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Good and harmful neonatal practices among pregnant women in peri-urban area of Aligarh

Authors:
Mohd.Haroon Khan at Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt. Medical College Nalhar (Mewat) Haryana
Mohd.Haroon Khan
  • Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Govt. Medical College Nalhar (Mewat) Haryana
Najam Khalique at Aligarh Muslim University
Najam Khalique
Ruby Khan at Kanti Devi Dental College and Hospital
Ruby Khan
Anees Ahmad at Aligarh Muslim University
Anees Ahmad
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... 9 Nethra et al reported in north Karnataka, 15.5% percent of mothers were discarding the colostrums this finding was similar to one reported by Reshma et al. 10,11 Khan et al reported 41% of mother giving colostrum to their newborn. 12 Ganjoo et al reported that 57% of mothers believed that colostrum to be unhygienic and did not give it to their baby. 13 Practice of massage to the baby daily was reported by 71% of the mother. ...
... 17 Khan et al in his study at Aligarh reported that kajal was applied by 97% of mother on baby"s. 12 Akkamamba reported 93.9% of mothers are practising kajal application to eyes. 20 In our study 74.7% would keep knife under newborns pillow and 16.7% of mother would match box under babys cloth. ...
Traditional beliefs and practices in newborn care among mothers in a tertiary care centre in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2019
Background: Neonatal care practices are different in different communities. Before any intervention planned to reduce mortality and mortality in community, understanding of local belief and practices is necessary. Some of the harmful practices need to be abandoned and good or harmless practices need to be appreciated. This study was conducted to understand the cultural beliefs and practices in newborn care among residents of Uttarakhand.Methods: This was descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out among 300 postnatal mothers admitted to the hospital. The data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analyses of the data was done using SSPS version 22.0.Results: 4% of the mothers believed colostrum to be unsuitable for the newborn. 71% mothers were practicing daily baby massage. 71.3% believed that hot and cold foods can harm their baby’s health. 57.3% practiced application of Kajal on baby’s face. 74.7% of mothers would keep Knife under pillow and 16.7% match box under baby’s cloth. 5.3% mother believed in practice of branding. 81% of mothers accept to practice of pouring oil in baby’s ear. 22.3% mothers believed in isolating mother baby together for 30-40 days.Conclusions: Certain practices are still prevalent like Branding, discarding colostrum, Kajal application, pouring oil in baby’s ear and very restricted dietary regime of mothers. These practices need to be stopped by educating mothers and relatives in postnatal wards.
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... These include, for example, the isolation of the newborn and the mother for weeks, the delay of initiation of breastfeeding immediately after birth, feeding the newborn with water and other liquids because of fear of dehydration, the belief that women do not produce enough milk for exclusive breastfeeding, or the hypersexualization of women's breasts, resulting in feelings of shame about breastfeeding in public areas. 26,[34][35][36][37][38][39] Women's beliefs, values, and roles about breastfeeding might collide with those around them, such as partners, governments, religious institutions, or employers, highlighting the need to work on women's empowerment as part of the implementation of interventions to protect, promote, and support optimal breastfeeding practices. Misplaced social values, misbeliefs, or harmful practices about breastfeeding are common in every part of the world and contribute, for instance, to the inappropriate use and promotion of breast-milk substitutes such as infant formula. ...
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International Journal of Medical Sciences & Public Health 2013, 2(2):531-535 ISSN: 2320–4664
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2013
Background: Neonatal mortality in developing countries is one of the most important problems that need immediate attention in order to achieve Millennium Development Goals. Aims & Objective: To assess the knowledge and practices of pregnant women regarding good and harmful neonatal practices. Material and Methods: Study Design: A community based study. Setting: Field practice areas of Urban Health Training Center Department of Community Medicine, JNMCH, AMU Aligarh. Participants: 200 pregnant women. Sampling: Purposive sampling. Study Period: one year. Statistical Analysis: Data analysed with Epi Info version 3.5.1. Percentages, and Chi Square Test used. Results: Initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour was done only in 16% of babies. Colostrum was given by 41% mothers. 20% babies were exclusively breastfed. Witch craft in neonatal illness was noticed in 70% babies. Majority of babies (97%) were applied kajal in the eyes. Prelacteal feeds were given in 80% and pacifiers in 72.5% babies. All the home deliveries except one were conducted by untrained dais. Untrained Dai did not wash their hands with soap and water in 64.5% of home deliveries. Dark and ill-ventilated room for conducting the delivery was used in 82% deliveries. The cord was cut with a used blade, or any unsterile scissors, knife, or sickle, broken cup in 68.8% of deliveries. Application of ghee/ cow dung on the cord was done in 93.5% deliveries. 100% newborns were given bath soon after birth. Delivery room was not warm in 54.6% of deliveries. Conclusion: It was concluded that harmful newborn care practices were common. This can be attributed largely to dais because most of deliveries were conducted at home. Some good practices were prevalent in the community like new blade, delivery in a warm room, practice of rooming-in.
