Young Mothers Research Articles

Mother-infant attachment from the perspective of young mothers: Does the data support a maternal instinct?

Some conceptualizations of attachment imply an instinctual behavior that occurs naturally. Mothers who endorse this view are at greater risk for psychological stress, depression, and harsh parenting styles if they do not feel an immediate bond with their infant postpartum. The purpose of this study is to explore actual experiences of attachment from the perspective of young mothers (N = 75, Mage = 19.45 years) and based on these findings the extent to which there is empirical support for a maternal instinct. Mothers were interviewed at home three times (2 weeks, four months, and seven months postpartum), and interviews were thematically analyzed using an open coding method. Three broad themes and six sub-themes emerged: 1) experiences with the immediacy of attachment at birth are diverse (traumatic birth experience, sense of a maternal identity), 2) contextual factors on the bonding experience (physical touch-based caretaking, parenting stress and depression), and 3) time spent parenting influences attachment (reciprocity, parental confidence/knowledge). In conclusion, we could not find empirical evidence to support an innate maternal instinct. Despite diverse experiences with felt attachment at birth, all mothers perceived that the mother-infant connection was influenced by contextual factors after birth and was strengthened over time with more care-taking experience. This suggests that mothers likely developed a “maternal instinct” through repetitive interaction with their infant as the primary caretaker rather than a genetic predisposition to be superior nurturing parents.

Elucidating the dynamics and impact of the gut microbiome on maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, effect on pregnancy outcomes and infant health in rural Pakistan: study protocol for a prospective, longitudinal observational study

IntroductionUndernutrition during pregnancy is linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes and has downstream effects on the growth and development of children. The gut microbiome has a profound influence on...

Interventions for improving the health and socioeconomic well-being of young parents in Africa: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionEarly childbearing is highly prevalent in Africa. Despite the harmful consequences of early childbearing on young people, there is limited documentation of interventions that aim to improve the health and...

The phenotypes of double burden of malnutrition in pairs of mothers and their children aged 0–59 months at a rural district in west region, Cameroon: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn most of the sub-Saharan African countries, there is a lack of epidemiological data on maternal obesity and child undernutrition. The present study aims to determine the prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) among mother–child pairs in a rural locality of Cameroon, and understand the main associated factors. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in the Health Districts of the locality of Dschang in the West region of Cameroon between June 2021 to November 2021. Data were collected from 200 under-five children of both sexes using a questionnaire that was administered to consented children's mothers/guardians. Malnutrition in children was assessed by WHO growth standards. Logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with different coexisting forms of malnutrition. ResultsThe prevalence of DBM phenotypes was 2.7 % for mother overweight/obese-child wasted, 7.7 % for mother overweight/obese-child underweight, and 16.5 % for mother overweight/obese-child stunted. The results from logistic regression analyses showed a great risk of the phenotype mother overweight/obese-child stunted in younger mothers (OR = 3.45; 95 % CI: 1.23–9.69), as was the case in mothers with a low socio-economic level (OR = 3.55; 95 % CI: 1.22–10.33). Additionally, low maternal education level (OR = 16.80; 95 % CI: 1.78–158.58) and limited maternal food consumption (OR = 10.43; 95 % CI: 1.10–98.35) increased the risk of presenting the phenotype of mother overweight/obese-child wasted. ConclusionThis study demonstrated the evidence of DBM among mother-child pairs in rural areas. Further studies are thus needed in other rural localities of the country to better understand the DBM and to develop innovative policies.

Intercultural mediation and the state’s surveillance of motherhood: contradictions disclosing coloniality of relationships, racialisation, and emotional control

ABSTRACT In recent decades, there has been an increase in the practice of intercultural mediation in Spain. In different fields such as social work, education, and health, institutions involved the figure of the mediator in both public and private organisations as reflecting inclusion programmes. This paper is based on interviews with intercultural mediators interacting with young mothers without a residence permit in Spain. It examines the contradictory and tense position of the mediator and pays attention to a hierarchical and colonial listening displayed during the intercultural mediation, exposing the coloniality of relationships, racialisation and emotional control. Mediators find themselves between mothers and social workers. They can be seen as occupying two ends of the power spectrum. However, the mediator has less recognition amongst professionals in the field of social work. During interventions, the mediators are closer to the mothers since they also intervene as interpreters with a common linguistic background; they have a migrant experience themselves, and they try to build trust with the mothers, despite being seen as institutional figures. Simultaneously, from their less recognised position within the organisations, they negotiate the social workers’ understanding of mothers’ vulnerability, which could bring them into conflict with the institutions.

