ABSTRACT
Background: The first 2 years of life are a critical period for a child's growth and development. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and continued breastfeeding with safe, appropriate, and adequate feeding are recommended as a global health policy in both developing and developed countries. Objective: The objective was to study the pattern of foods given to the infants during the weaning period in an urban field practice area in Vijayapura. Materials and methods: The mothers of infants (aged 6-12 months) were interviewed by using predesigned and pretested questionnaires regarding different types of foods given to their infants and also about their immunization status, incidence of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection (ARI). Results: A total of 95 mothers with infants aged between 6 and 12 months were enrolled in the study during the period of 1 month. Majority of the infants were fed with milk (animal) as a type of complementary food. Conclusion: Poor complementary feeding practices were observed in urban areas, and urgent health education and demonstration of weaning foods in the community play a major role in preventing diseases.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: 'Smokeless tobacco' is the term used for the tobacco that is consumed in un-burnt form and it can be used orally or nasally. Cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, is used to quantify exposure to tobacco, which readily gains access to foetal circulation. Cotinine is invariably found in coelomic, amniotic and foetal serum when maternal serum cotinine levels exceed 25ng/ml. AIM: To estimate cotinine levels among pregnant women using and not using smokeless tobacco (mishri) and to correlate cotinine level with anthropometry of newborns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital based cohort study was conducted at Krishna Hospital, Karad, District Satara, Maharashtra, India. Pregnant women who were using smokeless tobacco (mishri) during pregnancy were analyzed for cotinine levels in blood by using ELISA kit tech and correlated with anthropometry of newborn babies and compared with non users of tobacco. RESULTS: About 480 gm reduction in Birth weight and 6.5 cm reduction in birth length of babies born to mishri users compared to non users of tobacco and also cotinine levels among users were found significantly negatively correlating with anthropometric measurement of newborn babies. CONCLUSION: A pro-active effort is essential to educate the women about adverse effects of tobacco in general and on the intrauterine growth of the baby in particular.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: "Mishri" is one among the various smokeless tobacco products used in the central and southern part of India. The use of newer tobacco products is increasing not only among men, but also among children, teenagers, and women of the reproductive age-group. OBJECTIVES: To study socio-demographic profile of mishri users among pregnant women admitted for delivery into Krishna Hospital, Karad - Satara, Maharashtra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the consecutive pregnant women admitted for delivery in Krishna Hospital, Karad over a period of 6 months were enrolled and a detailed history of use of tobacco was obtained from them. A representative sample of mishri used by them for each application was collected and weighed on an electronic weighing machine. The socio-demographic information was collected among all mishri users and age-, parity-matched controls of non-mishri users during pregnancy. RESULTS: A total of 258, i.e., (12%) of the women delivering in Krishna Hospital were using mishri. The mean duration of mishri use was 2 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 1.09 years, frequency of daily application being 1.4 times with an SD of 0.55, dwell time in mouth being 10 min with an SD of 2.9 min, and the quantity of each application being 236 mg with an SD of 66.2 mg. 29% of the teenagers and 68% of the primiparas were found to be using mishri, and a majority of them were housewives, having minimum education and belonging to the middle and lower socio-economic class. It was also found that the family members played a role in influencing the habit of mishri use. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: A small but significant number of women who deliver in the hospital used mishri during pregnancy and were in need of de-addiction counseling.
