Interprofessional Collaboration to Enhance Contraceptive Uptake among School-Going Adolescents in South Africa

Sexually active school-going adolescents globally, though receiving some formal education regarding sex and contraceptives, are still lacking the specific knowledge needed for the correct uptake of contraceptives. It is also known that teenage pregnancy is driven by many aspects but mainly limited knowledge and inconsistent contraceptive use, the attitudes of healthcare professionals at Reproductive Health Centres, teenagers having limited options from which to choose and often stigmatisation they receive from being sexually active. There are several efforts that have been implemented to enhance contraceptive uptake among school-going teenagers globally. These efforts often involve collaboration among various stakeholders including government agencies, healthcare professionals, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations, and educational institutions. This chapter reports on a study that was done in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, which aimed to explore the perceptions and expertise of midwives/nurses, teachers, and psychologists/counsellors regarding a collaboration that will enhance and improve contraceptive uptake by sexually active school-going adolescents. The interprofessional collaboration envisaged is of crucial importance to facilitate contraceptive use and limit pregnancy in this population group.