Impact of behaviour change communication among pregnant women regarding good and harmful traditional practices.

ABSTRACT

Background: Neonatal survival is influenced much by care provided by the family before, during and after delivery, which in turn is influenced by mother’s beliefs, and perceptions of her immediate family. Objective: To assess the behaviour of pregnant women regarding good and harmful neonatal care practices. 2. Implementation and assessing impact of Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Package among pregnant women regarding good and harmful neonatal care practices. Methods: A community based intervention study was conducted in the field practice area of the Urban Health Training Centre, Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. 200 pregnant women were enrolled purposively. Data were analyzed with Epi Info version 3.5.1. Percentages, and Chi Square Test used. Results: Due to implementation of BCC Package in intervention, good practices like giving colostrum were increased two times. Initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour was increased 4.7 times, exclusive breastfeeding was gone up 3.8 times and induction of burping was increased 6 times. There was significant difference (P–value <0.05) between the two groups on 7th and 28th days of delivery. Harmful practices like not washing hand were decreased 3.83 times, use of dark and ill-ventilated room was decreased 2.54 times, and practice of cutting the cord with a used blade, or any unsterile scissors, knife, or sickle, broken cup was decreased 3 folds. Application of ghee/ cow dung on the cord was decrease significantly. Practices of prelacteals and use of pacifier, application of kajal, and witch craft for neonatal illnesses were reduced significantly. Conclusion: There was significant improvement in pregnant women regarding traditional neonatal practices. Some practices had not changed due to some strong cultural beliefs and influence of mother in-law and elderly females of the family.