ABSTRACT
Introduction: Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) is an important intervention included by WHO as essential elements of antenatal care package. It is often delivered to pregnant women through their active participation by health care provider during antenatal care or initiated/followed up through visits to the homes of pregnant women by community health workers. Objectives: To determine the knowledge and practice regarding BPCR and to identify factors associated with it among rural pregnant women. Method: Cross-sectional study was conducted in rural field practice area of Community Medicine Department of a medical teaching institutes. A total of 210 pregnant women who were in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were selected by simple random sampling and interviewed for data collection. Results: Mean age of study subjects was 24.14 + 3.88 years.The highest number of women was in the age group of 20-29 years (84.8%). More than half (57.6%) mothers had observed at least two or more components of BPCR. Maximum number of females had identified facility for delivery (63.8%) followed by transportation (60.9%). Identification of potential blood donor by mothers was low (14.3%). Bleeding was most commonly identified danger symptom in all three phases of child bearing. Knowledge regarding danger signs was significantly associated with birth preparedness. Conclusion: In the present study, practice of all components of BPCR by mothers was very low. Bleeding was the most commonly identified danger symptom during all three phases i.e., pregnancy, child birth and after birth.Knowledge regarding other danger signs was highly inadequate.
ABSTRACT
Background: Newborn period is culturally and traditionally sensitive in every society. Different communities have different traditional practices when it comes to taking care of newborn. Head-shaving in newborn period is one such unique traditional practice existent among rural population of West Bengal. This study was conducted to explore the traditional practice of head-shaving and to highlight its related morbidities among newborns following head-shaving.Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted at triage of special newborn care unit of Malda Medical College and Hospital among 650 mothers who presented to us with their sick newborns following head-shaving. After obtaining informed consent, mothers were interviewed. The data were collected using pre-designed questionnaires. Statistical analyses of the data were done using SPSS version 21.Results: In the present study, majority (52.62%) of the mothers were within the age group of 18-21 years and 94.15% belonged to Muslim community. Neonatal head-shaving was usually done on 4th day of life (48.15%) and on 10th day of life (28.77%). Baby bath following head-shaving was given in 49.54% newborns using pond water and 77.70 % mothers used crude mustard oil for massaging following baby bath. Following head-shaving, 37.69% of newborns presented with poor feeding, 33.23% with abdominal distension and 61.23% presented with respiratory distress.Conclusions: Findings of present study highlights the harmful aspects of traditional practice of head-shaving among newborns in rural Bengal. This practice can be avoided by proper health education and counselling of the mothers and her associates involved in newborn care.