An Interventional Study to Enumerate the Causes of Lactation Failure, its Prevention and Management

Background: Three quarters of the world’s population living in developing countries migrated from rural to an urban area.Since the health professionals are concentrated in the urban areas, the existing health services cater to only 20% of the ruralpopulation. Hence, there is an increased risk of bottle feeding in both urban and rural areas. There is a sharp decline in thepractice of breastfeeding and an increase in the number of infants being artificially fed. In India, there is a decrease in theincidence of exclusive breastfeeding.Aim: The aim of the study was to study an intensive educational program for mothers in the antenatal period, immediatepostpartum period and during follow-up for 4–5 months in a tertiary care institute, and to achieve an exclusive breastfeedingrate of 80% among the mothers and study the impact of the intervention program.Methodology: A prospective randomized study was done allocating the mothers into two groups – study and control group.Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding has shown a definite decline globally. The practice of breastfeeding is downbut definitely not out. Hence, it becomes our duty as health-care providers to teach mothers about the importance ofbreastfeeding. In the present study, even though a majority of mothers had adequate knowledge about breastfeeding,many of them did not practice what they knew. Hence, we should try to analyze the factors which hinder their breastfeedingpractice.

Comparison of Postmortem Analysis of Anomalous Fetuses with the Prenatal Ultrasonography Findings

Background: Congenital anomalies cause around 10–15% of perinatal deaths in India. At present, these fetal deaths are onlyevaluated with ultrasonography (USG) findings. With this study, we aimed to do the postmortem analysis of these anomalousfetuses and compare the findings with antenatal ultrasound findings.Materials and Methods: A descriptive study carried out with 43 anomalous fetuses over 1½ years period in a tertiary careinstitute by comparing the postmortem analysis of anomalous fetuses with the prenatal USG findings.Results: Among the 43 cases, 41 had antenatal USG taken. In 11 cases, autopsy confirmed the USG findings and autopsyshowed extra findings in 16 cases. Antenatal USG was normal in 12 cases, but autopsy only identified anomalies. In two cases,autopsy detected no anomalies. Among 41 cases, 12 cases with normal antenatal USG had significant findings and 11 caseswith abnormal USG had new findings after physical examination and X-ray evaluation.Conclusion: Fetal autopsy helps in identifying many external and internal malformations which were undetected by antenatalUSG. Fetal autopsy can be useful in 95% of cases – it can either confirm or add findings. Limited fetal autopsy can benefit in56% of cases. The study shows that in majority of cases, the limited fetal autopsy itself will detect many anomalies undetectedby the USG.