Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: February | Volume: 10 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 186-192
Factors Associated With Maternal and Neonatal Health Care Practices: A Study from Nepal
Shiva Raj Acharya1, Sebisa Poudel2
1Department of Public Health, Pokhara University, Pokhara, Nepal
2Department of Public Health, Chitwan Medical College, Nepal
Corresponding Author: Shiva Raj Acharya
ABSTRACT
Background: Maternal and neonatal health problem is a major public health burden. Most of the newborn deaths in the developing countries occur due to lack of access to care. The main objective of the study was to assess and identify the factors associated with maternal and neonatal health care practices in Chitwan, Nepal.
Methods: An analytical & descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 157 mothers having a child below one year.
Results: The study showed that the mean age of the mothers and mean age during the marriage was 24 years. Almost all the mothers had used safe delivery kit (97.5%). Almost all of the mothers applied the substance on the umbilical cord with the application of Chlorhexidine on the umbilical cord found to be 98.4%. Bathing time after 24 hrs., breastfeeding within 1 hour, colostrum feeding was found to be 94.3%, 69.4% & 96.2% respectively. Place of the delivery, education status, maternal age, and delivery types are the associated factors with neonatal health care practices whereas bathing time was not found significant.
Conclusion: Neonatal health care practices are still not satisfying and poor. In rural areas, there is a more prevalent of poor and unsafe neonatal health care practices. Health programs focusing on mothers and more research works should be conducted to promote safe neonatal health care practices in low income developing countries.
Key words: neonatal care practices, maternal health, breastfeeding, Nepal, delivery