Determination of the adolescent mother's perceptions of maternity and prenatal and postnatal period needs

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of motherhood and their needs in prenatal and postnatal periods of adolescent mothers. Material and Method: The research was carried out with 30 adolescent mothers residing in Iğdır province between January and May 2022 and meeting the inclusion criteria of the research. Demographic and Personal Information Form and semi-structured Adolescent Mother Interview Form prepared by the researcher were used as data collection tools. This study was conducted as a qualitative research and the data obtained through semi-structured interviews were analyzed descriptively. Results: Considering the findings of the study, the average age of the adolescent mothers participating in the study was 19.8, the participants did not feel ready for motherhood, and they did not have enough information about the pregnancy process, baby care, health and nutrition. It was also found that they needed support, and related to this, they did not find themselves fully competent in motherhood. Conclusion: It has been concluded that adolescent mothers perceive motherhood positively to a large extent and need support due to their lack of knowledge and skills in many subjects in prenatal and postnatal periods. Key Words: Adolescent, Adolescent mother, Maternal needs.