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Breastfeeding and pacifier use in Brazil
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2005
  • Indian J Pediatr
Objective: To determine the relationship between pacifier use and the duration of exclusive breast-feeding in the first six months of age, among poor children with unfavourable birth weight, from an underdeveloped region in Brazil. Method: Prospective cohort study with infants followed from birth to 6 months of age. Healthy children born with unfavourable birth weight (< 3,000), being exclusively breastfed, were selected from 8 maternity hospitals in the city of Fortaleza (Brazil) between November 1996 and April 1997. Two main outcome measures were used: (i) time to stop exclusive breast-feeding at the 1st and (ii) at the 6th month of life. Main exposures were pacifier use at 1st and 6th month of age. Data were collected at maternity hospitals and during home interviews, using structured questionnaires, by trained data collectors unaware of the study aims, and analyzed using survival analysis and the Cox Proportional Hazard Model. Results: 500 children were enrolled and 13% were lost to follow up at the 1st month. Most of the families had a monthly income less than five times the minimum wage. One third of the mothers were adolescents, one fifth were working outside the home by the 6th month and most attended prenatal care visits. Approximately 60% of the children were using pacifiers by the 1st month. The average number of days for exclusive breast-feeding for pacifier use by the 6th month was 125.3 compared to 87.0 among non-users (p=0.0001). Children using pacifiers were 1,9 more likely to have stopped exclusive breastfeeding by the 6th month compared to non-users, even after controlling potential confounders. Conclusion: Pacifier use was associated with the early termination of breast-feeding in Brazil, among poor children with unfavourable birth weight, living in an underdeveloped area. As a possible marker of early weaning, pacifier use can help health workers identify those mothers in need of extended counselling to reinforce breast-feeding practices.
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Infant feeding practices in a tribal community of Melghat region in Maharashtra state
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 1996
1. Out of 494 infants none was breastfed within 2 hours of delivery. 36% infants received first breastfeed after 24 hours of delivery 91.2% of the mothers used prelacteal feeds. 2. Only 31.06% of the infants were weaned, out of these only 7 received complementary foods between 4-6 months. 3. Thus, it can be concluded that though breastfeeding is practiced by all mothers, there is need for early initiation of breastfeeding and proper weaning habits. PIP The Chittaranjan Das Mobile Hospital Camp is affiliated with Government Medical College Hospital, Nagpur. 494 tribal mothers of infants attending the hospital camp stationed at Dharni, Amravati District between December 1993 and January 1994 were interviewed on their infant feeding practices. 251 male infants and 243 females were seen at the clinic. No child was breast fed within 2 hours of birth, 10.1% were breast fed within 3-6 hours of birth, and 36% were first breast fed after 24 hours of being born. Prelacteal feeds of honey water, jaggery water, sugar water, honeyghee, decoctions, and cow milk were used by 91.2% of mothers. 114 infants were weaned before age 1 year, of which only 7 (6.1%) were weaned at age 4-6 months, 50 (43.9%) at 7-9 months, and 57 (50%) at age 10-12 months. The following preparations were used for weaning: dal water in 26.3% of cases, dal rice in 21.1%, jawar roti in 20.2%, and cow milk 19.3% of the time.