Socioeconomic Factors Determining Multidimensional Child Poverty Groups in Central America: A Measurement Proposal from the Wellbeing Approach Using a Comprehensive Set of Children’s Rights

This article aims to show that multidimensional child poverty (MCP) is determined by several socioeconomic factors that influence the formation of stratified groups of poor children under five years of age living in Central America. This study advocates for a comprehensive set of children's rights with the purpose of addressing the different facets of child poverty from the perspective of child well-being, in order to estimate the incidence of MCP, by including multiple childhood deprivations and socioeconomic determinants. Child-specific indicators and household deprivation indicators are considered in the estimation of MCP. The study also states that child poverty is a complex concept, which includes the various types of deprivations experienced by children in the Central American societies and their deprivations are considered as the denial of children’s rights. Therefore, the MCP is estimated based on a conditional latent class analysis that includes not only manifest deprivation variables, but also socioeconomic determinants that help to better predict the incidence and probabilities of children being multidimensionally poor according to different poverty strata. The socioeconomic factors that show high risks of MCP are rural areas, indigenous children, young mothers and low levels of education attained by the head of the household, among others. One of the reasons to investigate the MCP for Belize and El Salvador is because there are few studies that address this problem for these countries and this research sheds light on the characteristics of early childhood poverty. The results indicate that the incidence of MCP is 49% in Belize and 76% in El Salvador. The research work concludes that the International Rights of the Child provide the opportunity to implement comprehensive social policies in Central America to eradicate child poverty.

Integrating trauma- and violence-informed care for adolescent mothers in Rwanda: a qualitative study with community health workers

IntroductionIn Rwanda, maternal community health workers play a critical role to improving maternal, newborn and child health, but little is known about their specific experiences with adolescent mothers, who face unique challenges, including trauma, ongoing violence, stigma, ostracism, mental health issues, barriers within the healthcare system, and lack of access to the social determinants of health. This study explored the experiences of maternal community health workers when caring for adolescent mothers in Rwanda to inform the delivery of trauma- and violence-informed care in community maternal services.MethodsInterpretive Description methodology was used to understand the experiences of 12 community health workers purposively recruited for interviews due to their management roles. To gain additional insights about the context, seven key informants were also interviewed.FindingsMaternal community health workers provided personalized support to adolescent mothers through the provision of continuity of care, acting as a liaison, engaging relationally and tailoring home visits. They reported feeling passionate about their work, supporting each other, and receiving support from their leaders as facilitators in caring for adolescent mothers. Challenges in their work included handling disclosures of violence, dealing with adolescent mothers’ financial constraints, difficulties accessing these young mothers, and transportation issues. Adolescent mothers’ circumstances are generally difficult, leading to self-reports of vicarious trauma among this sample of workers.ConclusionMaternal community health workers play a key role in addressing the complex needs of adolescent mothers in Rwanda. However, they face individual and structural challenges highlighting the complexities of their work. To sustain and enhance their roles, it is imperative for government and other stakeholders to invest in resources, mentorship, and support. Additionally, training in equity-oriented approaches, particularly trauma- and violence-informed care, is essential to ensure safe and effective care for adolescent mothers and to mitigate vicarious trauma among maternal community health workers.

How safe is Autheem therapy for young Saudi infants? A question worth asking.

In Saudi Arabia, a traditional therapy for a folk labeled problem known as "Autheem - " is often offered to infants. The procedure involves manipulating an infant's soft palate to alleviate pain associated with infant colic and poor feeding. However, concerns remain about this procedure's impact on infant health and its potential to transmit infections. This study focused on perceptions that Saudi mothers hold about Autheem therapy. A descriptive, cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted via an online platform to reach Saudi mothers in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. Five hundred and thirty-six Saudi mothers participated; half were older than 30 years of age. Despite a high rate of college degree attainment, the majority of mothers relied on their elders as a source of information (88.4%). Autheem was viewed to be a stand-alone disease by 86.5% of respondents; 71.4% believed it could not be treated with modern medicine. Most infants were under six months of age when they received Autheem therapy (72%). Roughly 13% of mothers found that their infant had a fever after the therapy; we found an association between Autheem therapy and viral illnesses. About 13% of mothers altered their child's vaccination schedule after Autheem therapy. Older mothers have more positive attitudes towards and stronger beliefs in Autheem therapy than younger mothers. The therapy's strong association with viral illnesses and its negative impact on vaccination schedules are major public health concerns.

