Unmarried Mothers Research Articles

Fatherhood Presents Numerous Challenges

Family systems idea emphasizes the interdependence of family individuals on one another, with the behaviors or experiences about one man or woman infuencing the behaviors yet experiences regarding all others of the rule [1]. Family contributors enact communal positions in accordance in conformity with implicit family rules, which tend according to originate homeostasis in household functioning upon time. Multiple subsystems and alliances inhabit inside families as much well, together with the mother–father kindred (both theirs normal kinship or so co-parents specifcally), parent–child relationships, or sibling relationships. Additionally, household systems fluctuate between theirs level over boundary permeability, which means or effortlessly recent individuals are allowed in, then historic contributors are removed. Particularly express on, research on fathers beside a structures point of view tended in conformity with take place out of the “parenting” camp about research, examining basic patterns regarding family interaction, specially interactions within the marital subsystem such as much marital hostility and confict, or theirs outgrowth infuences of baby outcomes. Research so much took a “fathering” viewpoint centered closely of the respect about involvement by noncustodial fathers and the appreciation of viewing divorced, separated, then single dad and mom with children a household whose boundaries and systems extended over two or more households, as an alternative than limiting our view in imitation of alone households and deeming certain families “single parent families.”

Abstract 17880: The Association of Social Determinants of Health at Birth With Cardiovascular Health in Young Adulthood: The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study

Background: Social determinants of health (SDoH) are known to influence an individual’s risk for CVD. Childhood is a vulnerable period during which the influences of SDoH may have a stronger impact on future health outcomes. Little is known about early life SDoH and associations with cardiovascular health (CVH) in early adulthood. Methods: In 1998-2000, the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) enrolled 4898 mother-baby dyads from large cities across the US. Births to unmarried mothers were oversampled. When the offspring were 22 yrs, they completed an in-person exam for CVH metrics. SDoH at birth included maternal and paternal education, mother living in a public housing project, having income within the past year from public assistance/welfare/food stamps. Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) Score (without sleep) was assessed at age 22. Linear regression models examined the association of individual SDoH measures with LE8 score adjusting for age, gender and race/ethnicity. Results: This study included 1211 participants, mean age 22 yrs (55% female; 51% Black, 25% Hispanic, 20% White, 4% Other). Adverse SDoH were common with 10% living in a public housing project at birth and 36.7% of mothers having received public assistance within the past year. Adjusted CVH scores were 3.0 (95% CI 1.2-4.8) pts lower for individuals whose mother reported having received public assistance in the past year. Compared to mothers with a college or graduate degree, those with less than high school, high school, and some college had 8.0 (5.0-10.9), 7.1 (4.2-10.0) and 3.2 (0.3-6.1) lower scores CVH scores. Findings were similar for paternal education. No significant associations were observed with living in a public housing project. Conclusion: SDoH at the time of birth have long lasting influence on the CVH of offspring. Interventions to promote CVH within children and families experiencing adverse SDoH are critical to promote health equity and break the inter-generational cycle of CVD.

Mothers' sociodemographic factors and use of health professionals for child feeding advice.

This study examined sociodemographic factors associated with mothers seeking child feeding advice from health professionals (HPs). Cross-sectional analysis of survey data from linked randomized controlled trials was conducted. Surveys asked which sources of feeding information mothers used when their child was 6 months and 5 years old. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and use of information from HPs. Here, 947 and 405 mothers completed 6-month and 5-year surveys, respectively. At 6 months, multiparous mothers were less likely to seek advice from child and family health nurses (CFHNs) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.558, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.416-0.749) and other HPs (AOR: 0.706, 95% CI: 0.542-0.919), unmarried mothers were less likely to seek advice from other HPs (AOR: 0.582, 95% CI: 0.342-0.990). At 5 years, mothers with household income ≥$80,000 p.a. were less likely to seek advice from CFHNs (AOR: 0.514, 95% CI: 0.302-0.875) and working mothers less likely to seek advice from general practitioners (GPs) (AOR: 0.581, 95% CI: 0.374-0.905). Mothers born in Australia were less likely to seek information from CFHNs (AOR: 0.462, 95% CI: 0.257-0.833) and GPs (AOR: 0.431, 95% CI: 0.274-0.677). There was a greater likelihood that multiparous mothers (AOR: 2.114, 95% CI: 1.272-3.516) and mothers of children whose fathers had not attended university (AOR: 2.081, 95% CI: 1.256-3.449) had never sought advice from CFHNs, and that mothers who had not attended university (AOR: 1.769, 95% CI: 1.025-3.051), multiparous (AOR: 1.831, 95% CI: 1.105-3.035) and employed (AOR: 2.058, 95% CI: 1.135-3.733) mothers had never sought advice from other HPs. Understanding sociodemographic factors associated with seeking child feeding advice from HPs may inform priorities for engaging families in health promotion.

