Teenage Mothers Research Articles

Nurturing care among adolescent mothers.

Many studies show the impact of adolescent mothers on child development. To prevent the impact of adolescent pregnancy, nurturing care is needed to support optimal children's development. This study aims to identify comprehensive nurturing care among adolescent mothers. This study used secondary data in the integration of the 2018 National Socioeconomic Survey and Basic Health Survey. To measure nurturing care, 5 components were used: health, adequate nutrition, security and safety, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning with latent class analysis. The results of the analysis showed that 62% of adolescent mothers provided uncompleted nurturing care. About 21% of adolescent mothers need assistance in improving nurturing care related to adequate nutrition and learning opportunities, and 17% need assistance to improve health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning. Adolescent mothers are in need of comprehensive nurturing care for their children. Practice is needed in order to enhance nurturing care initiatives, particularly for teenage mothers.

Baby Boom amidst Covid-19 Pandemic: of Unwilling Fathers, Painful Motherhood and Poverty in Ozuitem Rural Community, Southeast Nigeria

This study interrogates the socio-economic outcomes of the COVID-19 lockdown especially the unexamined theme of the baby boom and unrestrained sexual behavior of teenagers in Ozuitem rural community, Abia State southeast Nigeria. It contends that although the lockdown restricted movements by keeping nearly everybody at home, it inadvertently provided opportunities for the predictably idle teenagers to grow their sexual appetite and experiment with their bodies. This yielded unwilling fathers and painful motherhood. With thirty-five (35) teenage mothers and a colony of male partners as of December 29, 2020, what appeared as a sex bazaar in a sleepy rural community clearly put UNICEF’s prediction of a massive baby boom for Africa between now and 2050 in sharper perspective. Using an admixture of oral interviews, participant-observer method and secondary sources, the study yielded curious and bizarre outcomes particularly the demography of the unwilling fathers, inappropriate rural perceptions and unpalatable insight into the future of the community and the wider society. To achieve this, newspapers, interviews, archival materials and other extant secondary sources have been used for data collection, analysis and the interpretation of results. The paper employs the qualitative method of analysis.

Intergenerational Continuity of Childhood Adversity and Its Underlying Mechanisms Among Teen Mothers and Their Offspring.

The present study investigates how parenting stress mediates the intergenerational continuity of childhood adversity in teenage mothers. Childhood adversity experiences of caregivers significantly affect their offspring's exposure to childhood adversity. However, little is known about the mechanisms linking childhood adversity across generations. The study measures how parental distress and parent-child dysfunctional interaction mediate the association between teen mothers' childhood adversity and their offspring's adversity, measuring when the offspring reached 11.5years of age. The results revealed that parental distress, but not parent-child dysfunctional interaction, mediated the association between teen mothers' child abuse and their offspring's household dysfunction. This suggests that parental distress may be a crucial intervention target to prevent the intergenerational continuity of childhood adversity. The findings imply that efforts to prevent the intergenerational continuity of childhood adversity may be more successful if the public and professionals have a broader understanding of the associations between early adversity and parenting contexts. In conclusion, the study shed light on the potential mechanisms underlying the intergenerational continuity of childhood adversity and highlights the importance of targeting parenting stress, specifically parental distress, as an intervention strategy to prevent the perpetuation of childhood adversity across generations.

Association between Islamic religiosity, social support, marriage satisfaction, and postpartum depression in teenage mothers in West Java, Indonesia: A cross-sectional study.