Overview of Young Mothers’ Readiness in Giving Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Ajibata District, Toba Regency, North Sumatra Province

Mothers have an important role in the development of children's growth and development from an early age. Child development will take place optimally with exclusive breastfeeding from the mother. However, field data shows that young mothers still do not have knowledge and understanding of the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for children. This study aims to determine the readiness of young mothers in exclusive breastfeeding in Ajibata District, Toba Regency, North Sumatra Province. This study used descriptive research with a cross sectional design conducted at the Ajibata Health Center. The research sample used quota sampling which amounted to 30 people with a questionnaire as a research instrument. The results showed that the picture of readiness to provide exclusive breastfeeding in Ajibata District was influenced by the education level of young mothers dominated by high school graduates totaling 23 people and young mothers who were ready to provide exclusive breastfeeding both physically and mentally totaling 23 people.

Dietary diversity, undernutrition, and predictors among pregnant adolescents and young women attending Gulu University teaching hospitals in northern Uganda.

Undernutrition has deleterious consequences to both the mother and the unborn child, significantly contributing to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We assessed dietary diversity, the prevalence, and predictors of undernutrition among pregnant adolescents and young women (PAYW) attending antenatal clinic (ANC) at two large teaching hospitals in northern Uganda. Between 12th June 2023 to 27th October 2023, we conducted a facility-based, cross-sectional study at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital (GRRH) and St Mary's Hospital Lacor (SMHL), both in Gulu district, Uganda. We recruited PAYW aged 15-24 years attending ANCs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the study participants were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Undernutrition was defined as a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of < 23 cm. Modified Poisson regression analysis was performed to determine factors independently associated with undernutrition. Data analyses was performed using STATA version 17.0. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 324 participants, with a mean age of 21.2±2.2 years were enrolled. About 62.0% (n = 201) of the participants dewormed during pregnancy. The prevalence of undernutrition was 12.7% [n = 41]. Prevalence was higher among participants who maintained pre-pregnancy diet (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 2.27, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.26-4.05, p = 0.006), those who did not receive nutritional education (aPR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.21-4.20, p = 0.011) and consumption of non-green leafy vegetables (aPR = 4.62 95% CI: 1.64-13.01, p = 0.004). The prevalence of undernutrition was lower among participants who consumed milk and milk products (aPR = 0.44 95% CI: 0.24-0.81, p = 0.009) and among those who consumed fish and seafood compared to those who did not (aPR = 0.45 95% CI: 0.20-1.00, p = 0.050). About 1 in 8 of PAYW attending GRRH or SMHL had undernutrition, particularly those who lacked education about feeding habits during pregnancy and limited access to milk and milk products, fish and seafoods. We recommend health workers to offer timely education of pregnant adolescent and young women mothers about good feeding habits during pregnancy, appropriate monitoring of weight gain and physiological changes during pregnancy.

"She Was Feeling Overwhelmed at Home Caring for Her Children": Expectations of "Intensive Motherhood" as a Risk Factor for Young Women's Suicide.

Suicide is a leading cause of death among young women and are perinatal mothers. This paper explores how expectations of motherhood played a role in young women's deaths by suicide. I question the notion that motherhood is a "protective" factor against suicide. Using the concept of "intensive motherhood," I interrogate how expectations of mothers became fatal. Through analysis of 31 young Australian mothers who died by suicide, three key themes are explored, centered upon the theme of "failing motherhood": mothering without a father, mothering with mental illness, and the loss of care of children.

Pendampingan Pencegahan Risiko Anak Stunting pada Masyarakat, Kader Kesehatan, dan Guru PAUD/TK

The risk of stunting in Batetangnga Village is elevated because a significant number of pregnant mothers and toddlers are malnourished and lack adequate maternal knowledge. Furthermore, cadres and PAUD/TK teachers have not received any training to identify children who are at risk of stunting. The aimed of this community services are to improve participants' knowledge, awareness, motivation, and skills in stunting risk detection, prevention, and management. The results will be accurately measured, evaluated, and interpreted by skilled officers. The support method entails the following: [1] educating pregnant mothers and young mothers, health officers, and PAUD/TK teachers about (a) pregnant women who may be causing the child to stunt; (b) the risk of stunting for young children; and [2] providing health cadres and teachers of PAUD/TTK with training on identifying stunting risks in young children. The results indicated that there was a rise in knowledge from 78.9% to 81.8%, a rise in awareness from 66.7% to 73.8%, and a rise in motivation from 54.5% to 57.6% in the context of the detection, prevention, and treatment of children with stunting risks. Skilled officers promptly identify the potential for stunting. Accompanying activities are advantageous in enhancing the community's, health cadres', and PAUD/TK teachers' ability to prevent stunting in children.