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Cross sectional, community based study of care of newborn infants in Nepal
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2002
  • Br Med J
To determine home based newborn care practices in rural Nepal in order to inform strategies to improve neonatal outcome. Cross sectional, retrospective study using structured interviews. Makwanpur district, Nepal. 5411 married women aged 15 to 49 years who had given birth to a live baby in the past year. Attendance at delivery, hygiene, thermal care, and early feeding practices. 4893 (90%) women gave birth at home. Attendance at delivery by skilled government health workers was low (334, 6%), as was attendance by traditional birth attendants (267, 5%). Only 461 (8%) women had used a clean home delivery kit, and about half of attendants had washed their hands. Only 3482 (64%) newborn infants had been wrapped within half an hour of birth, and 4992 (92%) had been bathed within the first hour. 99% (5362) of babies were breast fed, 91% (4939) within six hours of birth. Practices with respect to colostrum and prelacteals were not a cause for anxiety. Health promotion interventions most likely to improve newborn health in this setting include increasing attendance at delivery by skilled service providers, improving information for families about basic perinatal care, promotion of clean delivery practices, early cord cutting and wrapping of the baby, and avoidance of early bathing.
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ICMR Task Force National Collaborative Study on Identification of High Risk Families, Mothers and Outcome of their Off-springs with particular reference to the problem of maternal nutrition, low birth weight, perinatal and infant morbidity and mortality in rural and urban slum communities. Summary, conclusions and recommendations.
Article
  • Jan 1992
The objectives was to assess the determinants of and rates of abortion, stillbirth, and infant mortality for a cohort of pregnant women from slums in New Delhi, Calcutta, and Madras, India and rural slums in Hyderabad, Varanasi, and Chandigarh, India in 1981. The relationship of low birthweight (LBW) and high risk pregnancies to social, environmental, nutritional, cultural, and biological factors was of interest. The results showed variation both between and within urban and rural areas. Rural pregnancy outcome showed fewer LBWs and perinatal and neonatal mortality. Perinatal, neonatal, and infant mortality rates were consistent with prior findings. There was a demonstrated need for prenatal care and referral due to the 10-12% with a poor obstetric history and the significant number with anemia, bleeding, hypertension, toxemia, and urinary tract infections during this pregnancy. Many women were malnourished (body weight 40 kg, height 145 cm, and midarm circumference of 22.5 cm. These women can be identified as high risk. Other risk factors identified were women with disadvantageous personal habits: smoking, alcohol use, tobacco chewing, and working. 10-25% of pregnancies were not registered even though the prenatal clinic was accessible and outreach was provided. 20% completed the recommended number of prenatal visits. 75-85% visited at least once and sometimes more often. Screening for high risk must be done at the 1st visit. Women had strong feelings about the preference for a Dai during delivery and for place of delivery. Poor training of health workers was reflected in the lack of adequate sanitation during the birthing process. Neonatal units were lacking and primary care absent. 10-14% of births were preterm of which 50% occurred at 36 weeks. Multiple regression identified risk factors for fetal and neonatal mortality and LBW as maternal age, preterm birth, maternal anemia, previous preterm or LBW, birth interval, and previous fetal and neonatal mortality. Recommendations are for improving sanitation, hygiene, and water supplies, promoting community awareness of the adverse effects of early marriage and close birth spacing, improving the delivery of health care, allocating health resources based on morality rates, using an intersectoral approach for dealing with the complex social and personal habits adversely affecting childbearing and 7 other suggestions. Existing services and their use are inadequate.
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Infant feeding practices in educated mothers from upper socio-economic status
Article
  • Jul 1990
One hundred and twenty mothers from upper socio-economic status and education up to graduation level were assessed for infant feeding practices using a pre-tested questionnaire. Prelacteal feed of honey was administered by 51.7% and initiation of breast feeding delayed by more than 24 hours by 68.3% of mothers. Colostrum was discarded by 53% mothers; 83% introduced bottle feeding in the first month of life; and poor bottle hygiene was seen in 54% cases. Addition of semisolids was delayed by almost 50% of mothers, the reason given being fear of liver disorders. These observations highlight ignorance about basic infant feeding practices in the educated elite section of our country. Health education in schools, colleges, non formal gatherings and during the antenatal period are suggested as means to remove this ignorance.