Postpartum depression is a prevalent mental health issue among mothers after giving birth. Adolescent mothers are believed to have a higher rate of postpartum depression than adult mothers. However, research on postpartum depression among teenage mothers in Indonesia remains limited. This research gap emphasizes the need for more comprehensive studies to address the mental health and well-being of postpartum mothers in Indonesia, especially among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between Islamic religiosity, social support, marital satisfaction, and postpartum depression in teenage mothers in Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 203 adolescent postpartum mothers selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using validated questionnaires from July to August 2020 in Cianjur and Sukabumi districts, West Java Province, Indonesia. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and multiple logistic regression were employed for data analysis. The study revealed that 35.96% of teenage mothers experienced symptoms of postpartum depression. Among the variables studied, marriage satisfaction (p = 0.002), education level (p = 0.012), family income (p = 0.003), number of children (p = 0.044), and baby weight at birth (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with postpartum depression. However, social support (p = 0.688) and religiosity (p = 0.788) showed no significant association with postpartum depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis further confirmed that marriage satisfaction (p = 0.001; OR = 0.365; 95% CI 0.197 - 0.676), family income (p = 0.001; OR = 0.326; 95% CI = 0.165 - 0.644), and the number of children (p = 0.026; OR = 3.68; 95% CI = 1.173 - 11.547) were the most significant factors associated with postpartum depression. The study highlighted a high prevalence of postpartum depression among adolescent mothers. Marital satisfaction, family income, and the number of children were identified as key factors associated with postpartum depression in this population. These findings emphasize the importance of considering these factors in nursing and midwifery practice to provide targeted support and interventions, ultimately improving the mental health outcomes for teenage mothers during the postpartum period.

The Aftermath Implications of Teenage Pregnancy on the Girl Child Education

The aim of the study is to investigate: i) impact of teenage pregnancy on the girl child attending government secondary schools ii) the level of academic accomplishment of the pregnant teenagers at the public secondary schools. The research design for this study was a descriptive survey. The study population made up of 800 teen mothers. A sample of 200 teen mothers in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, who had dropped out of secondary school as a result of teen pregnancies, was chosen through simple random sampling. The instrument utilized to collect the data was questionnaire which was administered to the participants, validated by three experts and its reliability was tested using Cronbach alpha which yielded 0.68. The participants were also interviewed. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages. The results showed that young women who became pregnant while in school face a variety of difficulties, including early marriage, rejection by the family, disassociation from former classmates, social isolation, frequent absences following pregnancies, poor academic performance, and reasons for dropping out of school. The findings revealed that teen pregnancies affect the relationship of the girl child, family and peer group and also have an impact on young girls' academic performance in public secondary schools. We deduced from the literature review that adolescent pregnancy is a widespread problem that demands attention due to its effects on the education of girls. Some recommendations were also made.

Enrolling Teenage Mothers in the Formal Secondary Education System: A New Policy Implementation Assessment

This is an early assessment of a policy implemented to enroll teenage mothers in the formal secondary education system in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This important policy change allowing teenage mothers back to school is new. The actions taken are identified, and recommendations are made. The late Tanzanian President, Hon. John Pombe Magufuli, declared in a speech on June 22, 2017, that no pregnant students would be allowed to return to school during his presidency. However, after his untimely demise, a new head of state, a female president, changed the policy, and for the first time, directives were provided that teenage mothers should enroll back in schools. In this research, a purposeful random sampling was used to select the required number of respondents. Questionnaires and interviews were utilized to gather primary data, while secondary data were collected from various earlier research and other sources. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics for quantitative data using MS Excel and qualitative data through content analysis. The study findings revealed that there is currently no legal framework or policy for enrolling teenage mothers in formal education. Teenage mothers struggle to balance school and parental responsibilities, and face discrimination from their peers. To address these issues, the study recommends the development of a framework to guide formal education for teenage mothers, provision of financial resources, creation of a suitable learning environment, and moral support, including counselling.

Identifikasi Jenis Kegagalan Persalinan Normal pada Ibu Remaja

This study aims to identify the incidence of failure of normal delivery in teenage mothers at the Masyita Women's and Children's Hospital in Makassar City. The method used is quantitative research with a cross-sectional approach. The results of this study showed that there were 46 cases of uterine inertia (25.0%), 70 cases of premature rupture of membranes (38.0%), 24 cases of severe preeclampsia (13.0%), 24 cases of preeclampsia placenta previa as many as 8 people (4.3%). the incidence of prolonged labor was 36 people (19.6%). The conclusion of this study is that there are several findings of failure of normal delivery in teenage mothers including inertia, premature rupture of membranes, severe preeclampsia, placenta previsa and prolonged parturition.
 
