Adolescent Mothers Research Articles

Addressing the Complexities of Teenage Pregnancy: Insights from a Study in Lira District, Uganda

Teenage pregnancy persists as a global public health challenge with profound implications for maternal and child well-being, particularly in low-resource settings. This study investigates the prevalence, determinants, and implications of teenage pregnancies in Lira District, Uganda. Employing a cross-sectional quantitative approach, data was collected from 106 pregnant mothers aged 12-19 attending antenatal care services. Findings reveal that a majority of respondents fall within the 12-19 age range, with significant proportions having attained only primary education and being married. Factors contributing to early pregnancies include peer pressure and financial constraints. Moreover, respondents express awareness of risks such as vaginal tears and maternal mortality during delivery. These findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive interventions addressing socioeconomic disparities, enhancing access to education and healthcare, and promoting reproductive health education. By elucidating the complexities surrounding teenage pregnancies in a resource-constrained context, this study contributes valuable insights to inform targeted strategies aimed at reducing the burden of teenage pregnancies and improving the health outcomes of adolescent mothers and their offspring. Keywords: Prevalence, Teenage Pregnancy, Mothers, Antenatal Care, Regional Hospital

Predictors of menstrual health management among the high school adolescent girls

Background: Adolescence (10-19 years) is an essential human developmental stage, during which physical, sexual, psychological, and social development occurs Objectives: To estimate the knowledge and attitude regarding menstruation health as well as its determinants among school going adolescent girls. Methods: A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was conducted among school going adolescent girls. In addition to descriptive analysis, bi-variate analysis was also done to find out the association between various predictors of knowledge and attitudes of the study population. Results: Majority of the adolescent girls preferred mother (75.6%) as a source of information regarding puberty related issue with 86.2% of them using health related sanitary pad as one of the methods for menstrual hygiene. Conclusion: Proper menstrual hygiene practices which could be imparted through appropriate interventions at earlier stages of life can prevent the girls and women from suffering reproductive morbidities.

Acceptability and feasibility of SUCCEAT, an intervention for parents of adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

"Supporting Carers of Children and Adolescents with Eating Disorders in Austria" (SUCCEAT), a skills training for parents, delivered via workshops (WS) or online modules (ONL), has been proven to be effective in terms of parental distress, caregiver skills, and adolescents' outcome. This study examined the adherence to and the acceptability and feasibility of SUCCEAT. One-hundred parents (86% mothers) of adolescents with anorexia nervosa participated in the 8-week training. Parents were assigned to the WS (n=50) or ONL (n=50) format using a quasi-randomised design. Adherence, acceptability, and feasibility were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Adherence to the sessions was high (66%-98%) for both groups. The usage of the material was comparable between the groups. However, in the WS group, participants actively approached the coaches (71.8% vs. 48.9% often/very often) or other parents (63% vs. 4.4% often/very often) more often. Perceived helpfulness was high in both groups, overall satisfaction and practicability were higher in the WS group. Good adherence, acceptability, and feasibility were confirmed for both formats of SUCCEAT, with minimal advantages of the WS regarding satisfaction and contact with other parents and coaches. Thus, both formats can be recommended for implementation in clinical routine.

Perception and experiences of adolescent mothers and communities in caring for their preterm babies: findings from an in-depth study in rural Bangladesh

