Navigating the care of preterm babies: physical care challenges and psychosocial stressors of adolescent mothers in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Adolescent mothers, still developing emotionally, socially, and financially, often face challenges in caring for at-risk babies, especially preterm babies. Limited exposure to childcare skills and resources, coupled with a lack of support systems, worsens the situation. The childcare difficulties encountered by adolescent mothers of preterm babies are unique and require targeted attention. This study aimed to explore the experiences of adolescent mothers caring for preterm babies after discharge to inform the development of tailored interventions for their needs. METHODS: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design was employed. The population for the study consisted of adolescent mothers of preterm babies, and twelve participants were purposively sampled for interviews based on a specific criterion. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview schedule to guide the session. The interviews were captured by a voice-digital recorder, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analysed thematically. RESULTS: The findings were that adolescent mothers face physical challenges in performing basic infant care tasks such as breastfeeding, bathing, and kangaroo mother care. These challenges are deeply intertwined with psychosocial stress, including fear of infant loss, uneasiness associated with a small baby, disrupted schooling, financial constraints, and social isolation. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the need for interventions that include practical caregiving education, mental health support, economic assistance, and community education on preterm birth to reduce stigma and negative comments. Recognising and addressing the unique needs of adolescent mothers has the potential to improve outcomes for mothers and their preterm babies.