Responsible Motherhood Research Articles

Representations of ‘risky’ drinking during pregnancy on Mumsnet: A discourse analysis

AbstractIntroductionOnline forums provide an environment for peer discussions to anonymously share experiences about sensitive topics. In this article we explore discussions about alcohol use during pregnancy, including representations of ‘appropriate’ behaviour and risks, in relation to alcohol use.MethodsWe sampled Mumsnet posts from 2016 to 2021 and analysed these using a two‐staged approach: describing the content of original posts and employing discourse analysis on the entire thread which focused on unpacking the significance, activity and identity within the discourse.ResultsSeventy‐three threads with 1554 replies analysed. Users engaged with different sources of evidence and mentioned guidelines and scientific sources, though most commonly provided, requested and appreciated anecdotal information. Risk was discussed in several ways but all users engaged with ‘othering’ drinking they perceived as risky. Only a few prescribed risks to any and all levels of drinking. There was a lack of knowledge around drinking while trying to conceive and early pregnancy. Expectations and norms of behaviour during pregnancy engaged in a ‘good motherhood’ discourse. Users positioned their drinking according to perceived norms through language choices; when not pregnant (or unknowingly pregnant) being ‘plastered’ was justified but when pregnant drinking only ‘sips’ or ‘tiny’ quantities of alcohol was considered appropriate.Discussion and ConclusionsForum users demonstrated a desire to adhere to ‘responsible motherhood’, which did not equate to abstinence if consumption was perceived as acceptable and justified. Future research should explore information needs and effective approaches to health communication for pregnant women or those planning pregnancy.

어머니의 사회경제적 배경에 따른 양육 특성이 유아의 문제행동에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the discrimination of mothers' parenting characteristics according to socioeconomic background and analyze the effects of parenting characteristics on the young children's problem behaviors.
 Methods It was analyzed the socioeconomic background, parenting characteristics, and problem behavior of 2,150 mothers with 5-year-old children, using the 7th panel data of the Panel Study on Korean Children. Using the program SPSS 21.0, the mean differences in parenting characteristics according to the mother's socioeconomic background were analyzed using t-test and one-way ANOVA. In addition, after analyzing the correlation between the mother's parenting characteristics and the young children's problem behavior, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the influence of the mother's parenting characteristics on the young children's problem behavior.
 Results Mothers' parenting characteristics differed depending on the mother's age, education level, and household income level, and the correlation between parenting characteristics and young children's problem behavior was low. As a result of analyzing the factors affecting children's internalizing problem behavior, the higher the income in the socioeconomic background, the less internalizing problem behavior, and among parenting characteristics, the higher the parenting stress and the less parent-child interaction, the more internalizing problem behavior increased. As a result of the analysis of externalizing problem behavior, it was found that for male young children, the greater the parenting stress, and the less paternalistic parenting behavior and parent-child interaction, the more the infant's externalizing problem behavior increased.
 Conclusions System establishment and policy support are required to minimize the interdependence and connection between socioeconomic background, parenting characteristics, and problem behavior. Additionally, because mothers' parenting stress has the greatest impact on their children's problem behavior, mothers should seek ways to reduce stress themselves. Additionally, a consensus on co-parenting must be formed at the community and government levels, breaking away from the framework that childrearing is the mother's responsibility.

The role of a community health worker-delivered preconception and pregnancy intervention in achieving a more positive pregnancy experience: the Bukhali trial in Soweto, South Africa

BackgroundA patient-centered, human-rights based approach to maternal care moves past merely reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, towards achieving a positive pregnancy experience. When evaluating an intervention, particularly in the context of the complex challenges facing maternal care in South Africa, it is therefore important to understand how intervention components are experienced by women. We aimed to qualitatively explore (i) factors influencing the pregnancy and postpartum experience amongst young women in Soweto, South Africa, and (ii) the influence of Bukhali, a preconception, pregnancy, and early childhood intervention delivered by community health workers (CHWs), on these experiences.MethodsSemi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 purposively sampled participants. Participants were 18–28-year-old women who (i) were enrolled in the intervention arm of the Bukhali randomized controlled trial; (ii) were pregnant and delivered a child while being enrolled in the trial; and (iii) had at least one previous pregnancy prior to participation in the trial. Thematic analysis, informed by the positive pregnancy experiences framework and drawing on a codebook analysis approach, was used.ResultsThe themes influencing participants’ pregnancy experiences (aim 1) were participants’ feelings about being pregnant, the responsibilities of motherhood, physical and mental health challenges, unstable social support and traumatic experiences, and the pressures of socioeconomic circumstances. In terms of how support, information, and care practices influenced these factors (aim 2), four themes were generated: acceptance and mother/child bonding, growing and adapting in their role as mothers, receiving tools for their health, and having ways to cope in difficult circumstances. These processes were found to be complementary and closely linked to participant context and needs.ConclusionOur findings suggest that, among women aged 18–28, a CHW-delivered intervention combining support, information, and care practices has the potential to positively influence women’s pregnancy experience in South Africa. In particular, emotional support and relevant information were key to better meeting participant needs. These findings can help define critical elements of CHW roles in maternal care and highlight the importance of patient-centred solutions to challenges within antenatal care.Trial registrationPan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201903750173871, 27/03/2019.

ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЕ О СЕМЬЕ И РЕБЕНКЕ ПРИ ДЕВИАНТНОМ МАТЕРИНСТВЕ

The article reveals the peculiarities of women's ideas about family and children in deviant motherhood. The unique is the study of ideas about family, children and motherhood among women who have children and are serving sentences in a penitentiary institution. The main research method was content analysis of associations to the words “family”, “child”, “mother”. The author identifies categories of association words that reveal specifics of respondents’ ideas about family. The article describes the categories and reveals the peculiarities of the perception of motherhood and family. The composition of the family is represented by the closest relatives: children, parents, spouses. The respondents' mental states are sthenic, personality-driven, humanitarian, and emotional. The main emotions and experiences of respondents are positive. Negative experiences are associated mainly with the feelings of guilt and distant motherhood, as well as the experience of destructive relationships in their own family. The range of negative experiences is greater than the positive ones. The article shows the respondents' perception of a mother with positive characteristics such as tenderness, kindness, and confidence. “Mom” shows care and responsibility. The interaction between mother and child is emotional; the range of specific actions in relation to the child is small. The focus (in ideal terms) on constructive, favorable family relationships has been revealed. At the same time, the practical orientation towards creating and maintaining such relationships is weakly expressed. The activity component of motherhood is impoverished. The child is infantilized by their mothers. A mother's responsibility to her child is a necessary characteristic for her. Psychological and pedagogical support for such mothers, as well we increasing their pedagogical competence, are seen crucial to solve the difficulties of deviant motherhood.

Correlation Between Personality, Locus of Control, and Knowledge About Stunting with Mother's Responsibility Behavior Considering Toddlers at Posyandu

Stunting is a failure to thrive due to chronic malnutrition, psycho-social stimulation, and exposure to repeated infections, especially in the first 1,000 days of life. Can be eliminated if growth from newborn to toddler is always monitored. Data from the Kebayoran Baru District Health Center as of December 31, 2018, there were 19% of infants did not weigh themselves regularly. The low participation of mothers in weighing their toddlers regularly every month at Posyandu is a problem in itself. It is necessary to examine and examine further personality, Locus of control, and mother's knowledge which will influence the behavior of the mother's responsibility to regularly weigh her child every month. This research is analytically descriptive with a total of 360 mothers who have toddlers in the working area of the Kebayoran Baru Health Center, data were collected using a questionnaire with the big five personality variables, Locus of control, and knowledge about stunting, data were processed using The analysis was performed with a statistical test using correlation test Pearson's. The results showed that education level 60% graduated from high school, 54.4% were aged 25-34 years, and 52.2% had high knowledge about stunting. The biggest personality type (187 people) is agreeableness, 83% have an Internal Locus of Control. There is a correlation between neuroticism personality type and responsible behavior for weighing toddlers (p=0.005) but there is no correlation between Locus of Control (p=0.067) and level of knowledge with responsible behavior for weighing toddlers (p=0.088).

“It was not an accident”: Women’s experiences of renewing motherhood at 40+

In recent decades, there has been an increase in motherhood at an advanced age that has raised several medical and social concerns. We conducted a qualitative interview study, guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, to focus on the motivations and experiences of Belgian women who ‘renewed’ their motherhood later in life, meaning they had one or several children and then (at least 10 years later) had another child at the age of 40 or older. We focused on ten women’s experiences of motherhood later in life, as well as on the way they managed social norms and expectations regarding family building and the appropriate life course. We identified two main themes. The first theme describes the participants’ encounters with social norms that challenged their decision to reproduce and parent later in life, and how they managed and anticipated criticism, surprise, disbelief and incomprehension about their renewed motherhood in various ways. The second theme shows how these women talked about taking responsibility as a (renewed) mother of advanced age. For them, responsible motherhood involved making thoughtful reproductive choices, attending to the range of needs of their children, and making extra efforts to safeguard the social and emotional wellbeing of their youngest children, thereby seeking to reduce potential harm resulting from these reproductive choices. This study provides insight into these women’s self-conception and their interactions with prejudiced social views of motherhood and family building.