BackgroundA significant concern for Bangladesh is the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy and the associated negative consequences for mother and baby, including a teen-related increased risk of preterm birth (PTB). Bangladesh also has one of the highest incidences of PTB (19%). Despite these high numbers of adolescent pregnancies and PTB, little is reported about the experiences of adolescent mothers in caring for their preterm babies, and the interventions needed to support them. The aim of this study was to explore gaps and opportunities for improved care for preterm babies among adolescent mothers and communities in rural Bangladesh.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study in rural villages of Baliakandi sub-district of Bangladesh. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with adolescent mothers of premature and term babies, adult mothers with premature babies, and family members (n = 36); focus groups with community members (n = 5); and key informant interviews with healthcare providers (n = 13). Adolescent mothers with term and adult mothers with PTBs were included to elicit similarities and differences in understanding and care practices of PTB. A thematic approach was used for data analysis.ResultsWe explored two major themes- perceptions and understanding of PTB; care practices and care-seeking for illnesses. We observed gaps and variations in understanding of preterm birth (length of gestation, appearance, causes, problems faced) and care practices (thermal management, feeding, weight monitoring) among all, but particularly among adolescents. Immediate natal and marital-kins were prominent in the narratives of adolescents as sources of informational and instrumental support. The use of multiple providers and delays in care-seeking from trained providers for sick preterm babies was noted, often modulated by the perception of severity of illness, cost, convenience, and quality of services. Health systems challenges included lack of equipment and trained staff in facilities to provide special care to preterm babies.ConclusionA combination of factors including local knowledge, socio-cultural practices and health systems challenges influenced knowledge of, and care for, preterm babies among adolescent and adult mothers. Strategies to improve birth outcomes will require increased awareness among adolescents, women, and families about PTB and improvement in quality of PTB services at health facilities.

Prevalence, characteristics, and associated determinants of postpartum depression among adolescent mothers in Kenyatta National Hospital and Pumwani Maternity Hospital from March to July 2023: A prospective, cross-sectional study

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a depressive episode that occurs in women within 6 weeks of parturition. It has a global prevalence of 13-19%. Long-term consequences include a high likelihood of experiencing depression in mothers, suicide, and infanticide. There is currently no routine screening for postpartum depression at the postnatal clinic. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of postpartum depression among adolescent mothers, characteristics, and associated determinants in Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Pumwani Maternity Hospital (PMH). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, involving 162 consenting postnatal adolescent mothers (14-19 years) at Kenyatta National and Pumwani Maternity hospitals. Consecutive sampling was employed. Data were collected using a structured sociodemographic questionnaire and the Edinburg Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Of all participants, 77.2% were from PMH and 22.8% were from KNH. Most participants were 18–19 years old, had primary education as the highest entry level, were single, depended on their parents for financial support, and were Christians. For obstetric characteristics, the majority had no history of miscarriage, were primipara, had unintended pregnancy, had amenorrhea as the first symptom, had an initial antenatal clinic (ANC) visit during the first trimester, had at least four ANC visits, and delivered via spontaneous vaginal birth. The prevalence of postpartum depression was 22.2%. The most prominent characteristics of PPD were feeling overwhelmed, sadness, anxiety, and crying episodes. Associated determinants of PPD in adolescent mothers were age <18 years, starting ANC visits after the second trimester, less than four ANC visits, being HIV-positive, unsupportive partner, and having a post-delivery illness for the mother. Conclusion: This study established that approximately one in four adolescent mothers are likely to suffer from postpartum depression.

Level of Resilience in Adolescent Motherhood attend in a Hospital in Lima

Introduction: resilience in adolescent mothers will play an important role, since it will help the adolescent to improve her coping capacity in situations that make her vulnerable during her pregnancy, so the research objective is to determine the level of resilience in adolescent motherhood attended in a hospital in Lima. Methods: it is a quantitative, descriptive-cross-sectional and non-experimental study; with a total population of 125 adolescent mothers who answered a questionnaire of sociodemographic aspects and the Connor and Davidson Resilience Scale instrument in the 25-item version.Results: in their results, we can observe that 5(n=4,3 %) have a low level of resilience, 29(n=25,2 %) medium resilience level and 81(n=70,4 %) high resilience level.Conclusions: in conclusion, the adolescent's environment should be evaluated, since it will allow us to show if there are protective or risk factors that promote resilience

Virtual schooling during the covid pandemic: the effect on high school retention for adolescent mothers

Virtual schooling during the covid pandemic: the effect on high school retention for adolescent mothers