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Breastfeeding practices in villages of Central Karnataka
Article
  • Jul 1996
To asses the prevailing breastfeeding and infant feeding practices in rural areas. Stratified sampling method in a community based study. 1050 infants from 0-24 months of age. The timely first suckling rate was 0.3%. All the infants received prelacteal feeds. Colostrum was rejected by 29% of mothers. Delayed initiation of breastfeeding was common; 35% of babies were not breast-fed even at 48 h of birth. Exclusive breastfeeding was noted in 94% at 1 mo, 83.5% at 2 mo, 72.5% at 3 mo, 61.2% at 4 mo, 43.4% at 5 mo and 26.8% at 6 mo age. Timely complementary feeding rate was 57.3% among infants from 6 to 10 mo age. Continued breastfeeding rate was 99.7% at 1 year and 87.2% at 2 years. The bottle feeding rate was 49.4% among infants below 1 year age. The ever breast-fed rate was 97.0% and the median duration of breastfeeding was beyond 24 months. Bottle feeding is quite prevalent even in rural areas and the infant feeding practices are far from satisfactory.
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Delivery practices in West Uttar Pradesh
Article
  • Jan 1996
  • Indian J Publ Health
The present study has been planned to identify healthy and unhealthy delivery practices in rural U.P. specially with reference to five cleans recommended under national C.S.S.M. programme. A total 120 women who had delivered in recent past were interviewed. Only in 3.1 percent deliveries, proper washing of floor was done, in 43 percent deliveries the cord cutting instrument was not sterilized and in about 65 percent deliveries mustard oil and ghee was used as first cord applicant. PIP Infant mortality remains high in the northern states of India. Neonatal tetanus is one of the important causes of early infant death in the region. The authors identified healthy and unhealthy delivery practices in rural West Uttar Pradesh based upon interview data from 120 women who recently delivered at home. 98 of the deliveries occurred in the household living room, while the remaining 22 were conducted elsewhere in the home. The floor was properly washed in only 3.1% of deliveries, the cord cutting instrument was not sterilized in 43% of deliveries, and mustard oil and deshi ghee were used as first cord applicants in approximately 65% of deliveries. Hygienic delivery practices and settings are not commonly used in this study area. Trained birth attendants were no better aware of cleanliness in delivery practice than untrained birth attendants. Community awareness was also lacking. It is recommended that birth attendants have periodic refresher training and a viable monitoring system of birth attendant-conducted deliveries be established.
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Breast feeding and weaning practices of urban housewives in Srinagar
Article
  • Dec 1988
Researchers interviewed 125 mothers in Srinagar, India about breast feeding and weaning practices. Overall the mothers were generally illiterate (52%), housewives (67.2%), Muslim (76%), and from a nuclear family (56%). 39% were in the low income group. Most of the children (48%) ranged for 6-12 months old. 96% of the children had been breast fed. Some of the reasons for breast feeding included nutritional quality, economical, pleased the mother, and made the infant feel secure. 65.8% breast fed their infants on demand. 65.7% weaned their infants between 7-9 months yet 52% believed breast feeding should continue to 18 months. 96% breast fed their infants while ill with diarrhea. 57% believed colostrum to be unhygienic and did not feed it to their infants. 72% decided to breast feed before becoming pregnant while 36% decided to bottle feed before pregnancy. 89% of illiterate mothers breast fed while only 45% of literate mothers did. Further, only 11.8% of the mothers whose family income was 1500 rupees/month breast fed whereas 47% in the lower and 41.2% in the middle income groups did. At 7-9 months, 69.8% of illiterate and 69.5% of literate mothers had already introduced semi solid foods. 78.3% of literate mothers gave semi solid foods to their infants 2 times/day, but only 11.6% of the illiterate mothers did so. Moreover 81.4% of illiterate mothers only fed their infants semi solid foods once a day. Literate mothers were more likely than literate mothers to feed their infants solid foods (75% vs. 46.2%), introduce them at an earlier age (22.2% vs 10%, 7-9 months), and feed them more often (55.5% vs 16.6%; twice a day). In conclusion, the higher the educational status the more likely mothers were likely to breast feed.
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