Challenges and Issues Faced by Agalactorrhic Mothersin Matta Swat Hospital, Pakistan

Authors

Zubaida Bibi MSN Nursing Officer - DHQ Hospital Batkhela Malakand, KPK. Author
Dr. Bakhtyar Ali Shah PhD, MSN Assistant Professor – INS- KMU Peshawar Author
Aurang Zeb MSN Senior Lecturer – INS- KMU Peshawar Author
Dr. Shah Hussain PhD, MSN Assistant Professor/ Principal at Zalan College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Swat Author

challenges, Agalactorrhric, Mothers, qualitative Study, Swat

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breastfeeding is the ideal

food for new-borns up to six months of age. It provides all the nutritional needs of infants and

protects them from many childhood illnesses. Therefore, the current study results provided

baseline data of those mothers who may not breastfeed due to a lack of milk production or

insufficient intake of proper nutrients, which may worsen this condition.

Aim: The study aimed to explore challenges and issues faced by Agalactorrhric mothers in

Matta Swat Hospital, Pakistan.

Methods: Using purposive sampling and in-depth interviews, a descriptive phenomenological

design explored the lived experiences of 13 agalactorrheic mothers at a Category C Hospital in

Matta, Swat. Mothers with known medical conditions or who were unwilling to participate

were excluded. Data were collected using a semi-structured, audio-recorded interview guide.

Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Result: The data identified 128 open codes. Additional and unnecessary codes were omitted,

resulting in the identification of 18 categories from the open codes. From these categorical

data, significant themes emerged, which were listed as follows: insufficient nourishment,

physical and health discomfort, financial strain, emotional and psychological consequences,

and alternative feeding complexities.

Conclusion: This was a comprehensive study that highlighted challenges and issues faced by

Agalactorrhric mothers. It revealed that financial constraints and inadequate access to

nutritious food can significantly impact milk production, leading to adverse effects on both

milk production and the baby's health. Additionally, the findings highlighted significant

hardships mothers face due to societal and familial pressures. Financial burden is a key factor

contributing to insufficient milk production among Agalactorrhric mothers