Maternal health antecedents of infant and early childhood mortality and morbidity.

Abstract

The article reviews the maternal demographic factors the availability and accessibility of health care services preconceptual care risk assessment breast feeding the training of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) adolescent health care and family planning (FP) as antecedents of infant and early childhood mortality and morbidity. The maternal demographic factors which affect infant outcome are the age of the mother the mothers age at marriage marital status education poverty and family size and use of FP. Many of the maternal demographic factors are closely associated with insufficient prenatal care. Prenatal care services need to be easily available and accessible to all and be culturally sensitive. Understanding of a womans nutritional needs and broader living conditions is also needed. Tetanus immunization is required. Low birth weight can be reduced with early and regular high quality prenatal care. Womens general health before pregnancy can be assured with good personal habits nutrition treatment for medical conditions and safe environmental conditions. Preconceptual care involves risk assessment health promotion immunization against tetanus and intervention and followup. Only low risk women should deliver at home. Criteria for high risk need to be identified and might include: cephalopelvic disproportion in short women hemorrhage in a high parity or a history of previous postpartum hemorrhage and previous history of complications in pregnancy labor and delivery. Breast feeding particularly through the hazardous period of infancy is recommended. Nutrition of lactating women is an important consideration TBAs should be trained in hand-washing and safe umbilical cord care as well as more comprehensive training in anemia screening recognition of twins and abnormal presentations by palpation application of prophylactic eye ointment and assessment of at-risk pregnancies. Women should be referred for prenatal care and FP services. Predisposing factors to infant mortality may be grand multiparity poor nutrition unwanted pregnancy and overwork. FP can help birth spacing of more than 2 years and provide protection for young and older women. Health education and family life education are also needed.