Adolescent mothers' experiences of the transition to motherhood: An integrative review (original) (raw)
Related papers
2017
Objective: Early motherhood and its impact on mothers, children, families and communities is a prevalent health challenge in developing countries that needs to be urgently explored. The aim of this study was exploring the challenges encountered by Iranian adolescent mothers during the transition to motherhood. Materials and methods: Inductive conventional content analysis approach was used in this qualitative study. Face to face in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 Iranian teenage mothers in the Kerman province of Iran from March to December2016. Data collection continued until the point of data saturation and MAXQDA software was utilized in the analysis of the data. Results: Six main categories increasing burden of responsibility, experiencing physical problems, receiving insufficient support, inefficiency in maternal role, emotional and mental distress; and role conflict and 18 sub-categories were extracted from the data analysis. Conclusion: The findings of ...
Midwifery, 2010
Objective: childbearing is a significant transition, especially for first-time mothers. The objectives of this study were to explore the maternal transition from womens' perspectives and to identify any unmet needs for support. Design: grounded theory was chosen as the most appropriate method of analysis due to its ability to identify social processes in an inductive way. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants, and the interview transcripts were analysed using the constant comparative method. Setting: communities within one region of the UK. Participants: 13 women (aged X16 years) who had delivered their first child six to 15 weeks prior to the interview were recruited to the study. Findings: three main themes (control, support and forming a family) all contributed to the core category: 'changes in the woman's self-concept'. Women felt that they had lost some control over their lives in the early stages of pregnancy and after the birth. The early changes in their self-image and the shift in focus from themselves to the needs of the fetus indicate that the transition may begin at a very early stage in the first trimester. The unfamiliar territory of pregnancy and early motherhood created a need for a mentor or mentors to help guide them through the transition, and to 'normalise' their feelings and experiences. Finally, the women recognised that the act of childbearing fundamentally transformed them and their partners from individuals or a couple into founding members of a new family. Key conclusions: first-time mothers start to undergo a transition at an early stage in their pregnancy. They face difficult periods both early in the pregnancy and after the birth, and have unmet needs for support in those periods, particularly the support of other new mothers. Implications for practice: providing more information about early pregnancy before conception may enable women to form more accurate expectations of this period. Facilitating contact between pregnant mothers would help them to establish a more appropriate support network prior to the birth.
Becoming a mother: teenage mothers’ experiences of first pregnancy
Curationis, 2006
The purpose of this study was firstly to explore and describe the experiences of teenage mothers of first pregnancy. Secondly, to develop guidelines of a support programme that is contextual and relevant to the needs of teenage mothers. The guidelines are aimed at assisting midwives in meeting the needs of teenage mothers. An exploratory, descriptive, contextual and qualitative design was used. The phenomenological approach was implemented to collect and analyze data from a purposively selected sample of fourteen (14) teenage mothers who were pregnant for the first time. The model of Guba and Lincoln (1985: 301-318) was implemented to ensure trustworthiness in this qualitative study. Five themes emerged from the analysis of the data. Guidelines and recommendations for support programme were developed.
How Adolescent Mothers Feel About Becoming a Parent
Journal of Perinatal Education, 2010
First-time adolescent mothers deal with challenges that place extra demands not only on their stage of adolescent development but also on their ability to adapt to their new role as a parent. The purpose of this study was to explore and better understand first-time adolescent mothers' meaning and experience of parenting during the 4-to-6-week postpartum period. A secondary content analysis was performed, using narrative data collected from a previously conducted study on factors that influence adolescent mothers' self-perceptions of parenting. Three themes emerged from the content analysis: ''Being Caught Between Two Worlds,'' ''Feeling Alone and Desperate,'' and ''If I Knew Then What I Know Now.'' Findings revealed many adolescent mothers are unprepared for the demands of parenthood and, so, need extra guidance, instruction, and support from health-care providers and educators.