 Keywords: Adolescent Mothers, Types of Childbirth, Failure of Normal Childbirth

Connecting infertility beliefs with viewership of teen pregnancy media: the role of morality in understandings of fertility

ABSTRACT Popular media often contain storylines focused on pregnancy and infertility. These storylines have the potential to perpetuate stigmatization related to these issues. According to the differential susceptibility to media effects model (DSMM), lay infertility beliefs could serve as either predictors or outcomes of pregnancy-focused media viewership, with moral sanction theory and cultivation theory supporting competing hypotheses. Further, viewership could impact fertility awareness, meaning knowledge of physiological and medical factors related to fertility. The current study tested how viewership of 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom is related to infertility beliefs and fertility awareness in an online survey. Participants (N = 990) were on average 39.5 years old, 53.9% female, 77.9% white, and 38.9% had more than a high school degree. Structural equation modeling revealed that infertility beliefs served as predictors, but not outcomes, of viewership. Participants with the stigmatizing belief that infertility is caused by being immoral, ungodly, or unmotherly/unfatherly were drawn to 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom. However, the outcome of viewership was improved knowledge of the biological/medical aspects of fertility. Although scholars have cited concerns about 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom, findings suggest that viewing these programs could have educational benefits beyond reducing teen pregnancy.

Maternal childhood adversity and adolescent marijuana use at age 17 years: The role of parental mental health and parenting behaviors.

Children's risk for marijuana use may be linked to their parents' history of childhood adversity, yet little is known about the mechanisms underlying this link. This study examined whether maternal parenting behavior and mental health serve as mechanisms linking maternal childhood adversity to their children's marijuana use at age 17 years, by gender. Data were from the Young Women and Child Development Study (59% male), a longitudinal panel study, which began in 1988 and followed mother-child dyads for 17 years (n = 240). Participants were recruited from health and social services agencies located in a metropolitan region of Washington State. Hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling in Mplus. Multiple-group analysis was conducted to evaluate potential gender differences. Results showed that maternal childhood adversity was associated with their mental health outcomes (β = .32, p < .001), which in turn was predictive of mothers' harsh parenting (β = .27, p < .01). Maternal harsh parenting behavior was then associated with their children's marijuana use at age 17 years (β = .34, p < .001). Multiple group analyses revealed that the path from harsh parenting to adolescent marijuana use differed across genders being only significant for boys (β = .42, p < .001). The intergenerational impact of childhood adversity highlights the need for interventions that target both parents and children. This would support teen mothers with a history of childhood adversity to acquire skills and knowledge to help mitigate its impact on their parenting behaviors and offset risks for their children.

Development and validation of the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundIn Sub-Saharan Africa, the nutritional status of children born to teenage mothers deserves critical attention. Maternal knowledge and attitudes concerning infant and young child feeding (IYCF) may predict actual practices and child nutritional status. This study created and validated the Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsA literature search on IYCF knowledge and attitude gaps in teenage mothers generated scale items. Ten nutrition experts and six teenage mothers assessed content validity and comprehensibility, respectively. Construct validation was conducted by item response theory (IRT) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), in 150 teenage mothers in rural communities of Abuja, Nigeria. Model fit parameters were estimated by standardized chi-square tests. Internal consistency reliability was determined by marginal reliability and Cronbach’s alpha. In a sub-sample of 40 women who completed the questionnaire two weeks later, test–retest reliability was assessed via intraclass correlations.ResultsThe IRT analysis retained 23 knowledge items on infant food type, breastfeeding and complementary feeding, with acceptable discrimination and difficulty. CFA produced a six-factor solution (exclusive breastfeeding, breast milk expression, meal frequency, responsive feeding, dietary diversity, and barriers) with 17 attitude items. Confirmatory fit and Tucker Lewis indices > 0.9; Root Mean Square Errors of Approximation and Standardized Root Mean Square Residuals < 0.08, showed good model fit. Overall Cronbach’s alpha of the attitude scale (0.843), subscales (≥ 0.6) and high intraclass correlation coefficients (> 0.75) indicated reliability.ConclusionThe Teen Moms Child Feeding Questionnaire for Sub-Saharan Africa is a valid assessment tool for IYCF knowledge and attitudes of teenage mothers.

