ABSTRACT
PIP: A study of feeding practices and some aspects of antenatal, personal, socioeconomic, and environmental factors was made using data from 500 randomly selected children admitted between the ages of 1 month and 14 years to the Pediatrics section of Amritsar Hospital in India. Nearly all the women (98%) had been delivered by midwives at home and had consulted only untrained midwives regarding antenatal, natal, and postnatal care. Although nearly 3/4 of the women did not want another child after 2-3, only 15.4% were using any method of birth control. 99% of the women initiated breast feeding, 89% continued for more than 6 months, and 40% continued for 2 years. However, maternal diet during both pregnancy and lactation is seen to be inadequate, especially in proteins, hematinics, and vitamins. This is illustrated by the high incidence of both fetal and infant mortality among these families. This survey points up the importance of training midwives and the importance of extending and publicizing antenatal programs in this region. In addition, depot preparations of vitamins D and A and possibly iron should be provided for curative and prophylactic purposes.^ieng
