"Unintended pregnancy and attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health among young people in Benguela Province, Angola".

Early pregnancy was identified by participants as the most pressing sexual and reproductive health concern among young people in Benguela Province, Angola.

• The study involved 27 young people aged 18-25 in four focus group discussions (FGDs) stratified by sex and setting
• Participants were from both urban Lobito and rural Cubal settings in Benguela Province
• Early pregnancy was frequently linked to stigma, misinformation, social pressure, and lack of confidential services
• Participants were purposively selected to ensure diversity of background and recruited through civil society networks

Contraceptive use among young people was limited by fear, myths, and gender dynamics.

• Participants reported that fear and myths surrounding contraception were major barriers to use
• Gender dynamics were identified as a structural factor limiting contraceptive access and use
• These barriers were embedded within broader social norms and gender inequality
• The findings reflect constrained agency rather than free individual choice in reproductive decision-making

Abortion emerged as a stigmatized but common response to unintended pregnancy, with participants' experiences organized into four 'Itineraries of Reality'.

• The four Itineraries of Reality (IR) identified were: [1] abortion as moral crime, [2] clandestine abortion as escape, [3] forced continuation of pregnancy, and [4] an aspirational path toward safe, legal abortion
• These trajectories were embedded in two 'Vulnerability Circuits' (VC): unsafe abortion and intergenerational poverty
• Clandestine abortion was described as a common but stigmatized practice among young women
• Angola's restrictive laws were identified as a structural factor shaping these trajectories

Two 'Exit Strategies' and one 'Empowerment Pathway' were identified as means of resistance and resilience among young people.

• The two Exit Strategies (ES) identified were social activism and legal-health system reform
• The Empowerment Pathway (EP) was linked to youth-led associations and community spaces
• These pathways represent sources of agency within otherwise constraining structural conditions
• The study used systems thinking and Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to frame these findings

Structural inequalities, restrictive laws, stigma, and inadequate youth-friendly services were identified as key factors shaping sexual and reproductive health outcomes for young women in Angola.

• The study was conducted in May 2023 as part of the formative phase of a larger project
• Thematic content analysis integrating systems thinking and Bronfenbrenner's ecological model was used to analyze the data
• Qualitative research exploring youth perspectives on SRH in Angola was noted to be scarce prior to this study
• Gender-based violence (GBV), unsafe abortion, limited contraception access, and early pregnancy were identified as intersecting challenges

Urban and rural differences in sexual and reproductive health experiences were captured by stratifying focus groups by setting.

• Focus groups were conducted in both urban Lobito and rural Cubal in Benguela Province
• Stratification was by both sex and setting (urban vs. rural)
• A total of four focus group discussions were held with 27 participants
• Purposive sampling was used to ensure diversity of background across these settings