Maternal and newborn-care practices during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period: a comparison in three rural districts in Bangladesh.
The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of maternal and newborn-care practices among women reporting a birth in the previous year in three districts in different divisions of Bangladesh. In 2003, 6,785 women, who had delivered a newborn infant in the previous year, across three districts in Bangladesh, were interviewed. Overall, less than half of the women received any antenatal care, and 11% received a minimum of four check-ups. Only 18% took iron tablets for at least four months during pregnancy. Over 90% of the 6,785 deliveries took place at home, and only 11% were attended either by a doctor or by a nurse. The mothers reported three key hygienic practices in 54% of deliveries: attendants washing their hands with soap and boiling cord-tie and blade for cutting the cord. Forty-four percent of the 6,785 infants were bathed immediately after delivery, and 42% were given colostrum as their first food. The results suggest that maternal and newborn-care remains a cause of concern in rural Bangladesh. Short-term policies to promote healthy behaviour in the home are needed, in addition to the long-term goal of skilled birth attendance.
Barnett
S
S
UCL Centre for International Health and Development, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. s.barnett@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Azad
K
K
Barua
S
S
Mridha
M
M
Abrar
M
M
Rego
A
A
Khan
A
A
Flatman
D
D
Costello
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006700:Home Childbirth / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data