The Impact of Father's Absence on Psychological Conditions in Children from Commuter Marriage Families

This study aims to investigate the impact of fatherlessness on the psychological development of children from commuter marriage families. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. The subject of this study is an 8-year-old child. Data collection techniques in this study include interviews, observations, and psychological tests. Data analysis is conducted through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The data's validity is tested using source triangulation techniques. Based on the research results, the impact of fatherlessness on the psychological development of the child shows that: S does not get quality time with his father to engage in play activities because the father works out of town and returns only once a year. S's father verbally abuses his wife, indicating the loss of the father's role as a source of love and protection from harm. S's father makes rules and decisions within the house without first consulting his wife and children. Every decision made by the father must be followed by the mother and children, or else the father becomes angry. S's father believes that raising and educating children is solely the mother's responsibility, and a husband's role is only to provide for the family financially. S's mother is unable to establish the father's presence in the children's lives. S has difficulty following lessons at school and adapting to school life, as he always needs to be accompanied by his mother. When playing, S only interacts with close friends he already knows.

“Not that it makes you less of a mother, but…”: Navigating discourses of responsible motherhood in the context of VBAC

In the United States, pregnant people considering a vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) face this decision in a highly contested environment where VBAC is simultaneously encouraged—situated within discourses promoting vaginal birth—and discouraged through discourses emphasizing reproductive risk. Woven through these competing discourses is a shared emphasis on maternal responsibility, reflective of a socially constructed belief that birth method is bound implicitly to one's “goodness” as a mother. This paper employs a discursive analytic lens to examine the experiences of 16 pregnant people in New York City seeking VBACs for their upcoming births. We examine how sociocultural discourses of “responsible” mothering shape participants’ experiences of considering VBAC and examine participants’ anxieties over VBAC and its attainability in light of their past birth experiences. Our analysis demonstrates that participants reproduce discourses privileging vaginal birth, and simultaneously challenge these discourses by invoking an “embodied knowledge” that enables them to assert themselves as responsible mothers in the context of past cesarean deliveries and uncertainty surrounding their upcoming births. Implications are discussed in the context of existing literature on birth and discourses of maternal responsibility.

Does having children matter? Associations between transitions in work-family role combinations and depressive symptoms among married women in Korea

Although having a variety of roles is generally beneficial for mental health, little is known about the relationships between work-family role combinations and depressive symptoms among married women in Korea, where child rearing is strongly considered a mother's responsibility. This study examines how the four types of work-family role combinations may be associated with depressive symptoms among married Korean women younger than 50 years old. Data were collected from 2012 through 2020 in five surveys by the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women & Families. In total, 4811 married women (14,851 person-period observations) were analyzed using regression models with fixed effects. This enabled estimation of the within-person effects of transitions in work-family role combinations on depressive symptoms. Work-family role combinations were categorized as follows based on whether respondents had a job or at least one child: having both worker and mother roles, having a worker role only, having neither a worker nor a mother role, and having a mother role only. The findings indicate that married women who had only a mother role had more severe depressive symptoms than the other three groups. However, after controlling for whether respondents had a preschool-aged child, only those with both worker and mother roles had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms compared with those with a mother role only. This study suggests that transitioning to being a working mother from a full-time mother may benefit the mental health of married Korean women. Furthermore, whether married women have a child critically impacts their mental health more than the number of roles. Raising a preschool-aged child seems to potentially be especially stressful for married Korean women. Working outside the home can protect the mental health of married Korean mothers who are affected by the social pressure to immerse themselves in child-rearing.

Determinants of dietary diversity among children 6-23 months: a cross-sectional study in three regions of Haiti.