Wealth-based disparities in the prevalence of short birth interval in India: insights from NFHS-5

BackgroundShort birth interval (SBI) has profound implications for the health of both mothers and children, yet there remains a notable dearth of studies addressing wealth-based inequality in SBI and its associated factors in India. This study aims to address this gap by investigating wealth-based disparities in SBI and identifying the underlying factors associated with SBI in India.MethodsWe used information on 109,439 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey (2019-21). We assessed wealth-based inequality in SBI for India and its states using the Erreygers Normalised Concentration Index (ECI). Additionally, we used a multilevel binary logistic regression to assess the factors associated with SBI in India.ResultsIn India, the prevalence of SBI was 47.8% [95% CI: 47.4, 48.3] during 2019-21, with significant variation across states. Bihar reported the highest prevalence of SBI at 61.2%, while Sikkim the lowest at 18.1%. SBI prevalence was higher among poorer mothers compared to richer ones (Richest: 33.8% vs. Poorest: 52.9%). This wealth-based inequality was visible in the ECI as well (ECI= -0.13, p < 0.001). However, ECI varied considerably across the states. Gujarat, Punjab, and Manipur exhibited the highest levels of wealth-based inequality (ECI= -0.28, p < 0.001), whereas Kerala showed minimal wealth-based inequality (ECI= -0.01, p = 0.643). Multilevel logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with SBI. Mothers aged 15–24 (OR: 12.01, p < 0.001) and 25–34 (2.92, < 0.001) were more likely to experience SBI. Women who married after age 25 (3.17, < 0.001) and those belonging to Scheduled Caste (1.18, < 0.001), Scheduled Tribes (1.14, < 0.001), and Other Backward Classes (1.12, < 0.001) also had higher odds of SBI. Additionally, the odds of SBI were higher among mothers in the poorest (1.97, < 0.001), poorer (1.73, < 0.001), middle (1.62, < 0.001), and richer (1.39, < 0.001) quintiles compared to the richest quintile. Women whose last child had passed away were also significantly more likely to have SBI (2.35, < 0.001). Furthermore, mothers from communities with lower average schooling levels (1.18, < 0.001) were more likely to have SBI. Geographically, mothers from eastern (0.67, < 0.001) and northeastern (0.44, < 0.001) regions of India were less likely to have SBI.ConclusionThe significant wealth-based inequality in SBI in India highlights the need for targeted interventions focusing on economically disadvantaged women, particularly in states with high SBI prevalence. Special attention should be given to younger mothers and those from socially disadvantaged groups to enhance maternal and child health outcomes across the country.

Variation in parasitoid adult size is related to host egg size, maternal state and developmental time

AbstractBody size is a characteristic of many animal species that is correlated with many fitness‐related traits. Parasitoids are important biological control agents of pests; larger parasitoids often have greater fitness and enhanced performance. Host size is a major influence on parasitoid size, which has been explored in the important egg parasitoid Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), a potential biological control agent for several Lepidopteran pests. Here, we found that the body size of A. disparis females increased with increasing host egg size, while host egg size did not significantly affect male size. In addition, both female and male offspring sizes significantly increased with increasing maternal size, and female offspring produced by younger mothers were also larger. Furthermore, the body sizes of both females and males appeared to increase when the total development time from egg to adult eclosion decreased. Male offspring produced by larger females have shorter development times, while female offspring produced by older females have longer development times. Consequently, our results suggested that the effect of maternal status on offspring size may be mediated by influencing development time. In summary, our results indicated that the body size of A. disparis is determined by multiple factors with differing effects on females and males, and our results provide guidance for its effective mass rearing and its performance in the field.

Sickness absences among young mothers and the child penalty in employment

Sickness absences among young mothers and the child penalty in employment

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Vulnerable Populations for Achieving Sustainable Dietary Practices in India

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) studies offer valuable insights into the socio-cultural, psychological, and behavioral determinants of nutrition. This study aims to assess nutrition KAP during pregnancy and lactation in selected areas of Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem Asifabad districts, Telangana, India. A cross-sectional KAP survey was conducted on 536 individuals from February to March 2020, employing tablet-based data collection for pregnant women, lactating mothers, young mothers, and frontline staff. Departing from the standard equal-weight approach, we assigned different weights to responses based on existing literature and stakeholder consultation, acknowledging the varying significance of each response. This novel approach aims to mitigate the risk of overestimating or underestimating factors, thereby designing more effective policy interventions tailored to societal complexities. The results reveal that regarding the three micronutrients (Iron, vitamin A, and Iodine), the knowledge levels of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young mothers were low, that is, less than 50% when compared with the functionaries/frontline staff. Pregnant women scored low on attitudes regarding micronutrients compared to lactating mothers, young mothers, and functionaries/frontline staff. Attitudes translate into practices; however, the data revealed that pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young mothers were not adopting appropriate dietary and nutrition practices except for the micronutrient iodine. The inadequate knowledge of all categories of respondents indicates a gap in nutrition literacy and education. The results point to the urgent need for policy action for nutrition education interventions among the vulnerable population.