Solving teenage and young mothers' childhood immunization hesitance and non-compliance through mobile immunization friendly service for working mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria- A research note.

Mobile Immunization for working mothers (SheVaccs) is an intervention targeted at working mothers in the informal markets of Ibadan to address problem of vaccine hesitance and drop-out among different categories of mother. These mothers have great responsibilities-keeping their homes stable and their children healthy. But these mothers have challenges of different magnitudes that prevented them from immunizing their children, and for teenage mothers they are faced with socio-cultural and socio-economic obstacles and have not responded positively to childhood immunization. In relation to these challenges, SheVaccs intervention study provided friendly immunization, counselling services, and information around vaccination schedules to working mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria. The intervention covered adolescent and young mothers' population in the selected markets. Mobile clinic was set up in 3 different purposively selected markets in Ibadan. Data were collected through qualitative methods of observation and 21 in-depth interviews with teenage mothers, and 6 key informant interviews with their significant others. All data were subjected to content analysis. The age range of mothers involved in the study was between 17-23 years, almost all participants had no post- secondary school education. All mothers in this study find it difficult to attend conventional immunization centers, due to stigmatization, subtle hostility and embarrassment they experienced during pregnancy and after in some of these centers. Many of them were ignorant and have also been mis-socialized into motherhood and childcare. They preferred an immunization service that is mobile, with "strangers" who are friendly, understanding and will not judge them for ''being anti-social". Friendly Mobile immunization services targeted at teenage and young mothers will remove clog of stigmatization and hostility and minimize incidence of childhood Immunization Hesitance and non-compliance to schedule.

Families with young children in homeless shelters: Developmental contexts of multisystem risks and resources.

We apply a multisystem perspective to three aims relevant to resilience for young children in emergency and transitional homeless shelters. We consider profiles of risks and resources before shelter, early childhood program enrollment during shelter, and the likelihood of returning to shelter or having a subsequent child welfare placement. We used longitudinal, city-wide data from multiple sources integrated at the individual level across the lifespan for 8 birth cohorts. Young children (N = 1,281) stayed in family shelters during an 18-month period during a multisystem intervention. Risk factor rates were high as were rates of early childhood program enrollment (66.1% in any program; 42.3% in a high-quality program), which may suggest positive effects of the multisystem intervention. Multilevel latent class analysis revealed four profiles, considering prior shelter stays, prior child welfare placements, prior elevated lead levels, perinatal factors (teenage mother, prenatal care, low maternal education, and poor birth outcomes), demographics, and early childhood program enrollment and quality. One profile with higher rates of child welfare placement before the shelter stay and considerable enrollment in high-quality early childhood programs corresponded to lower rates of subsequent child welfare placement. Profiles did not differ on the likelihood of returning to shelter.

COPING STRATEGIES AND SUPPORT PROVIDED BY EDUCATIONAL CENTRES TO TEENAGE MOTHERS RE-ENGAGING WITH EDUCATION POST-PREGNANCY. A CASE OF A TOWNSHIP SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA

Teenage girls who conceive while in school are often confronted with a number of health, social and economic hardships. As a result of the pregnancy related hardships, some of the teenagers drop out of school and fail to re-enter the school system after giving birth. However, a growing body of literature show some of these teenagers re-enter the school system after giving birth to continue with their studies. We employed qualitative approach to explore the coping strategies by teenage mothers’ when they returned to school following childbirth and the support mechanisms used by the schooling system to meet their learning needs. We adopted a single case study design of a South African township school in Gauteng Province, South Africa. We collected data using in-depth one-on-one interviews involving the teenage mothers. The findings revealed that consultations with educators and participating in after-school programmes, with the aim of catching-up on missed content was some of the coping strategies used by teenage mothers re-engaging with education following childbirth. In addition, sympathetic educators provided extra consultation time slots and also motivated the teenagers to persevere and focus on their studies. A call is made for schools to enhance learner support programmes, especially those aimed at supporting teenage mothers who decide to return to school to complete their studies after giving birth.