The prenatal, perinatal, postnatal and nutritional (A3PN) support study was a 4-year initiative aimed to reduce maternal mortality in Haiti. A cross-sectional study was developed to collect the baseline data for evaluation purposes of the A3PN. This study aimed to determine the factors contributing to dietary diversity (DD) in Haitian children aged 6-23 months. A cross-sectional study during two seasons (the lean season and the harvest season) was carried out in Haiti to assess the DD of children and their mothers using non-quantitative 24-h recalls. Indicators of DD were minimum dietary diversity for children (MDD-C) and minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). Mid-upper arm circumference was measured in women and children, and food security was assessed using the Household Hunger Scale. Focus groups were also conducted to gain a better understanding of the quantitative findings. Only 7.3% of the children included in this study met the MDD-C. Factors associated with MDD-C were the season (odds ratio [OR]: 0.141 [0.039-0.513]), land ownership or rental (OR: 4.603 [1.233-17.188]), maternal education (OR: 0.092 [0.011-0.749]), the mother's responsibility for the main or secondary source of income for the household (OR: 2.883 [1.030-8.069]) and her DD (OR: 5.690 [1.916-16.892]). Focus groups revealed the existence of various food restrictions. The results indicated that the low prevalence of MDD-C in three regions of study in Haiti is indicative of a serious public health concern that might be further aggravated by local food taboos. They also suggest that to fight against hunger, it is necessary to focus on women's well-being.

All about My Mother… Cilissa, Apollo and the Unity of the Oresteia

The aim of this article is to reveal the connection between Cilissa’s speech in the Choephoroi and the infamous speech made by Apollo in the Eumenides. The analysis shows that if these two passages are treated separately, the former would seem to be a comic interlude that has been randomly inserted into the text, while the latter would seem to be weird, convoluted and even downright outrageous. However, if they are juxtaposed and analysed together as two chapters of Aeschylus’ explanation of the nature of motherhood, they become one sensible statement about the fact that mother is much more than a parent in the technical sense of the term. While the speeches of Cilissa and Apollo simply cast light on the issue of responsible motherhood and also on the harmful effects of ‘outsourcing’ the care of newborn children in ancient Greece, the fact that the link between these two speeches has been overlooked makes their interpretation very problematic, as do the failings of contemporary criticism, these being the anachronic approach and also the fact that translations are treated on a par with (or, sadly, given preference to) the original text, thus giving Aeschylus the undeserved reputation of being a ‘sexist’ or ‘misogynistic’ poet.

Mother’s Role in Providing Safe Food for Their Children under Five Years

Safe food is necessary to ensure a good and healthy life for humans, especially for children who will become the future of their countries, which is considered a mother's responsibility.

Three television narratives of prenatal testing technologies and disability

ABSTRACT This paper looks at three televised examples of pregnant women grappling with prenatal testing. In these stories, prenatal testing for disability is increasingly being framed as a requirement of responsible motherhood, and termination of pregnancies with diagnoses of disability shown as the logical choice. Disability is frequently depicted to be an anxiety-inducing or disappointing outcome. Previous research has shown televised depictions of pregnancy to be influential; the narratives illustrated here reinforce the discourse that disability is a burden for potential parents and entrench the view that fetal value is defined by “health,” which is constructed in binary opposition with disability. Ultimately, these media depictions can have far-reaching effects in terms of pregnant people’s feelings about the need to use prenatal testing, their diagnoses, and their decisions regarding both testing and termination.

HPV vaccine delay and refusal among unvaccinated Mexican American young adult women: a qualitative investigation of Mexican-born and US-born HPV vaccine decision narratives.

Low HPV vaccination rates among Latina young adults perpetuate HPV-associated cancer disparities. Using qualitative methods, this study explored individual, interpersonal, and community factors that influence HPV vaccine delay and refusal among Mexican- and U.S.-born Mexican American young adult women. Participants (N = 30) between 18 and 26 years old were purposively sampled from two federally qualified health centers in Orange County, California. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities research framework and narrative engagement theory guided semi-structured phone interviews coded inductively and deductively. Participants primarily attributed vaccine status to individual and interpersonal reasons. Emerging themes included low HPV vaccine knowledge, insufficient provider communication, negative perceptions about HPV and the vaccine, motherhood responsibilities, mother’s communication about HPV, cultural family norms, health care access, and misinformation. Compared to U.S.-born Latinas, Mexican-born participants more frequently expressed avoiding health care discussions with family. HPV vaccine recommendations for young Mexican American women should include socioculturally tailored messages that may improve HPV vaccination acceptance and uptake.

Maternal self-efficacy and emotional well-being in Chilean adolescent mothers: the relationship with their children's social-emotional development.

