Exploring Health Providers’ Perspective Regarding the Needs of Adolescent Mothers During Breastfeeding: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of breastfeeding is less common among adolescent mothers than adultmothers. These mothers experience various issues during breastfeeding. The present study aimed toexplore the normative needs of adolescent mothers during breastfeeding from health care providers’perspective.Methods: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted from October 2022 until June 2023.14 health care providers who had worked in the field of breast milk were purposefully selected withmaximum variation. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted and sampling continueduntil data saturation. Data analysis was performed using Graneheim and Lundman’s method withMAXQDA software version 10.Results: The main concepts obtained from the data were classified into one theme entitled,“comprehensive support”, and seven categories including “need to correct wrong traditional beliefs”,“educational and counseling needs”, “providing quality services”, “need for psychological support”,“need for protective laws”, “financial needs”, and “the need for social network support”.Conclusion: Adolescent mothers in Iran have various needs during breastfeeding, and they requirethe assistance of their families, healthcare providers, and the government to fulfill them. Therefore, itis also recommended that policymakers in the health system should design policies to accommodatethe requirements of this group of mothers. In addition to policy development in the health system, theinfrastructure required for policy and law to be executed should be considered.

Keywords

• adolescent mothers
• breastfeeding
• need
• qualitative study
• healthcare providers