Psychological Challenges of Transition to Parenthood in First-time Parents
The birth of the first child and the couple's transition to parenthood can significantly change individuals' marital life. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify psychological challenges to transition to parenthood in first-time parents. Methods: The study employed a qualitative approach based on the content analysis method. The research population included all first-time parents who were referred to the Amjadieh Khaghani Community Counseling Center in District 7 of Tehran City, Iran, from May to August 2020. Besides, the studied couples had a child aged <4 years old. The study participants were 17 couples (n=34 subjects) who were selected using the purposive sampling technique and based on the theoretical saturation criterion. The required data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with the research participants. The interviews were recorded, then transcribed verbatim. eventually, after the extraction, the obtained data were coded and categorized using a content analysis method in MAXQDA. Results: Analyzing the obtained data revealed that the transition to parenthood can typically be considered either a positive or negative experience. The most serious challenges faced by couples in the transition to parenthood included ambiguity and changes in the spousal role; duality and conflict in the motherhood role; feeling restricted and prevented from pursuing personal goals; psychological and emotional support from the family and husband; parenting disagreements; changes in sexual relations; fear of the failure to financially support the child; dissatisfaction with the appearance and weight change, and differences in parenting practices. The core theme was the transition to parenthood; from couples to parents. Conclusion: Transition to parenthood seems to be a vital change in the lives of couples; thus, some measures are required to prepare couples for such a transition. The insights from this study can help family counselors, midwives, and family nurses to develop and hold training and preparation programs for couples; such services should be provided to the couples before experiencing parenthood. This could prepare parents for the challenges of their new life.
The experience of adolescents being mothers at a young age scoping review
International Journal of Health Science and Technology, 2021
Life changes that occur in adolescents who marry at a young age provide challenges for adolescents in living a new life. The period of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth experienced by adolescents at a young age becomes a new transition stage for them to take on a new role to become a mother. The aim of the scoping review is to review evidence related to adolescent experiences of motherhood at a young age. This scoping review used the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Identification of relevant studies used 4 databases. The results of this scoping review consisted of 15 selected articles. The results of the thematic analysis emerged 2 themes, which were the psychological state of adolescents to become mothers at a young age and the support needed by adolescents when they become mothers at a young age.
The Maternity Experience Seen by Adolescent Mothers
2012
The teenage motherhood discourse as a pathological phenomenon is not only promoted by the mass media; teenage motherhood, the associated factors, and its consequences have been the object of social research for four decades (Furstenberg, 1978). Traditional literature on the subject reflects the extensive interest in the social exclusion of these mothers and their dependence on services. Such traditional scientific research, usually quantitative, has always legitimised specialised interventions, and shaped public policies relating to teenage mothers. The connection to science legitimises such interventions, and can subtly take on political substrata and biological interests, influencing the way in which we experience the world (Foucault, 1980). The confluence between the slanderous discourses in the mass media, the scientific discourses, and last but not least, my experience as a specialist, who came into contact with teenage mothers' experiences, raised my interest in this subject. Therefore, I started from the assumption that teenage motherhood is a social construct (Macleod, 2001), and I tried, in the
Patient Education and Counseling, 2010
We looked at early pregnancy and parenthood as an opportunity to broaden our understanding of the reproductive health education needs met by adolescent girls. Methods: We conducted an in-depth interview study with 12 adolescent mothers. Results: To become a mother at a young age was perceived as meaningful to all the participants. The participants expressed a need to be addressed as adult parents, who want the best for their child. A variety of psychosocial and health needs emerged over a time span ranging from starting to be sexually active to after the child was born. Social isolation was found to be an important factor of vulnerability. Conclusion: The health needs of adolescent mothers extend well beyond counselling around the decision to continue or terminate pregnancy, and subsequent information on contraception methods to avoid further pregnancies. Adolescent mothers need to be supported in their transition to parenthood, and special care should be provided to girls who are socially isolated. Practice implications: We identified several avenues for health education and counselling to adolescent mothers, from primary prevention to reduce incidence of early pregnancies to tertiary prevention to reduce negative health outcomes for both mother and child.