BackgroundLow maternal self-efficacy and high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress can be triggered in adolescent mothers due to an incomplete development process that makes them physically or psychologically unprepared for the responsibilities of motherhood and parenting. These factors may be linked to difficulties with their children’s social-emotional development. The present study aims to: (a) analyze the relationship between maternal self-efficacy and stress, depression, and anxiety levels in low-income adolescent mothers; (b) examine the relationship between maternal self-efficacy and well-being with children’s social-emotional development; and (c) describe the effects of maternal self-efficacy on children’s social-emotional development, mediated by maternal well-being.MethodsA sample of 79 dyads comprising low-income Chilean adolescent mothers aged from 15 to 21 years old (M = 19.1, SD = 1.66) and their children aged 10 to 24 months (M = 15.5, SD = 4.2) participated in this research. A set of psychometric scales was used to measure maternal self-efficacy (Parental Evaluation Scale, EEP), the mothers’ anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), maternal stress (Parental Stress Scale, PSS), and the children’s social-emotional development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire Socio-emotional, ASQ-SE). Bivariate analyses and mediation models were employed to estimate and test the relevant relationships.ResultsA bivariate analysis showed that maternal self-efficacy was negatively related to the mother’s anxiety, depression, and stress. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between maternal self-efficacy and maternal stress, and children’s self-regulation and social-emotional development. Maternal self-efficacy, mediated by maternal anxiety, depression, and stress scores, had a significant effect on the development of children’s self-regulation.ConclusionsThe results confirm the importance of adolescent mothers’ emotional well-being and maternal self- efficacy with respect to their children’s social-emotional development. This makes it necessary to have detailed information about how emotional and self-perception status influences a mother’s role in the development of her children.

Experiences of nursing students who are mothers in balancing their dual roles in undergraduate nursing and midwifery education: A phenomenological study

BackgroundWhile most educational policies worldwide give everyone the right to attend educational institutions, irrespective of pregnancy or maternal status, the dual role of being both a student and a mother can be extremely demanding. This requires institutions of higher learning to continuously explore the experiences of nursing students who are mothers as they balance their dual roles, as a way to mitigate the challenges they face. This research was conducted as these mothers’ experiences in Namibian institutions of higher learning have not been extensively researched. PurposeThe objectives of the study were to explore and describe the experiences of student nurses who are mothers in balancing their dual roles. MethodThe study adopted a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design using a phenomenological approach. The study employed purposive sampling techniques to select the eight participants who consented to, and participated in, the study. The researcher used semi-structured phenomenological interviews as a tool to gather data, which were analysed thematically. Fundamental ethical principles were adhered to throughout the course of the study. ResultsFour themes emerged from the study: the responsibilities of motherhood; the experiences of students who are mothers; the challenges of combining these dual roles; and recommendations to mitigate these challenges. ConclusionThe research findings revealed that the role conflict experienced by these students affects their academic performance. In addition, an inability to perform their childcare functions adequately resulted in poor social bonding with their children. Adopting coping strategies helped these students with the dual role challenges.

Multiple children in the context of an analysis of the quality of life, satisfaction and further procreative plans of women - cross-sectional study

Introduction: The definition of motherhood is manifold. The responsibilities of motherhood should be considered biologically, psychologically and socially. Conscious motherhood is characterized amongst others by the responsibility of parents for procreative decisions, care for the health, development and safety of the child. In Poland, the model of a woman as mother, who dedicates her life to birthing and raising her offspring, dominates. This has a huge impact on the future functioning of the offspring as citizens of Poland. Materials and method: Study was conducted through a diagnostic survey in a group of 365 women (284 of which are mothers of three or more children, the remaining 81 being mothers of one child). A self-developed survey containing 29 multiple choice questions with a single correct response as well as a standardized assessment tool SWLS- Life Satisfaction Scale E. Diener, R.A. Emmons, R.J. Larson, S. Griffin (adaptation: Z. Juczyński) were used as a research tool. Results: The vast majority of respondents are satisfied with their role as mother (97.1%). Many of the women do not plan to have more children (44.1%). In the respondents' opinion, childbirth is a social privilege of a woman (p<0.05). Mothers of more than one child have definitively declared that having multiple children does not decrease the quality of life of women, is a source of life satisfaction, aids in the fulfillment of societal roles and does not impede professional development (p<0.05). A constant partner, religious beliefs and relations with other women having more than two children are important factors for respondents when deciding to expand their family (p<0.05). Women who have given birth to three or more children have greater life satisfaction as compared to mothers of a single child (p<0.05). Conclusion: Women are happy to be mothers. Motherhood is not a factor hindering their social and private functioning. Women's procreative decisions are influenced by fixed income, formal relationships and religious beliefs. Mothers of large families have greater life satisfaction in comparison to mothers of one child who do not desire more children.