Care pathways: strategies to facilitate access and care for teenage mothers

To explore strategies to facilitate access and care for teenage mothers, delving into solutions that aim to overcome the obstacles that permeate this crucial phase of life. This is an integrative literature review, carried out in December 2023 in the MEDLINE, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases, without limitations regarding language and date of publication. The descriptors indexed in DeCS and MeSH were used: “Adolescent Mothers”, “Effective Access to Health Services” and Primary Health Care combined using the Boolean operator “and”. The results obtained were exported to the Mendeley® software and, later, to the Rayyan® application. Six studies were eligible and the results were categorized into three categories: educational and awareness interventions, improving accessibility to health services and psychosocial support approaches. Effective strategies to promote access to and care appropriate to the needs of adolescent mothers may vary, but generally involve the implementation of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health programs, accessible education about prenatal and postnatal care, availability of specialized health services for adolescents, in addition to emotional and psychosocial support.

Scoping Review: Inhibiting and Supporting Factors of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Teenage Moms

Breast milk has a very important role and is the best nutrition in preventing the onset of disease, and it can save lives and provide healthy growth and development during the first 1000 days of life. Findings in several studies show that adolescent mothers have a shorter duration of breastfeeding and have a lower proportion of breastfeeding initiation when compared to adult mothers, so this scoping review aims to review the inhibiting and supporting factors in adolescent mothers in breastfeeding. This scoping review method uses the Arksey &; O'Malley framework, which was developed using the PEOs framework; in searching and selecting articles through relevant databases, namely Pubmed, Ebsco, and Wiley, and using Grey Literature through Google Scholar; The literature search process used PRISMA Flowchart, and found that from 73 articles there were 7 articles selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings based on inhibiting factors show that adolescent mothers lack knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding, practical knowledge in breastfeeding, difficult childbirth or other maternal complications, while supporting factors include maternal education, husband desires and support and support. It can be concluded that previous studies show that breastfeeding among adolescent mothers still requires special attention, which is related to inhibiting factors and very diverse supporting factors that occur among adolescent mothers

Characteristics, utilization of reproductive health services and AI prediction among Taiwanese adolescent mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although adolescent birth rates have declined globally, the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent mothers remains an area of specific concern, and these were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates characteristics, utilization of reproductive health services (RHS) and artificial intelligence (AI) prediction during the pandemic. We conducted an exploratory study using data for 2020-2022 from the Taipei City Government Health Bureau. Adolescent mothers under the age of 20 received post-birth telephone-based RHS, covering contraception, abortion, postpartum care, and social welfare support. The data analysis included descriptive statistics, and various machine learning techniques were employed, including random forest, SVM, KNN, logistic regression, and Bayesian network analysis. Of 112 participants, most were aged 17 to 19 (80.4%) and married (58.0%). The majority had full-term deliveries (86.6%) with healthy infants. A high percentage had not used contraception before conception (60.7%), and some had had earlier abortion or termination experiences (13.4%). In the examination of eight influential factors, the machine learning models, specifically the random forest and Bayesian network analyses, exhibited the highest accuracy, achieving 90.91% and 89%, respectively, in predicting service acceptance. The key determinants identified were abortion experience and marital status, directly influencing the acceptance of services. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced hospital visits for adolescent mothers, but the RHS provided timely guidance. Telemedicine consultations and internet-based psychological consultations may play a crucial role in facilitating such services in the future.

Depression among currently married ever pregnant adolescents in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: Evidence from understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults (UDAYA) survey, India.

Depression is a major public health concern among Indian adolescents. Pre- and post-natal depression can often alter fetal development and have negative consequences on the physical and mental health of the mother. This paper aims to draw attention to the prevalence of depression and its correlates among currently married, ever-pregnant adolescents from two Indian States, i.e. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This study utilizes data from a subsample (n = 3116) of the prospective cohort study Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) among 10 to 19 year-old adolescents. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of depression by sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. To further access the predictors associated with depression a logistic regression model was applied. Around one-tenth (9%) of pregnant adolescents had depression. Regression analysis indicated that substance use, religion, autonomy, considering attempting suicide, premarital relationship, violence, dowry, adverse pregnancy outcome, menstrual problem, and parental pressure for the child immediately after marriage were significantly associated with depression. This study confirms the pre-existing annotation that teen pregnancy is linked with depression. Findings indicate that Adolescent mothers experiencing violence, and a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at increased risk of developing depression. These study findings call for an urgent need to address depression among adolescent mothers.