Employment and Labor Supply Responses to the Child Tax Credit Expansion: Theory and Evidence

The 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion increased government benefits to families, and especially to families with the lowest incomes. Economic theory predicts that this policy intervention would have led to a reduction in labor supply among adults in those families. Our review of available research suggests that employment within broadly defined demographic groups was not reduced by the 2021 CTC changes. However, we see some evidence that employment was reduced among unmarried mothers with relatively low levels of education and young children—the demographic group that was most affected by the CTC expansion.

Solo Supermom: Psychological Well-Being pada Ibu Tunggal yang Kehilangan Pasangan Meninggal Dunia

A single mother who lost her spouse due to death bears the dual responsibility of being both a father and mother in the family, including managing the household, educating her children, and supporting herself. This situation places significant physical and mental pressure on her. The spouse’s role as a support system is no longer available to the single mom, and the grief experienced as an independent single mom leads to changes in her psychological well-being. This research aims to provide an overview of the psychological well-being of single mothers who have lost their spouses due to death. The study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with thematic analysis. Data collection involves semi-structured interviews with three participants using snowball sampling. The research findings indicate that single mothers undergo changes in self-acceptance and their current experiences after experiencing profound grief due to abandonment for approximately one year. Social support from the family influences a positive connection with their environment, while a lack of social support results in loneliness and reduced self-esteem. Job instability makes it difficult for single mothers to earn a living and be self-reliant. Social pressures related to the assessment of their status as widows and single mothers are felt by them. Single mothers have life goals related to the future of their children, and for those who are pessimistic, life is often entirely dedicated to their children, with limited opportunities for self-development. This research can be used by mental health promotion program designers and policymakers as additional empirical information on the current condition of single mothers' psychological well-being.

Fantine in the Belle Époque: Representation of the Fille-Mère in L'Assiette au beurre (1902) and Marcelle Tinayre's La Rebelle (1905)

Abstract: This article reads depictions of the fille-mère as a vehicle for the expression of anxieties surrounding representation of marginal female figures and freedom of the press in the Belle Époque. It looks to two texts, exploring how these fictional unmarried mothers differ from Hugo's Fantine, the archetype of the fille-mère , earlier in the nineteenth century. After an overview of welfare support for unmarried mothers in the long nineteenth century, the author provides close and intermedial readings of a 1902 issue of L'Assiette au Beurre and Marcelle Tinayre's La Rebelle (1905), focusing on the limits of representation of these non-conforming women.

Predictors of height in Romanian infants 6-23 months old: findings from a national representative sample.

The research explored the association between infants' height and various demographic factors in Romania, a country where such critical information has been lacking. This study was conducted on a nationally representative sample and used a family physicians database to determine a sample of 1532 children (713 girls and 819 boys) 6-23 months of age (M=14.26; SD=5.15). Infants' height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) were calculated using the World Health Organization's computing algorithm. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate whether certain risk factors, such as infant mother's age, location, marital status, socioeconomic status (SES), as well as infant's term status at birth, age, anemia, minimum dietary diversity (MDD) and birth order, could significantly predict the HAZ. The study identified several significant predictors of height. Specifically, lower HAZ was associated with rural living, preterm birth, age 18-23 months, unmarried mothers, anemia, lack of MDD and being third or later born in the family. In contrast, higher HAZ was associated with medium or high maternal SES and older maternal age. The study underscores the importance of addressing these significant risk factors through distinct interventions to improve height outcomes in at-risk Romanian populations.

