous studies. Forty-nine percent were mostly informed about sex from the internet, while in previous years, magazines, family and youth clinics were the main information sources. Comparing over time, students were in general less sexually experienced and less engaged in non-penetrative sex and physical intimacy. These findings call for a new approach, when designing sex and relationship education and health-care counseling in adolescents.

To get a deeper understanding of how mothers in same-sex relationships think and reason about their parenthood in terms of gender equality, and how they experience early parental support from child healthcare professionals. Background: There is an increasing amount of research on how women in same-sex relationships experience healthcare services when forming a family. Yet there is limited knowledge of what kind of early parental support these women may request. Design: Grounded theory. Follows guidelines for qualitative research (COREQ). Method: Twenty women ranging from 25 to 42 years of age participated in semi-structured interviews. Data collection and analysis took place in parallel, as recommended in grounded theory methodology. Results: The results are described by the core category Same-sex mothers request professional support to achieve equal parenthood, which includes five categories: (a) equality in everyday life, (b) diversity in mother and child attachment, (c) justification of the family structure, (d) ambivalent thoughts about their child's future and (e) a special need for networking and request for professional support. These findings provide a deeper understanding of how same-sex mothers experience their parenthood and the parental support that is offered. Conclusion: Child healthcare professionals need to be sensitive and recognise both mothers as equal parents and offer early parenting groups where two-mother families feel included and supported. Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare professionals need to be aware of diverse family formations and meet each parent as a unique individual without heteronormative assumptions. Same-sex mothers must be treated as equal parents and acknowledged as mothers. Healthcare professionals should offer inclusive and supportive parental groups to same-sex families. They should also inform and support nonbirth mothers about the possibility to breastfeed.

Objectives The aim of this study was to gain insight into how women in same-sex relationships experience the process of forming a family through the use of assisted reproduction technique (ART), from planning the pregnancy to parenthood, and their experience of parental support from healthcare professionals. Methods The participants were 20 women in a same-sex relationship who had conceived through ART at a Swedish clinic. Semi-structured interviews including open questions about pregnancy, parenthood and support from healthcare professionals were conducted. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed according to grounded theory. Results The core category, A stressful journey through a heteronormative world, emerged from the analysis, as did three subcategories: A journey fraught with difficulties and decisions; The nuclear family as the norm; and A need for psychological support. Same-sex parents expressed a need for more information about how to access ART in Sweden. Both the healthcare organization and treatment were perceived as heteronormative. In particular, these women lacked psychological support during the demanding process of utilizing a sperm donor to conceive. Conclusions for Practice Professionals in antenatal care should undergo mandatory cultural competency training to ensure cultural sensitivity and the provision of updated information, tailored brochures and early parental support for families with same-sex parents. All parents need guidance and support from competent, caring personnel throughout the entire process of forming a family.

In this study, we described and analyzed parents’ experiences of teenage parenthood and the provision of support to their teenage children who had recently have become parents. A quali- tative method was used. In-depth interviews with 24 participants were conducted, all parents of teenage parents. Data were analyzed using content analysis; four themes and 11 subthemes were identified. The results show that parents’ norms and values were strongly influenced by their religious beliefs. The participants had mixed emotions and reactions to their teenage chil- dren’s parenthood. Also participants were sources of support to the teenage parents and assisted them in their transition to parenthood. However, the participants also expressed the importance that their teenage children continue their education and avoid repeated pregnan- cies. This study highlights how emotional, instrumental, and informational support provided by parents to their teenagers can assist the latter in their transition to parenthood. In their work with teenage parents, healthcare providers can benefit from teenage parent's own parents involvement and experiences. 

Background: The aims of this longitudinal study were to identify predictors for continued pornography consumption and to investigate pornography consumption in relation to psychosomatic and depressive symptoms among a group of adolescents in Sweden.

Methods and materials: A longitudinal study in classroom environment in 53 randomly selected senior high school classes in mid-Sweden in years 2011 and 2013. Out of 477 participating boys and 400 girls in 2011, 224 boys (47%) and 238 girls (60%) participated in 2013.

Results: Higher pornography consumption at baseline and being born outside Sweden predicted continued pornography consumption at follow-up (adjusted R2 = 0.689).

Psychosomatic symptoms at follow-up were predicted by higher pornography consumption at baseline (adjusted R2 = 0.254), being a girl, living with separated parents, and attending a vocational high school program. By contrast, depressive symptoms at follow-up were predicted by less pornography consumption at baseline (adjusted R2 = 0.122) and being a girl.

Conclusions: Pornography consumption may, for some individuals, be associated to mental health issues. Differences between teenage boys and girls and between adolescents with diverse ethnic backgrounds imply that counseling and discussion about pornography need to be adjusted and individualized.

Becoming a father for the first time might cause great changes in a man’s identity and lifestyle. Teenage fathers must strive to balance two competing roles: the teenage role and the father role. The current study design followed grounded theory methodology to gain a deeper understanding of how Thai teenage fathers reason about becoming and being a father from a gender equality perspective. Participants were selected from a heterogeneous group of fathers until saturation was reached (n = 25). Most of the fathers were cohabiting with their partner in an extended family. An interview guide was developed, a pilot study was undertaken, and interviews were performed on two different occasions: once during the second trimester of pregnancy and again when the baby was 5 to 6 months old. The core category, “Male breadwinners involved in parenting,” encompassed persons making the transition from being solely a teenager to being a teenage father. Most of the fathers accepted the unintended pregnancy and took on the expected breadwinning responsibility of a father. They prepared for fatherhood and changed their lifestyle. Their families provided support. Nevertheless, the fathers sought to avoid further unplanned parenthood by learning about family planning. The teenage fathers emphasized breadwinning first, then involved himself in the child and the housework. These findings provide an increased understanding of Thai teenage fathers.