Дитина та її хвороби у середні віки

The work shows that a child in the Middle Ages did not have a childhood, the philosophy and religion of the Middle Ages did not consider the child, who is forming and growing, as a person, but treated him as a small adult, making the same demands on him as in work, as well as in responsibility before the law, as an adult, which negatively affected both the physical and psychological development of the child. It was noted that the child’s early consumption of alcohol led to the formation of severe chronic pathology and a decrease in general immunity, which led to early mortality. It is indicated that insufficient, both quantitatively and qualitatively, nutrition, which also suffered from poor quality, led to the birth of children with genetic anomalies, as well as the formation of severe pathology in growing children, as well as the prevalence of infectious pathology in them. It has been proven that early marriages, widespread in the Middle Ages, led to pathology, both in young mothers, and high mortality in children born to them. Key words: Middle age, child, disease.

The effect of parental age on the quantity and quality of offspring in Syngnathus typhle, a species with male pregnancy.

Parental age impacts offspring quantity and quality. Most prior research focused on maternal age. Since in most organisms the mother produces the costly eggs plus provides all or most parental care, it is difficult to distinguish maternal effects mediated via the egg from later maternal care. Here, we addressed the effects of parental age on offspring in Syngnathus typhle, a pipefish with male pregnancy. The divide between one parent producing the eggs and the second parent being the exclusive provider of parental care facilitates a distinction between the effects of parental age on egg quality versus parental age on early development. We fully reciprocally crossed young and old mothers and young and old fathers and assessed impact of parental age combination on offspring number, offspring size, and offspring gene expression patterns. Neither parental combination significantly influenced offspring size or male gestation duration; however, they influenced the number of offspring. Paternal, but not maternal, age strongly affected the offspring gene expression. Offspring from old fathers exhibited substantial changes in the expression of genes related to cell cycle regulation, protein synthesis, DNA repair, and neurogenesis. Our findings thus highlight the importance of gestation, as opposed to gamete production, in shaping the parental contribution to offspring development.

Penyuluhan Hukum Keluarga Islam Berbasis Maqasid al-Syari ‘ah tentang Peran Istri dalam Membangun Ketahanan Keluarga Pasca Pandemi Covid-19 Bagi Ibu Muda Fatayat NU Kabupaten Sidoarjo

From 2020 to 2022, Sidoarjo Regency has identified a surge in family conflicts triggered by wives' protests. Evidence includes an increase in divorce filings, child neglect, and internal family conflicts due to frustration. Therefore, it is necessary to educate the community through outreach activities on building family resilience, emphasizing the role of the wife in the family. Islamic family law based on maqasid al-Shari'ah was chosen as the outreach material because it is relevant and more acceptable to the wives in Sidoarjo Regency, the majority of whom are Muslims. The organized young mothers of Fatayat NU were selected as the target audience. The service method used was service learning, an approach that combines academic teaching with finding appropriate problem-solving solutions for the community. The results of this community service showed an increase in understanding among the young mothers of Fatayat NU in Sidoarjo Regency about strategies for building family resilience through the role of the wife post-pandemic, based on the concept of Islamic family law rooted in maqasid al-Shari'ah.

Younger children and mothers’ labour supply in rural India: Evidence from fertility stopping behaviour

This paper estimates the causal effect of having young children aged 0–5 years on mothers’ labour force participation in rural India. To address the potential endogeneity in the fertility decision, I exploit Indian families’ preference for having sons. I leverage exogenous variation in the gender of older children aged 6 + years as an instrumental variable for having younger children aged 0–5 years in the family. IV estimates show that the mothers’ participation is significantly reduced by 9.9% due to the presence of young children aged 0–5 years in the household, with the negative effect mostly driven by mothers belonging to the highest income quartile; mothers with high education; and mothers residing in nuclear families. The findings highlight the need for investment in high-skilled jobs and formal childcare facilities to encourage mothers’ labour supply. Using the testable implications for the generalizability of LATE discussed in Angrist (The Economic Journal, 114: C52 C83, 2004), I show that the estimated causal effect is homogenous across compliers, always takers, and never takers and thus, generalizable to the whole population of interest.