Promising Strategies and Practices to Promote Adolescent Mothers’ Health-Seeking Behaviour and Utilization of Maternal Healthcare Services in Nigeria

Background: Adolescent pregnancy and childbirth are serious social and public health concerns that have a negative impact on maternal health. Newborns born to adolescent mothers have a higher risk of death in their first year of life. Hence, the objective of this study was to analyse the promising strategies and best practices influencing adolescent mothers’ utilization of maternal health care in Nigeria and other similar settings in Africa. Methods/Design: This study employs a literature review approach, sourcing data from peer-reviewed journals, grey literature, and secondary reports. A comprehensive search strategy incorporating keywords related to promising strategies and best practices influencing adolescent mothers’ utilization of maternal health care was employed. The geographical focus extends to West African countries with similar contexts. Results: Several promising strategies and best practices were identified, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), the Midwife Service Scheme (MSS), the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Maternal and Child Health (MCH), Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS), Community Health Education Programs (CHEP), and the OMOMi App. These initiatives prioritize underserved populations, aiming to enhance maternal health-seeking behaviour and maternal healthcare service utilization. Discussion: While these strategies show promise in improving maternal health outcomes among pregnant mothers, including adolescent mothers, sustained efforts, adequate funding mechanisms, and consistent implementation are crucial for lasting progress in reducing maternal mortality and enhancing maternal well-being in Nigeria and similar African settings. Conclusion: Adolescent pregnancy and its associated health challenges require adolescent-friendly comprehensive strategies and best practices to promote maternal health-seeking behaviour and the utilization of maternal healthcare services (MHS).