Are there reciprocal interplays among Chinese adolescents', fathers', and mothers' depression at the within-family level? A family systems perspective.

Controversy surrounds the reciprocity between adolescent and parental depression. Limited studies rigorously tested the transactional model of depression from a family systems perspective considering the involvement of all family members, particularly in non-Western nations, using advanced modeling approaches that disentangle between- and within-unit (i.e., family) variances (e.g., random intercept cross-lagged panel model [RI-CLPM]). This population-based multi-informant longitudinal study applied RI-CLPM to evaluate the temporal dynamics of the interrelations among adolescent, maternal, and paternal depression in 1,733 Chinese families assessed biannually. Findings from two large independent samples (primary sample [N = 1,733]; replication sample [N = 989]) converged to suggest, in macro timescales: (a) more depressed parents-especially mothers-generally have more depressed adolescents (between-family associations); (b) a family member becoming more depressed than usual co-occurred with other members becoming more depressed than usual in the same wave (within-family cofluctuations), with the mother-adolescent dyads exhibiting greater concordance than the father-adolescent dyads; and (c) a family member becoming more depressed than usual did not prospectively predict other members becoming more depressed than usual (i.e., no within-family reciprocal effects). While patterns of cross-lagged effects were consistently null across contexts, cofluctuations were stronger in rural than urban families and stronger in families with older adolescents. Overall, findings suggest that in macro timescales, the previously identified associations between adolescent and parental depression likely occurred at the trait-like between-family level and state-like within-family cofluctuations. Future studies employing micro timescales (e.g., daily) can complement macro-timescale analysis to provide greater temporal resolution of the within-family interplays of affective symptoms between family members. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Intensive home visiting for adolescent mothers in the Family Nurse Partnership in England 2010–2019: a population-based data linkage cohort study using propensity score matching

BackgroundWe evaluated the effectiveness of the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), an intensive home visiting programme aiming to improve birth outcomes, child health and development, and to promote economic self-sufficiency among...

Postpartum depression in adolescent mothers before and during COVID-19 and the role of self-esteem, maternal self-efficacy, and social support

Introduction. Although the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the mental health of vulnerable populations, such as adolescent mothers, very few studies have documented the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in this population. Objective. a) Determine the frequency of PPD (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS] ≥ 9) in adolescent mothers before (AM-BP) and during (AM-DP) the pandemic, b) Examine psychosocial factors (self-esteem, maternal efficacy, social support, depression and anxiety in pregnancy, planned and wanted pregnancy) in AM-BP and AM-DP, and c) Determine whether being an AM-DP was a significant factor for experiencing PPD (EPDS ≥ 9). Method. Cross sectional study. Subjects: Forty-one AM-BP recruited at Health Centers and interviewed face to face and forty-one AM-DP surveyed online. Results. PPD (EPDS ≥ 9) was 42% (p = .001) more frequent in AM-DP. The groups differed significantly in all psychosocial factors, with AM-DP faring worse. Unadjusted regressions showed that being an AM-DP, having lower maternal efficacy and self-esteem, greater dissatisfaction with social support, and depression and/or anxiety in pregnancy increased PPD (EPDS ≥ 9). Adjusted multiple analysis indicated that lower self-esteem was the only factor to maintain its association with PPD (EPDS ≥ 9; p = .017). Discussion and conclusion. The pandemic negatively affected PPD (EPDS ≥ 9) and psychosocial factors in AM-DP, as compared to AM-BP, with self-esteem being the main factor associated with PPD (EPDS ≥ 9). In situations of extreme stress as happened in the pandemic, the mental health of adolescent mothers should be prioritized to prevent negative effects such as PPD. PPD preventive and treatment interventions should consider strengthening self-esteem.