Key influences on the decision to initiate PrEP among adolescent girls and young women within routine maternal child health and family planning clinics in Western Kenya

ABSTRACT We sought to understand influences on PrEP uptake among Kenyan adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) whose decision on PrEP use was misaligned with their risk for HIV acquisition. In-depth interviews were conducted with 47 Kenyan HIV-negative AGYW aged 15–24 years who were offered PrEP during routine maternal and child health and family planning services. AGYW were sampled from two groups (1) declined PrEP and had ≥1 sexual partner(s) of unknown HIV status and (2) initiated PrEP and reported having one HIV-negative partner. AGYW with HIV-negative partners initiated PrEP due to known or suspected infidelity. AGYW with partners of unknown HIV status recognized PrEP as a helpful HIV prevention tool, yet worried about partner reactions and prioritized avoiding uncomfortable or unsafe situations over PrEP. Among pregnant AGYW, the responsibility of motherhood and providing a future for one’s family, through staying healthy and remaining HIV-free, was a strong PrEP use motivator. Among AGYW who desired future motherhood, fears that PrEP could negatively impact fertility or reduce contraceptive effectiveness led to declining PrEP. Peers positively influenced PrEP decision-making, especially personally knowing a PrEP user. Strategies are needed to enhance messaging and delivery approaches that are tailored to AGYW, including peer-led strategies.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and pregnant women's views on good motherhood: a qualitative study.

Women's views on responsible motherhood influence decision-making regarding participation in prenatal screening. Previous studies showed that the probabilistic nature of the first-trimester combined test and the potential requirement for subsequent invasive diagnostics serve as legitimate reasons for women to exclude prenatal screening from their moral responsibilities. These moral barriers might now be less relevant with the introduction of the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) resulting in women feeling a moral duty to use NIPT screening as part of responsible motherhood. This qualitative study explores the impact of NIPT on women's moral beliefs about the meaning of prenatal screening in relation to responsible motherhood. We performed semi-structured interviews with 29 pregnant women who were offered NIPT as a first-tier screening test within a Dutch nationwide study (TRIDENT-2). Results show that the inherent uncertainty about the fetus's health despite improved accuracy and the lack of treatment for a detected disorder, combined with the possibility to obtain information about actionable anomalies through the fetal anomaly scan, support women's perspectives that NIPT is not an obligation of responsible motherhood. Acceptance of NIPT is considered to be a free decision related to the information each woman needs to be a good mother for her child and her family. Women's views may change when NIPT has expanded to include treatable or preventable conditions.

Time to first birth and its determinants among married female youths in Ethiopia, 2020: survival analysis based on EDHS 2016

IntroductionThe first birth is the most significant events in a woman's life that indicates the beginning of undertaking the intensive responsibilities of motherhood and childcare. Age at first birth has health, economic and social consequences and implications. But little has been known on the time to first birth and its determinants in Ethiopia. Therefore, this research is planned to address this issue.Objectives of the studyTo assess the time to first birth and its determinants among married female youths in Ethiopia, 2020.MethodsThe data was accessed freely through (https://www.dhsprogram.com). Survival analysis of time to first birth was done based on EDHS 2016 data among 2597 weighted study subjects. The data was extracted using STATA version 14.0. Kaplan Meier’s survival and Log rank test were used to compare survival experiences of respondents using categorical variables. Proportional hazard assumption was checked and was not violated. Cox proportional hazard model was applied, hazard ratio with 95% CI was computed and variables with p value < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were taken as significant determinants.ResultsOverall median survival time was 18 years (IQR = 17–20). The significant determinants of time to first birth are place of residence (being rural (AHR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.13, 1.97),Religion (being Muslim [AHR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.22, 2.02),being protestant (AHR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.34, 2.24)], age at first sex [first sex < 15 years (AHR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.23, 2.29)] and first sex between 15 and 17 years (AHR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.29, 1.85), age at first marriage (marriage < 15 years (AHR = 6.52, 95% CI 4.91, 8.64), marriage between 15 and 17 (AHR = 2.63, 95% CI 2.20, 3.14), unmet need for family planning (AHR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.00, 1.52)ConclusionIn this study, the median age at first birth was 18 years. This show, about 50% of study participants give birth for the first time before their 18th birth day. This age is the ideal age for schooling and to do other personal development activities. Therefore giving birth before 18 year will limit female youths from attending school and performing personal development activities in addition to health and demographic consequences of early child bearing.