Mothers In India Research Articles

Comparison of the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among ante-natal mothers in rural field practice area of a medical college

ABSTRACT Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a haemoglobin concentration of less than 11 g/dl in venous blood. The prevalence of anaemia among ante-natal mothers in India is 50.3%[3]. The government of India supplies ferrous sulphate for prophylaxis and treatment of anaemia among ante-natal mothers for free through the reproductive maternal neonatal and child health + adolescent (RMNCH+A) programme. However, patient compliance is poor due to gastrointestinal disturbances (of all registered pregnancies, less than 1/3 consumed a full course of ferrous sulphate). Previous studies in different settings have shown increased compliance and higher mean haemoglobin levels with ferrous ascorbate, which is more affordable than other commercially available compounds. Objective: Hence, the current study was done to compare the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among ante-natal mothers in a rural field practice area of a medical college. Methods: An interventional community-based study was conducted in the rural field practice area of Andhra Medical College. The study was done among 76 registered (registered at Rural Primary Health Centre Simhachalam) ante-natal mothers in gestational age 13–17 weeks with haemoglobin concentration of 7–10.9 g/dl (mild to moderate anaemia) after taking informed consent. The study was performed for two years. Ante-natal mothers who were registered but unavailable during the study period, with a medical history of haematological disorders, chronic cardiac and kidney diseases, known or suspected to have sensitivity to iron compounds, with known thyroid dysfunction or mental illness were excluded from the study. Results: There was a rise in haemoglobin among the entire study population, which was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). There was a higher rise in haemoglobin among the antenatal women who took ferrous ascorbate than among those who took ferrous sulphate (mean difference = 0.344 gm/dl) after 12 weeks of follow-up, which was statistically significant (P = 0.014). Conclusion: The study compared the effectiveness of ferrous ascorbate with ferrous sulphate in improving haemoglobin percentage among antenatal mothers in a medical college’s rural field practice area. There was a significant rise in haemoglobin percentage among the study group, which was on ferrous ascorbate with better compliance and fewer gastrointestinal side effects.

Semangat Pelayanan Santa Teresa dari Calcutta Menjadi Inspirasi Bagi Katekis Masa Kini

St. Teresa of Calcutta was a Religious who had a strong faith and love for the poor. She is one of the figures in the Catholic Church who has been canonized a saint. The purpose of this writing is to study the life and charism of St. Teresa of Calcutta who lived her faith in God which was manifested in her service to the poor. The method used to explore this theme is a literature review. The authors have tried to explore matters related to St. Teresa and her service through reliable sources. Through this writing have findings were obtained about the life and work of St. Teresa's of Calcutta. The exemplary and attitude of St. Teresa's life are figures for catechists for their work and service. Catechists need to live the values ​​of Evangelical spirituality as lived by St. Teresa of Calcutta. This writing can inspire catechists to develop spiritual values ​​that are rooted in a strong faith in God that manifests itself in concrete actions. The implications of writing St. Teresa can be an inspiration and example for catechists to be closer to God, faithful in their duties and service.

Complications and implications of Caesarean delivery: Facts and perceptions

Background/objectivesCaesarean delivery (CD), though considered a life-saving surgical procedure, poses a public health problem and puts mothers and babies at higher risk of post-delivery complications. The present study aims to explore the post-delivery maternal complications among CD and normal vaginal delivery (NVD) mothers in India. MethodsThe present study is a PAN-India study conducted across various Indian states, considering a significant increase in CD rates. Data was collected from face-to-face interviews of 1407 recently delivered mothers during January–March 2023. ResultsThe findings indicate that 22 % of CD mothers reported post-delivery complications compared to 15 % of NVD mothers. Notable complications among CD mothers include body/abdominal pain (12.9 %), infection/pain in the suture area (6.2 %), and high blood pressure (1.1 %). Conversely, higher proportion of NVD mothers reported pelvic pain (3.3 %). Further, a greater proportion of NVD (22 %) and CD (28 %) mothers reported pain in the pelvic area and infection/pain in the suture area, respectively. Socio-economic and demographic factors such as age, education, and residence significantly influenced the incidence of self-reported maternal complications. Mothers aged 25 and above, with at least ten years of education, and those residing in urban areas reported higher complications. Additionally, CD mothers also experienced longer hospital stays, higher costs, and delays in breastfeeding initiation. ConclusionThe study underscores the necessity for targeted healthcare interventions to mitigate the specific risks associated with CDs and improve maternal outcomes through appropriate policy formation to address the rising trend of CDs and their implications on maternal health.

Acceptability of Prenatal Screening Tests Among Expectant Mothers in India: Insights and Implications for Public Health

Acceptability of Prenatal Screening Tests Among Expectant Mothers in India: Insights and Implications for Public Health