Prevalence and associated factors of school re-entry among teenage mothers in Ghana’s Volta Region: a cross-sectional survey

ABSTRACT This study examines the determinants of school re-entry among teenage mothers in the Ho and Hohoe Municipalities of the Volta Region, Ghana. These districts were selected based on their high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, their representation of urban and semi-urban areas, and the lack of existing research on the topic. Data were collected from 220 teenage mothers through a cross-sectional survey. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to estimate the factors associated with school re-engagement. Results show that 31.8% of the respondents had re-engaged in school, while 70% expressed a willingness to do so. Socioeconomic status, academic performance before pregnancy, parental support, external support, and family history of teenage pregnancy were identified as significant factors influencing school re-engagement. These findings highlight the importance of addressing socioeconomic barriers, strengthening parental and external support systems, and providing the necessary resources to facilitate the re-entry of teenage mothers into the education system.

Teenage mothers and the next generation: benefits of delay?

AbstractThis paper investigates whether delaying motherhood beyond the teenage years benefits children. We account for selection into teenage motherhood in two parallel ways: We compare children with their cousins and we exploit miscarriages as a natural experiment that induces some women to postpone childbirth. Across the two strategies, we find no or limited effects of teenage motherhood on children’s health and educational outcomes. When we use women delaying motherhood to their early twenties as a counterfactual for teenage mothers, we show suggestive evidence that the effects of such delays are nil across outcomes for both strategies.

Impact of individual and environmental factors on academic performance of pregnant adolescent

BackgroundTeenage pregnancies continue to disrupt teenage girls’ academic development. As a result, teenage mothers are at risk of unemployment, maternal death, and poverty. Previous research, however, has shown that both individual and environmental factors can have a significant impact on the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy. However, there has been little rigorous research on the impact of these factors on pregnant students’ academic performance.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between environmental (neighbourhood) and individuals (sexual attitudes, peer attachment) factors. It also examined the influence of individual factors on the academic performance of pregnant teens.MethodsThe study included a cross-sectional study of 400 pregnant adolescent students aged 15–19 years. The target groups were drawn from three major cities in Nigeria. Respondents were identified through targeted snowballing. Pregnant participants were a combination of married and unmarried girls attending school from home. Data were collected using a structured and self-completed questionnaire. Thus, frequency, mean and standard deviation were used for descriptive analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to show the relationship between variables.ResultsThe study found that neighbourhood (r=-.125, p = .12) had a negative and significant relationship with peer attachment. However, there was no significant evidence of a relationship between sexual attitudes and neighbourhood (r=-.040, p = .422). There was, however, a significant relationship between sexual attitudes and academic performance (r = .236, p = .000). There was also a relationship between peer attachment and academic performance (r=-.401, p = < 0.001).ConclusionThis study suggests that the academic performance of pregnant teenagers necessitates a combination of approaches, which includes changes in personal and prosocial behaviour, and environmental reforms. This can be achieved through, peer education, school day-care, subsidised or free contraceptives, free or subsidized education, and community programmes that positively influence young adults in the neighbourhood. These approaches can indirectly boost self-efficacy, motivation, and confidence to achieve higher academic feat, while reducing school dropout rate among the target groups.

A narrative review of teen mothers’ long-term outcomes: what birth cohort studies tell us

Studies examining the relationship between young maternal age and maternal outcomes are often cross-sectional or short term. We review birth cohort studies that investigate life course outcomes of teen mothers past age 25. Strengths of birth cohort studies include a focus on a complete cohort, rather than a sample, and prospective data collection beginning before or at birth. Limitations are high cost, attrition and unmeasured background factors. Some 20 studies from six countries met study criteria. This narrative review describes how teenage mothers fare as adults, identifies factors that modify outcomes and examines whether outcomes reflect specific time periods or cohorts. Childhood disadvantage was a greater marker of teen mothering in more recent cohorts, even in countries with strong social welfare programmes. The effects of young maternal age on all outcomes diminished when strong controls adjusted for selectivity into teen mothering.

