ABSTRACT
Background: Gestational age is a critical factor in the management, decision making and follow up of new born infants. Identification of gestational age especially within 48 hours of life is crucial for new born. Since decades attempts have been made to find an alternative measurement for gestational age and birth weight estimation of the newborns. Last menstrual period is an inexpensive method and potentially efficient for calculating gestational age. Objective of this study was to the present study aims to compare the gestational age by New Ballards score with LMP, in pre term babies.Methods: A total 150 pre term babies who are born to mothers remembering LMP were enrolled for the study group. During the study period new Ballard scoring was done for babies within 48hrs and Gestational age was compared with LMP. The collected data was analyzed by using SAS-6.50 version. Study design a prospective observational study was conducted over a period of one year from January 2018 till December 2018 at Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru, IndiaResults: The New Ballard score is found to be significantly correlated with GA above 29 weeks (p<0.01). The LMP mean was 35±2.0 weeks. Total 60.6 % of the childbirth is lead to normal vaginal delivery. The analysis shows LMP were found to be strongly correlated with GA (p<0.01).Conclusions: LMP alone can be reliably used in assessing the gestational age and can be assessed more accurately and be confirmed with new Ballard’s scoring for preterm babies of >29 weeks.
ABSTRACT
Background: Breastfeeding is common in developing countries, but exclusive breastfeeding is rare, and complementary foods are introduced to babies at an early age. Despite the proven risks associated with not exclusively breastfeeding, few mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for six months as recommended by the World Health Organization. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of breast-feeding promotion interventions on baby weight at three months of age.Methods: A randomized experimental study was conducted for a period of 6 months from February 2019 till July 2019 in a tertiary care hospital. Weight- for-age (WA) indices have been determined for 95 infants from three to four months of age, participating in this study. They included 49 that started received promotion interventions support after delivery (till 2 weeks) and 46 that received routine care (control group). Collected data were analysed using SPSS software ver.11.5.Results: Weight-for-age indices were significantly lower for the early group than the control group (p=0.012). They suggest that the breast-feeding promotion interventions are very important educational tools to ensure healthy weight gain in infants.Conclusions: There is evidence that breastfeeding for at least 6 months, compared with feeding formula, prevents the possibility of atopic dermatitis, cow’s milk allergy and early childhood wheezing. Poorer nutritional status was significantly associated with earlier complementary feeding. The results suggest that exclusive breastfeeding along with promotion of weaning education should be promoted in India.