Cystic fibrosis through a female perspective: psychosocial issues and information concerning puberty and motherhood.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate psychosocial issues concerning puberty and motherhood among CF adult females, to see how they had obtained and conceived information on these matters and how they would like information to be given. Fourteen adult CF females were interviewed. The majority of the women felt socially accepted and did not remember being ashamed over their delayed puberty. Thirteen of the women had been or were living in stable sexual relationships. However, the study revealed problems with destructive behaviour during puberty due to thoughts about premature death, secret worries over delayed puberty, poorly received information about puberty and fertility, avoidance of close relationships with the opposite sex during adolescence and concerns about being a mother with a chronic illness. Information about puberty and fertility should be given individually and in small discussion groups with teenage girls combined with thorough medical and psychological guidance concerning motherhood.