A Sociological Approach to the Adolescent Pregnant in Low-Income Population of the Gran Mendoza, Argentina

This work aims to provide a non-moralistic exploration and understanding of the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy and resulting motherhood among low-income adolescent women in Greater Mendoza, Argentina. The study acknowledges that, based on official statistics, adolescent pregnancy remains a significant issue within this social group compared to teenagers from other socioeconomic backgrounds. By delving into the sexual and reproductive practices of these adolescents, the research seeks to uncover their life strategies within the context of their challenging living conditions, characterized by limited job opportunities and an inadequate, reactive educational system. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, the study captures the lived experiences and perspectives of adolescent mothers themselves. Utilizing a sociological analysis of this empirical data, the research argues that in the face of extreme social exclusion, a lack of family support, and limited cultural capital, the concept of “class habitus” sheds light on and explains the adolescent practices that contribute to not avoid pregnancies, often influenced by traditional societal expectations of women’s roles.

Analysis of Factors Related to the Incidence of Postpartum Blues in Adolescent Mother

BACKGROUND: Adolescent marriage in Indonesia is very high, this will have an impact on the psychological aspects of adolescents. Postpartum psychological disorders of adolescent mothers are postpartum blues. AIM: The study aimed to identify factors related to the incidence of postpartum blues in adolescent mothers. METHODS: This quantitative study used a cross-sectional method involving 90 respondents taken by consecutive sampling. Research sites in Bandung City Special Hospital for Mothers and Children and Al-Ihsan Regional Public Hospital, Bandung District. This research was conducted from May to September 2019. Data collection instruments in this study use the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Pregnancy planning uses the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy questionnaire. Social support uses a postpartum support system and a family coping questionnaire. The last questionnaire is the psychosocial condition of the mother Postpartum Postnatal Risk Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression tests to determine the factors most related to the incidence of postpartum blues in adolescent mothers. RESULTS: The results showed that there were 44.4% of adolescent mothers experience postpartum blues. There was a significant relationship between social support and the incidence of postpartum blues (p = 0.001; odds ratio [OR] 11,777; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3604–109,534) and home living also had a significant relationship with the incidence of postpartum blues (p = 0.002; OR = 9,653; 95% CI = 0.001–0.225). A negative B value at the home living indicated that home living is a preventative factor for postpartum blues in adolescent mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Postpartum blues are influenced by social support, psychosocial conditions, and pregnancy planning. Adolescent mothers need to get attention, especially from their husbands and families during the period of puerperium.

Evaluating multidimensional facets of the maternal experience after preterm birth

ObjectiveDescribe self-relating (self-criticism, self-compassion) and parenting competence (satisfaction, self-efficacy) in mothers of children born preterm, and their associations with child characteristics, maternal sociodemographics at childbirth, and maternal concurrent well-being.Study designThe sample comprised 1926 biological mothers of 3- to18-year-old children born preterm with self-ratings on the standardized Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking & Self-Reassuring Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, and Parenting Sense of Competence Scale.ResultsMothers of children in early childhood reported significantly (p < 0.05) lower self-compassion than in middle childhood and adolescence. They also reported significantly lower parenting satisfaction than mothers of adolescents and higher self-efficacy than their middle childhood counterparts. Maternal psychosocial well-being was most strongly associated with self-compassion, parenting satisfaction, and self-efficacy after accounting for maternal psychopathology, child gestation, and child age.ConclusionLonger-term associations of preterm birth with maternal self-relating and parenting competence emphasize broadening the scope of neonatal follow-up services, extending beyond child neurodevelopmental surveillance and postpartum psychopathology screening.