Conceived in Sin

This article explores the causes of the rise in extra-marital fertility in the Antwerp district between 1820 and 1920. The Antwerp COR*-database is used to compare the reproductive life courses and characteristics of unmarried mothers, women who experienced bridal pregnancies, as well as women who conceived exclusively within marriage. The authors conclude that illegitimacy was mainly a phenomenon among young urban working class women, and that it was predominantly a consequence of vulnerability. The rise of illegitimacy should be viewed against Antwerp’s transition from a regional textile centre into a major port city, which increased migration and negatively influenced women’s employment opportunities. The effects of illegitimacy were not as disastrous as the literature suggests, however, given the fact that a high percentage of the affected women eventually married.

Level and correlates of disrespect and abuse among newborns in selected public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BackgroundThe provision of respectful and dignified maternal and newborn care is an important component of the quality of childbirth care. Although a growing body of evidence was generated on disrespect and abuse (D&A) of women during childbirth in the past decade there is limited evidence on D&A experienced by newborns. Our study aimed to determine the level of and factors associated with D&A among newborns.MethodsWe conducted the study in three public hospitals in Addis Ababa. We directly observed childbirth care starting from the first stage of labor through two hours after the birth of 498 mother–baby dyads. We used frequencies and percentages to describe different forms of D&A among newborns. We used binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the association between the D&A among newborns and independent variables.ResultAll of the newborns 496/496 (100%) experienced at least one form of D&A. Physical abuse was experienced by 41.1% of newborns in the form of unnecessary airway suctioning (23.2%) or slapping or holding upside down (33.5%). Additionally, 42.3% weren’t dried immediately after birth, 9.1% weren’t placed on the mother’s abdomen skin-to-skin, 61.7% had their cord cut before 1 min of birth, 34.9% weren’t breastfed within an hour of birth, 24.2% didn’t receive vitamin K and 1.8% didn’t receive tetracycline. All newborns who developed complications (69/69) received treatments without the consent of parents/caregivers. Moreover, 93.6% of parents/caregivers didn’t receive explanations regarding newborn care while the lack of breastfeeding counseling and thermal support during the immediate post-partum period was 87.3%. The likelihood of D&A was higher among newborns who were preterm (AOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.11–3.69), female (AOR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.37–2.95), delivered assisted by instrument (AOR = 2.19; 95%CI: 1.20–3.99), whose mothers reside in rural areas (AOR = 1.97; 95%CI: 1.22–3.20), born from unmarried mothers (AOR = 2.77; 95%CI (1.26–6.06) and whose mothers received fewer than four-time antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR = 2.37; 95%CI: 1.42–3.96).ConclusionOur study found a high magnitude D&A among newborns. Gestational age at birth, sex of the newborn, maternal residence, maternal marital status, number of ANC visits, and mode of delivery were statistically significantly associated with D&A among newborns.

Psychosocial Development of Children in Conflict with the Law Under Detention in the Bicol Region, Philippines

A child's personality may be impacted by various factors such as the marital status of parents, interpersonal problems within the marriage, a broken household, and solo parenting. Therefore, children with mental illness can experience severe issues leading to illegal troubles. Hence, this study examines the psycho-social factors contributing to children in conflict with the law in the Bicol Region, Philippines. For this purpose, data from 67 respondents was collected on a volunteer basis through interviews from different care institutions that handle children in conflict with the law for welfare and development. Results of the study revealed that lack of quality time with parents, marital status, parents' poor working status, and lack of participation in cultural activities and community services were significant in influencing a child's behaviour to violence. The study also provides possible proactive measures to help parents and authorities rebuild the lives of children in conflict with the law and become valuable members of society.

