Newborn thermal care in western Uttar Pradesh - gap analysis between knowledge and practices
Anurag Srivastava1, Sumit Saxena2, Payal Srivastava1
1Government Institute of Medical Sciences, Greater Noida, India.
Insights
Newborns are vulnerable to hypothermia. This study assessed knowledge and practices of thermal protection in Amroha, finding many mothers knew basic warming techniques like drying and wrapping newborns soon after birth.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Neonatal Care
- Public Health
Background:
- Newborns, especially premature and low birth weight (LBW) infants, are highly susceptible to hypothermia due to immature thermoregulation.
- Effective thermal control is crucial for newborn survival and well-being.
- Existing healthcare systems involve community, providers, and government in maternal and newborn care provision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge and practices of women regarding thermal protection for newborns.
- To identify determinants influencing newborn thermal care knowledge and practices.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Amroha district.
- The study included women aged 15-49 years who delivered a live baby within 12 weeks prior.
- Data was collected from 61 villages across 6 blocks, with knowledge and practices expressed in percentages.
Main Results:
- 60.9% of respondents were knowledgeable about keeping newborns warm post-delivery.
- 71.4% knew the importance of drying the baby immediately after birth.
- 69.6% understood the need to wrap the newborn soon after birth.
Conclusions:
- The study highlights existing knowledge gaps in newborn thermal protection practices.
- There is a need for further quantitative research in the Amroha district.
- Improving community awareness and strengthening the health system are essential for better newborn care.
Background:
The provision of health care services including maternal and newborn care is a dynamic system of entitlement and obligations among the community, the service providers, and the government. Thermal control remains poor in newborns owing to immaturity of the thermoregulatory center and newborn become vulnerable to hypothermia especially premature babies, intrauterine growth retardation and LBW babies, and even normal babies.This study aimed to assess the knowledge & practices regarding thermal protection their determinants.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study was conducted in the Amroha district. The study population comprised women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) who have delivered a live baby within the past 12 weeks before the conduct of the study. Out of 6 blocks, 2 most populous villages were selected. Total 61 villages from 6 blocks were covered under the study. Knowledge and practices regarding newborn thermal care were expressed in percentages and compared.
Results:
The knowledge domain on thermal protection of baby, 60.9% of the respondents were well aware of how to keep baby warm after delivery, 71.4% of respondents knew that baby should be dried soon after birth, 64.9% of the respondents had an idea of time to dry the baby, 69.6% of the respondents knew that baby should be wrapped soon after birth.
Conclusion:
The findings of the study provides an insight into the existing knowledge and necessitate a need for quantitative studies in the study area to access knowledge & practices related to thermal protection of newborns. The authors emphasize a need for improving community awareness for the promotion of newborn care and improve the health system to meet the demands of birthing mothers and the needs of newborns.
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