The effectiveness of the SATIR approach on parent-child attachment among adolescent mothers: a before-after study

Background Mother–child attachment is influenced by various factors, particularly social norms. It’s crucial to consider the impact of cultural contexts and societal expectations on parent-child attachment. Objective The study investigated the influence of counseling based on SATIR’s theory on parent-child attachment in Iranian adolescent mothers. Methods The study adopts a before-after design. It involves 33 adolescent mothers and their husbands. They received 6 sessions of counseling based on SATIR’s approach. Data were collected using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS) in the pretest, post-test, and 6 weeks after the end of the counseling sessions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA at a 95% confidence level. Results The mean total score of the MPAS was 68.75 ± 7.7 in the pretest, 75.17 ± 6.44 in the post-test, and 77.75 ± 6.12 in the follow-up period which has increased over time (p = 0.001). The repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing overall attachment scores (59%) and the subscales of ‘quality of attachment’ by 56%, ‘absence of hostility’ by 21%, and ‘pleasure in interaction’ by 27%. Conclusion The study shows that using the SATIR approach effectively improves mother-child attachment in adolescent mothers after giving birth. Also, involving spouses in postpartum counseling programs seems to be a helpful strategy, indicating it should be taken into account by professionals in this area.

Infant Feeding Practices, Prevalence of Adolescent Motherhood and Malnutrition among Infants in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Background: Adolescent motherhood and malnutrition among children are significant challenges in Africa, but there is limited data on the impact of adolescent motherhood on their children's health and nutrition. This study assessed infant feeding practices, prevalence of adolescent motherhood, and malnutrition among infants in Mangu local government area (LGA). Methodology: A cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling was conducted. Validated questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic data, and appropriate tools were used for anthropometric measurements. Data were compared with established standards. Descriptive statistical tools, chi square, Pearson correlation, and independent sample t-test were used for data analysis, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 200 mothers completed the study. The majority of the infants (78.5%) were less than 6 months old, and 21.5% were 6-12 months old. Breastfeeding initiation within 1 hour was reported by 39% of mothers, while 38% practiced prelacteal feeding. Only 28.5% practiced exclusive breastfeeding, and all mothers breastfed their babies. The prevalence of adolescent motherhood was 37.5%. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among infants were 29.5%, 12%, and 8.5%, respectively. Children of adolescent mothers had higher rates of severe stunting compared to children of mothers above 19 years of age. There were significant differences (p = 0.017 and p = 0.029) in stunting rates and weight-for-age indices between children of adolescent mothers and mothers above 19 years of age. Conclusion: Adolescent motherhood contributes to chronic malnutrition in children, and there is a high prevalence of malnutrition among infants in Mangu LGA, Plateau State.

Knowledge and Practices of Home Diarrhoea Management among Adolescent Mothers with under Five Children in Nyando SubCounty, Kisumu, Kenya

Background: Globally, diarrhea is the primary cause of death for children under the age of five. In Kenya, it continues to be a significant source of illness and mortality in this age range. Mothers play crucial roles in the prevention and control of diarrhea among these children by practicing easy home management. Aim: This study aimed to assess adolescent mothers’ knowledge, and practice in the prevention and home management of diarrhoeal diseases among children under five years old in Nyando sub-county, Kenya Setting: This study was conducted in Nyando sub-county, Kisumu County, Kenya. Methods: A mixed method descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted using a Proportionate sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and interview guides and analysed using STATA version 16 to generate the tables and bar graphs. NVivo version 12 was used to analyse the qualitative data adopting thematic analysis approach. Results: Boiling of drinking water was a common practice as reported by majority (75.8%, n= 216) of the participants. A total of 94 mothers (33.0%) expressed knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding while 10.5% (n=30) indicated maintenance of cleanliness as methods. These adolescent mothers practiced continued feeding and breastfeeding during diarrhoea episodes. In addition, the use suboptimal diarrhoea management practices such as food restriction and use of traditional herbs was practiced among the study participants. Conclusion: Continued feeding and breastfeeding during diarrhoea episodes were identified as appropriate management practices and were significant in preventing dehydration as well as increased vulnerability to malnutrition. There is also need of creating awareness of other diarrhoea management practices such as the use of banana and yoghurt as well as demystifying the use of traditional herbs in diarrhoea management.