Özet:

Health knowledge is one of the key factors enabling adolescent women to be aware of their health status in order to seek appropriate health services. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude on maternal health care and the contributing factors to being knowledgeable among adolescent mother in Chapinawabganj district, the northern part of Bangladesh. A mixed-method study was conducted over 8 months, A total of 101 adolescent mothers were interviewed employing a predesignated and open-ended structured questionnaire after taking informed consent, using the Andersen-Newman model as a conceptual framework. The findings of the research shows that 35.6 of adolescent mother’s 1st marriages occurred belonging to their lower socioeconomic status. 42.6% adolescence mothers gave birth 1st babies unexpectedly (not in planned). Only 46.5 % had attended at antenatal care (ANC) and 26.7 % opined that ANC visits should be done within 3 months of pregnancy; whereas, 44.6 % didn’t know about postnatal care (PNC) visits. Only 32.7 % of adolescent mothers said that additional food intake is needed during pregnancy. 74.3 % (75 out of 101) expected normal delivery. A traditional birth attendant (TBA) still plays an influence in contemporary rural society, 36.6 % of mothers preferred to deliver from a TBA at home. The literacy and socioeconomic status of the adolescent mothers were observed as a major determinant in constructing knowledge and perception. They seldom seek skilled care to poor social networking and family restrictions that promote maternal complication. Maternal health education and accessible services are in demands for this population.

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