TEENAGE MOTHERHOOD AND ITS PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS ON TEENAGE MOTHERS ATTENDING POSTNATAL / CHILD WELFARE CLINIC AT TAFO GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL

Abstract

Teenage motherhood is associated with increased risk for child and maternal mental health and social problems. Researches in many countries also have confirmed that teenage mothers and their families are often at a disadvantage compared with those whose children are born in their twenties or thirties. The present study examines the relations between adolescent motherhood and the impact it has on the young mother and her child’s psychosocial status at Tafo Government Hospital. A purpose sampling under the non-probability method of sampling with questionnaires was used to select and seek for information from the respondents. In all 80 teenage mothers out of the total teenage mothers in Tafo Government Hospital were used. The results showed that, most (72%) of the teen mothers were single and also 58% of them ended their education at the senior high level and could not attain higher education hence increasing their rate of unemployment. The findings of the research suggested that, teenage mothers should be encouraged to continue their education if possible or to learn a trade. They should also be counseled on contraceptive use as well as choice of job they want by health counselors to reduce unemployment. Finally it was highlighted that, these mothers should be trained and taught good parental practices in raising their children and this should be done by experienced midwives to help prevent these young mothers and the children from several forms of psychosocial problems.