School-Based Supports for Parenting Teens: A Qualitative Study to Understand the Daily Life of Mothers in High School

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 This study aims to understand how school-based parenting programs affect the occupational performance of teen mothers in their dual roles as both student and parent. Results show that individual support and community are particularly important in supporting success. Primary Author and Speaker: Libby Hladik Additional Authors and Speakers: Marie Hynek, Lan Vo Contributing Authors: Karla Ausderau

A Systematic Review of Risk Factors, Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes in Teenage Pregnancy: Evidence Base for Policy Recommendations

It is commonly accepted that teen pregnancies raise the risk of both mental and physical health problems, although, worldwide, research amply supports the impact of adolescent pregnancies on the expansion of human capital. The association implies that, in the long-run, a teenage mother’s prospects will be harmed, expanding the gender gap. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors of adolescent pregnancy, the health issues that they and their unborn babies must deal with, and to ascertain -- through a systematic review -- what additional developmental needs are brought on by early pregnancy. Nine studies were chosen to research the primary risk factors of teen pregnancy, while ten articles evaluated the negative effects of early pregnancy. A total of 19 articles, published in reliable journals between 2009 and 2021, were chosen for the study. Reviews, meta-analyses, and case studies were not chosen: only original work from reputable journals was considered. The most common causes of teenage pregnancy were found to be the lack of formal education, ignorance of how contraception should be handled, ignorance of sex and pregnancy risks, and early marriage. The analysis revealed that neonatal disorders such as eclampsia, severe anaemia, haemorrhage, and premature birth are more common among adolescent mothers. The results show that neonates and adolescent mothers both have negative impacts from early pregnancies. The study emphasizes the importance of sex education and campaigns to promote the use of contraception. Also, proper physical care and psychosocial support through health care agencies should be promoted.Keywords:, , , and

Women's utilisation of quality antenatal care, intrapartum care and postnatal care services in Ethiopia: a population-based study using the demographic and health survey data

ObjectiveThis study sought to investigate the level and determinants of receiving quality antenatal care (ANC), intrapartum care, and postnatal care (PNC) services by women in Ethiopia. The quality of care a woman receives during ANC, intrapartum care, and PNC services affects the health of the woman and her child and her likelihood of seeking care in the future.MethodsData from the nationally representative Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019 were analysed for 5,527 mothers who gave birth within five years preceding the survey. We defined quality ANC as having: blood pressure measurement, urine and blood tests, informed of danger signs, iron supplementation, and nutritional counselling during ANC services; quality intrapartum care as having: a health facility birth, skilled birth assistance, and a newborn put to the breast within one hour of birth during intrapartum care services; and quality PNC as having: PNC within two days; cord examination; temperature measurement, and counselling on danger signs and breastfeeding of the newborn; and healthcare provider's observation of breastfeeding during PNC services. We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analyses specifying three-level models: a woman/household, a cluster, and an administrative region to determine predictors of each care quality. The analyses employed sampling weights and were adjusted for sampling design.ResultsThirty-six percent (n = 1,048), 43% (n = 1,485), and 21% (n = 374) women received quality ANC, intrapartum care and PNC services, respectively. Private healthcare facilities provided higher-quality ANC and PNC but poor-quality intrapartum care, compared to public health facilities. Having four or more ANC visits, commencing ANC during the first trimester, and higher women's education levels and household wealth indices were positive predictors of quality ANC use. Government health posts were less likely to provide quality ANC. Wealthier, urban-residing women with education and four or more ANC contacts were more likely to receive quality intrapartum care. Women who received quality ANC and skilled birth assistance were more likely to receive quality PNC. Teenage mothers were more likely to receive quality intrapartum care, but were less likely to receive quality PNC than mothers aged 20–49.ConclusionsWe recommend standardizing the contents of ANC provided in all healthcare facilities; and promoting early and four or more ANC contacts, effectiveness, sensitivity and vigilance of care provided to teenage mothers, and women's education and economic empowerment.