Table 5 Healthcare challenges of Syrian pregnant and lactating mothers posed by HCWs according to HCWs’ observations
Challenges | N(%) |
|---|---|
Food-finance-housing-related problems | 306 (34.9) |
• Malnutrition of the mother or child | 200 (22.8) |
• Financial deficiencies/poor living conditions | 115 (13.1) |
• Mother’s work | 34 (3.4) |
• Expensive, paid/not-free formulas | 4 (0.5) |
Low maternal education | 239 (27.3) |
Cultural and environmental issues | 172 (19.6) |
• Ignoring recommendations/not attending following up | 113 (12.9) |
• Cultural barriers | 73 (8.3) |
• Adolescent marriage/adolescent pregnancy | 61 (7.9) |
• Tetanus vaccine refuse (in pregnancy) | 6 (0.7) |
• Divorces/marriage problems | 5 (0.6) |
• Unsafe abortions | 1 (0.1) |
Maternal health-related problems | 163 (18.6) |
• Maternal poor health/drug use | 56 (6.4) |
• Psychological problems | 50 (5.7) |
• Maternal anemia | 40 (4.6) |
• Poor hygiene of mother and baby | 25 (2.9) |
• Not wanting to breastfeed | 8 (0.9) |
• Aesthetic concerns | 2 (0.2) |
• Not drinking a lot of water | 1 (0.1) |
Challenges for family planning | 135 (15.4) |
• Short pregnancy interval/getting pregnant while breastfeeding | 124 (14.2) |
• Absence or refusal of family planning | 11 (1.3) |
• Leaving breastfeeding to get pregnant again | 2 (0.2) |
Incorrect mothers’ nutrition practices | 78 (8.9) |
• Starting complementary feeding early | 19 (2.2) |
• Unnecessary/inappropriate formula feeding | 18 (2.1) |
• Negligence of baby | 12 (1.4) |
• Concerns about breast milk’s sufficient and baby growth | 11 (1.3) |
• Breastfeeding while pregnant | 8 (0.9) |
• Early weaning | 8 (0.9) |
• Not breastfeeding immediately after birth | 4 (0.4) |
• Feeding baby with cow milk | 3 (0.3) |
• Pacifier use | 3 (0.3) |
• Starting complementary feeding late | 2 (0.2) |
• Trying to lose weight while breastfeeding | 2 (0.2) |
• Not breastfeeding while pregnant | 1 (0.1) |
• Late weaning | 1 (0.1) |
• Cessation breastfeeding due to jaundice | 1 (0.1) |
Breastfeeding-related difficulties | 48 (5.5) |
• Breast problems | 37 (4.2) |
• Insufficient breast milk | 14 (1.6) |
Lack of health care | 42 (4.8) |
• Insufficient pregnant-baby follow-up/difficulty of reaching health centers | 39 (4.5) |
• Mothers who do not have IDs do not apply to health centers. | 3 (0.3) |