Predictive Model and Risk Factors of Under-five Mortality in Nigeria: A Study Based on 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey

The death of children under-five years is one of the critical issues in public health and the need for improving child survival continues to be a matter of urgent concern. In this study, we develop a predictive model in order to examine the risk factors of under-five mortality in Nigeria. The study utilized data from 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health survey. The demographic and mortality data of 127,545 children were extracted and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed. The results revealed that under-five mortality was 143 deaths per 1,000 live births in Nigeria. The likelihood of death was higher among males compared to females children (OR = 1.893, P<0.05). First and second birth order have a lower chances of decreasing odds of under-five children (OR = 0.737, P<0.05) and (OR = 1.888, P<0.05).The under-five mortality was higher among children born to mothers who belong to other religions compared to Christians. Islam (OR = 1.689, P<0.05) and traditionalist (OR = 2.705, P<0.05) respectively. Public servant (OR = 1.881, P<0.05) and unmarried mother (OR = 1.896, P<0.05) were increased the odds of dying chances of under-five mortality in Nigeria. Children of mothers without education experienced more death compared to mothers who attended post-secondary education (OR = 3.372, P<0.05). Sex of child, birth order, religion, marital status, maternal occupation and maternal education were significant factors associated with under-five mortality in Nigeria. Thus, planning and implementing relevant strategies that focus on those identified risks factors of under-five mortality is required for improvement of child survival in Nigeria.

Child Rearing Styles of Queer Parents in Relation to Child Adjustments

This study focused on determining the child rearing styles of queer parents about child adjustment. The case study was used to determine the unique experiences of the subject participants. Eight queer parents and eight children of queer parents participated in the study. Further, the researcher used unstructured interviews in collecting the research data. The results revealed that most of the queer parents belonged within the age range of more than 40, gay men and lesbian women, unmarried and living with no partner, Roman Catholic, Ilokano and Tagalog, college graduate, self-employed with a monthly family income of 20,001 – 30,000, and with one child. Moreover, most of the male and female child participants were under 17, first-born child with one sibling belonged to household members of three, nephews of queer parents and lived with their non-biological parents for more than 14 years. There is an emerging theme derived from the experiences of queer parents, such as their experiences in various aspects of parenthood. The queer parents’ child rearing styles were lax parenting style and disciplinarian style. Two emerging themes derived from the participants' experiences, such as their lived experiences consisting of three sub-themes: being raised by non-biological parents, being bullied and having conflict with parents. Similarly, two sub-themes were derived from the theme description of the present life, such as comfortable life and crossing to life challenges. The child adjustment that emerged was psychosocial. The emerging well-being of the child participants was life contentment. The emerging sub-themes under the description of parents’ way of rearing a child were composed of imposition of discipline, provision of basic needs and inculcation of the value of education. The child participants were appreciative and satisfied with the kind of life they had. Since most of the parents were single, the government through the local government units may properly disseminate the Solo Parent Act as to benefits and privileges under the law through series of orientation and assist the queer parents to have their Solo Parents card. Non-government organization, civic organization and the church may conduct series of guidance and counselling, psychological intervention and spiritual nurturing programs and activities to enhance the quality of life among child of the queer parents.

Motherhood, Fatherhood, and the Gender Gap in Occupational Authority1

Does motherhood diminish women's occupational authority and widen the gender gap among contemporary workers in the U.S.? The current study answers this question using data from the Occupational Information Network and 15 waves of panel data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (2002–2019). Fixed effects' regressions show that married and unmarried mothers are less likely than their childless peers to have occupational authority. The motherhood penalty is larger for women with two or more children than one child. Men fare differently, as fatherhood is associated with a small increase in married men's likelihood of working in occupations with authority. Fixed effects regressions with individual slopes show that this association for men is not causal. Instead, married men may have additional children in response to an increase in their occupational authority. All told, parenthood widens the gender gap in authority. This study builds on theories of gendered families and gendered organizations to argue that mothers are systematically underrepresented in occupations with high levels of authority. Because people with authority make hiring, promotion, pay, and policy decisions, the underrepresentation of mothers may perpetuate other forms of labor market inequalities.

