ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to compare the quality of maternity care in 2 types of government-run hospital in the town of Khorram Abad, Islamic Republic of Iran in 2009: a university-linked teaching and asocial security organization non-teaching hospital. A sample of 264 women hospitalized in the delivery and postpartum wards was selected. Data collection was done using interviews with mothers and observation checklists based on Iranian government criteria. The quality of maternity care in the non-teaching hospital was higher than the teaching hospital in terms of facilities, processes of maternal and newborn care and outcomes [mother's satisfaction]. In the teaching hospital, the quality of the physical space, the educational level and training of health care personnel and monitoring and evaluation of care quality needed improvement. In both hospitals, meeting women's expectations about the degree of privacy could lead to an increase in the quality of maternity services
Subject(s)
Quality Indicators, Health Care , Hospitals, Teaching , Hospitals , Mothers , Postnatal Care , Pregnancy Outcome , Breast Feeding , Perinatal CareABSTRACT
A cohort study was conducted in the Islamic Republic of Iran between January 1997 and February 1998 to compare the growth and morbidity of 100 infants who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and 100 who received breast milk and complementary foods between 4-6 months. Infants' feeding pattern, weight and height were assessed and recorded. There were no significant differences in infants' weight and height gain between 4 and 6 months. The rate of diarrhoea between ages 4 and 6 months was significantly lower in exclusively breastfed infants than in complementary food-fed infants (11% versus 27%) and respiratory infections were also lower (23% versus 35%). We conclude that exclusive breastfeeding is superior at least until an infant is 6 months of age.
Subject(s)
Bottle Feeding , Breast Feeding , Infant, Newborn/growth & development , Morbidity , Age Factors , Birth Weight , Body Height , Body Weight , Bottle Feeding/adverse effects , Bottle Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Breast Feeding/adverse effects , Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Cohort Studies , Diarrhea, Infantile/epidemiology , Diarrhea, Infantile/etiology , Diarrhea, Infantile/prevention & control , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Infant , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Mothers/education , Mothers/psychology , Prenatal Care/statistics & numerical data , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Respiratory Tract Infections/etiology , Respiratory Tract Infections/prevention & control , Surveys and Questionnaires , Urban Health/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
A cohort study was conducted in the Islamic Republic of Iran between January 1997 and February 1998 to compare the growth and morbidity of 100 infants who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months and 100 who received breast milk and complementary foods between 4-6 months. Infants' feeding pattern, weight and height were assessed and recorded. There were no significant differences in infants' weight and height gain between 4 and 6 months. The rate of diarrhoea between ages 4 and 6 months was significantly lower in exclusively breastfed infants than in complementary food-fed infants [11% versus 27%] and respiratory infections were also lower [23% versus 35%]. We conclude that exclusive breastfeeding is superior at least until an infant is 6 months of age
