Newborn Care Practices among Adolescent Mothers in Hoima District, Western Uganda
Lydia Kabwijamu1, Peter Waiswa1,2,3, Vincent Kawooya1
1Makerere University, College of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Insights
Essential newborn care practices like cord care were suboptimal among adolescent mothers in Uganda. Targeted strategies are needed to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes for this vulnerable group.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Neonatal Health
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Adolescent childbearing contributes to high neonatal mortality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Essential newborn care (ENC) practices are crucial for reducing neonatal mortality.
- Uganda faces significant challenges with both adolescent mothers and neonatal mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore essential newborn care practices among adolescent mothers in Western Uganda.
- To identify factors associated with the practice of essential newborn care by adolescent mothers.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted with 410 adolescent mothers and their children aged 1-6 months in Hoima district.
- Three composite variables were created: appropriate neonatal breastfeeding, cord care, and thermal protection.
- Logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with ENC practices.
Main Results:
- Appropriate breastfeeding, thermal protection, and dry cord care were practiced by 60.5%, 67.2%, and 31% of mothers, respectively.
- Knowledge of cord care and delivering twins were predictors of cord care practice.
- Knowledge was a predictor of thermal care; postpartum hospital stay and knowledge of breastfeeding initiation predicted appropriate feeding. Caesarean delivery and male caretakers were associated with less appropriate feeding.
Conclusions:
- Suboptimal essential newborn care, particularly cord care, was observed among adolescent mothers.
- Adolescent mothers require focused interventions to improve maternal and neonatal health.
- Enhancing knowledge and addressing delivery/postpartum care factors are key to improving ENC practices.
Introduction:
Adolescent childbearing remains a major challenge to improving neonatal mortality especially in Sub Saharan countries which are still struggling with high neonatal mortality rates. We explored essential newborn care practices and associated factors among adolescent mothers in Western Uganda.
Methods:
Data were collected among 410 adolescent mothers with children aged one to six months in Hoima district. Three composite variables (appropriate neonatal breastfeeding, cord care and thermal protection) were derived by combining related practices from a list of recommended newborn care practices. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors independently associated with practice of essential newborn care.
Results:
Appropriate newborn feeding, optimal thermal protection and dry cord care were practiced by 60.5%, 67.2% and 31% of adolescent mothers respectively. Independent predictors' of cord care were: knowledge of cord care (AOR 5.34, 95% CI (1.51-18.84) and having delivered twins (AOR 0.04, 95% CI (0.01-0.22). The only predictor of thermal care was knowledge (AOR 25.15, 95% CI (7.01-90.20). Staying in a hospital for more than one day postpartum (AOR 2.45, 95%CI (1.23-4.86), knowledge of the correct time of breastfeeding initiation (AOR 14.71, 95% CI (5.20-41.58), predicted appropriate neonatal feeding, whereas; adolescent mothers who had had a caesarean delivery (AOR 0.19, 95% CI (I 0.04-0.96) and a male caretaker in the postnatal period (AOR 0.18, 95% CI (0.07-0.49) were less likely to practice the recommended newborn feeding.
Conclusion:
Sub optimal essential newborn care practice was noted especially suboptimal cord care. Adolescent mothers should be a focus of strategies to improve maternal and neonatal health.
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