Religious Oppression and Injustices in the Irish Order of Nuns: A Critical Examination of the Film “Philomena

This paper explores the themes and criticisms raised in the film "Philomena" regarding the Irish order of nuns and their treatment of women and children. The film sheds light on the injustices committed by the nuns, such as forced adoptions and the oppression of unmarried mothers. It highlights the role of religion in shaping societal attitudes towards sexuality and the consequences faced by those who violated these moral standards. The paper discusses the film's portrayal of both compassionate and cruel nuns, questioning the credibility and morality of the entire Catholic order. It emphasizes the need for specificity when addressing the injustices committed by the nuns and acknowledges that not all nuns share the same behaviours or beliefs. Furthermore, the paper explores the role of journalism in uncovering these past injustices and the tension between the media and the secretive nature of the convent. Overall, "Philomena" serves as a timely reminder of the historical mistreatment and oppression endured by women and children in Catholic Ireland, calling for a re-evaluation of religious moral standards and the treatment of the vulnerable.

Evolution of Maghrebi Women Cinema: Filles-mères in Sofia (2018) and Adam (2019)

This article gives an overview of postcolonial cinema in the Maghreb while focusing on the two Maghrebi filmmakers, Meryem Benm’Barek-Alosï and Maryam Touzani, whose films take a more daring stance on the problem of filles-mères (unmarried mothers) and childbearing out of wedlock in the Moroccan society. This article examines the development of Moudawana (family law) in Morocco, its effects on women's lives, and the concept of shame in Maghrebi culture through a detailed analysis of Sofia (2018) and Adam (2019).

Changing Perceptions of Chinese People toward Unmarried Women Giving Birth along with Social DevelopmentAn Analysis and Improvement of the Social Status of Unmarried Women Giving Birth through a Questionnaire Survey

This thesis takes as a starting point the gradual reduction of the traditional Chinese patriarchal society that is deeply rooted in the minds of Chinese people in today's Chinese society. Discuss why do men still hold extreme views on unmarried women and discriminate against unmarried women in Chinese society. To explore the influence of Confucianism on male chauvinization in Chinese society. It is concluded that the attitudes of modern Chinese society toward unmarried women who give birth to children have changed, Some men are increasing their inclusiveness for unmarried mothers through social education for the new era. But the overall attitudes are still not optimistic, Unmarried women in China should have more development space and employment space in the future. In the future, social discrimination against unmarried women and against their children should be reduced. These should be improved as a direction for future efforts in order to realize women's true self-worth.

We get by with family: Maternal partnership transitions and extended kin coresidence

AbstractObjectiveThis study examines the extent to which mothers coreside with extended kin during partnership transitions.BackgroundParental relationship changes are increasingly common, especially among unmarried parents. Although research shows that families often coreside out of economic necessity, extended kin coresidence as a function of maternal relationship changes has not been explored. Using life course theory, this study examines where and with whom mothers and their children live during partnership transitions.MethodData are from 2,886 mothers who participated in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression, random effects, and fixed effects models were estimated to determine if mothers' coresidential relationships with extended kin were formed by changes in mothers' coresidential romantic partnership statuses.ResultsMothers' partnership changes were associated with extended kin coresidence, especially among unmarried mothers. By Year 9, mothers were more likely to live “elsewhere.” Mothers' parity and multipartnered fertility decreased their chances of living with extended kin.ConclusionThis study indicates that maternal relationship changes provoke family instability and reliance on extended kin. Mothers' transitions contribute to “network fatigue” and homelessness.ImplicationsHousing support for mothers may mitigate instability associated with maternal relationship transitions and protect extended kin against transitions.

Effectiveness of a natural wellness group program using interactive real-time video for unmarried mothers: A quasi-experimental study.

Unmarried mothers who raise their children alone in South Korea experience various difficulties in maintaining their health. Improving the health of unmarried mothers, who are socioeconomically vulnerable, is important not only for them but also for the healthy growth and development of their children. We aimed to implement a natural wellness group program using an interactive real-time video platform for unmarried mothers and to verify its effects. This quasi-experimental study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. The participants were unmarried mothers raising children aged 0-6 years. The quantitative data collection occurred from August to November 2021. For the qualitative data collection, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants from the experimental group. The experimental group received eight 90-minute weekly online sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. The outcome variables were physical and mental health, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and parenting stress. A total of 42 unmarried mothers (21 experimental, 21 control) participated. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significant post-intervention differences in mental health, depression, and self-esteem in the experimental group. Moreover, a generalized estimating equation analysis revealed significant differences in self-esteem levels between the experimental and control groups. Four themes identified through qualitative analysis revealed that the natural wellness group program using interactive real-time video not only increased mothers' vitality and relaxation but also improved depression and anxiety, and had a positive effect on parenting stress. Natural wellness group programs using interactive real-time videos can help improve the psychological health of unmarried mothers with young children, a group that tends to be socially and psychologically marginalized.

Women Writing Travel

This Virtual Special Issue brings together several essays published in Forum for Modern Language Studies between 2015 and 2017 that in various ways address the topic – and the phenomenon – of ‘Women Writing Travel’, focusing on anglophone writers. Reading them as a group enables us to find in their many intersections a powerful incentive to continue scholarship and teaching in this productive field, not least because it speaks beyond the academy to important cultural and political questions. As a graduate student in Oxford in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I worked on eighteenth-century British women travel writers, many of whom were then largely unknown. Since then, they have received copious critical attention and are firmly on the map (and on many university syllabi).1 Their nineteenth-century counterparts have enjoyed a similar movement towards the centre of the literary canon in recent decades, thanks to scholars such as Sara Mills and Shirley Foster, and the work of Virago Press in republishing many important early works.2 Conference panels on women travel writers became for a while ubiquitous, and have only recently become outnumbered by more thematic examination of different (though related) interests such as gender, sexuality, race, slavery, empire and – above all – intersectionality. The world of ‘women writing travel’ has always been intersectional, of course, in terms of the writers’ gender, sexuality, marital status, race, religion, national identity, class and profession, even before the vast array of themes and preoccupations brought together under the umbrella of ‘travel’ are considered. One thinks, for instance, of the importance of rank in Mary Wortley Montagu’s access to Turkish high society in her 1763 Embassy Letters, and, at the other end of the social spectrum, of Mary Wollstonecraft’s status as a Dissenter and an unmarried mother in her 1796 Scandinavian travelogue. Several early anonymous travel novels – The Female American (1767), The Woman of Colour (1808) and Zelica, the Creole (1820) – feature mixed-race or Black female protagonists. Many eighteenth- and nineteenth-century travelogues, especially those by missionaries’ wives, are inflected by their writers’ religious convictions, but sometimes in surprising ways.3 And the celebrated labouring-class women pirates of the eighteenth century are fascinating case studies in the intersecting roles of class, gender and sexuality.4

Marital Status, Father Acknowledgement, and Birth Outcomes: Does the Maternal Education Matter?

We evaluated whether the maternal marital status and father acknowledgement (proxy for paternal presence) affect birth weight, and if so, whether the maternal educational attainment modifies this effect. The growing tendency of alternative forms of family structure affects maternal well-being and pregnancy outcome. However, it is not known whether poorer birth outcomes of out-of-wedlock childbearing can be overcome or compensated by maternal education. Using birth registry data, we assessed the impact of maternal civil status and child recognition by the father on birth-weight-for-gestational age (BWGA) z-scores, with respect to maternal education, among Polish mothers (N = 53,528). After standardization, the effect of being unmarried with father acknowledgement (UM-F) vs. married with father acknowledgement (M-F) reduced the BWGA z-score of 0.05 (p < 0.001), irrespective of educational attainment (p for interaction = 0.79). However, education differentiated the effect of father acknowledgement across unmarried mothers. BWGA z-scores were significantly lower among the low-educated unmarried group without father acknowledgment (UM-NF) as compared to UM-F (equaled -0.11, p = 0.01). The same effect among the higher-educated group was non-significant (p = 0.72). Higher maternal education can compensate for the negative effect of a lack of father acknowledgement, but it does not help to overcome the effect of out-of-wedlock stress exposure.