IJCM_52A: Profile and outcome of gestational diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Background: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a Glucose tolerance disorder first diagnosed during pregnancy. WHO recommend that all pregnant women or at least women with predisposing risk factors should be screened at the beginning of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy with the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Here, blood glucose level is screened 2hrs after giving a 75g oral glucose load. This is recommended for both screening and diagnosis. Not many studies have been done regarding the outcome of GDM mothers in India. Objective: 1. To describe the Obstetric profile of the mothers 2. To assess the outcome of GDM among the Mothers 3. To determine the neonatal outcome of GDM. Methodology: Study setting: The study was carried out at Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Attavar, and District Lady Goschen Hospital, Mangalore. Study design: Hospital based retrospective study. Study population: Pregnant women admitted to above mentioned hospitals with GDM and the new born. Inclusion criteria: All women diagnosed with GDM and have delivered in District Lady Goschen Hospital or KMCH Attavar. Sample size was 266. Results: Our study concluded that 24.8% of the women with GDM also had Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, which is comparable to the study done in Qatar where they found 19.2% of the women with GDM suffered from PIH. We also found that 15.8% of the women suffered from Pre-Eclampsia, over twice the percentage of people surveyed in the Qatari study. However the amount of babies suffering from Macrosomia was only 6.8% as opposed to 10.3% according to the aforementioned study and 19.3% as was found in a study in Poznan, Poland. Conclusion: No significant association was found between obstetric profile and antenatal & postpartum complications.

Work from home effects on working mothers in a patriarchal society during pandemic times: A study from India

The study examines the effects of work-from-home (WFH) on working mothers in India, characterized by a patriarchal mindset, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey involving 560 mothers from various sectors, all utilizing WFH due to pandemic measures, was conducted. A moderated mediated model was analyzed in the quantitative study using structural equation modeling. The results showed the absence of domestic help and family work guilt affected the job satisfaction of working mothers. The results showed that the overall dual-stage moderated mediation index from home demands (HDs) to job satisfaction via family–work conflict was significant. In addition, the first stage (HDs × absence of domestic help family–work conflict) and second stage (family–work conflict × family–work guilt job satisfaction) moderations were significant. This article also outlines the limitations of the current work and presents future scope for research.

Reimagining work but operating with a no off button: experiences of working mothers in India during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study focuses on the work from home experiences of professional, middle and upper middle class married women with children in India during the COVID-19-induced lockdowns. This study aims to examine the experiences of changing nature of work and gendered realities of work–life balance for working mothers while working from home during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with eight working mothers at three different time points during the lockdown in the city of Hyderabad in India.FindingsA thematic analysis revealed changed work practices that required adapting, reinventing and reimagining new ways of working. This was time consuming albeit a satisfying experience for working mothers. At the same time, the blurring between home and work meant working mothers were operating without an off button.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings show that the existing gender inequalities in sharing the domestic burden unravelled fast in the absence of support structures.Originality/valueThe authors give voice to the lived experiences of working mothers of managing both work and home and how they navigated challenges during the lockdown.

Assessment of the role of gut health in childhood stunting in a multisite, longitudinal study in India, Indonesia and Senegal: a UKRI GCRF Action Against Stunting Hub protocol

IntroductionChildhood stunting has a complex aetiology, with poor gut health being an important contributor. This study will assess inter-relationships between maternal and infant gut health indices and infant linear growth....

Being sensitive in their own way: parental ethnotheories of caregiver sensitivity and child emotion regulation across five countries.

Caregiver sensitivity builds a basis for children's sense of security and effective emotion regulation during their development. Applying a cross-cultural lens, caregiver sensitivity can be divided into two subtypes, reactive and proactive, and its prevalence and meaning may differ across cultures. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of developmental niche and parental ethnotheories, the current study examines culture-specific meanings of caregiver sensitivity across five countries: India, Nepal, Korea, the United States of America (USA), and Germany. We examine the prevalence of maternal reactive and proactive sensitivity, children's emotional lability and regulation, and how mothers' sensitivity types are related to children's emotional characteristics. Participants included 472 mothers from the five countries with children aged between 6 and 7 years. Mothers reported their sensitivity preference in multiple vignettes and completed an emotion regulation checklist to report their children's emotional lability and regulation. A set of analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) found cultural differences in mothers' preference for proactive and reactive sensitivity. Mothers in India and Nepal reported the highest preference for proactive sensitivity followed by Korea and the USA, while German mothers reported the lowest preference for proactive sensitivity. Consequent regression analyses revealed varying associations between proactive sensitivity and child emotional characteristics in all five countries either directly or as moderated by child sex. These results evidence that parental ethnotheories are part of the developmental niche embedded in a larger cultural context. Findings on the differential links between the types of sensitivity and child emotion regulation provide cultural models of parental emotion socialization and children's emotional functioning.

Effect of exclusive breastfeeding practices on childhood morbidity among primiparous mothers in India: Analysis from National Family Health Survey-4, India during 2015-16

BackgroundExclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has many benefits for infants and mothers. ObjectivesThe study aimed to understand the prevalence of EBF practices among primiparous mothers and its associated clinical and socio-demographic characteristics among infants 0–6 months of age. Materials and methodsThis analysis was based on the 4th round of NFHS, a cross-sectional survey of India conducted between 2015 and 2016. Simple logistic regression was performed to examine the factors associated with EBF infants. ResultsOf the 5816 infants, the median age (IQR) was 4 months (2-5) with a female/male ratio of 1:1.10 respectively. The median (IQR) age of the mother was 22 (20-25) years. The prevalence of EBF was 60.57% (95% CI, 59.31-61.82). Households using clean fuel (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.97) had lower odds of being EBF than polluting fuel. Infants with richer wealth (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.94) had lower odds of being EBF than infants from poor wealth. Infants with fever (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.75), cough (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.92) and diarrhea (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51-0.71) had lower odds of being EBF, compared with infants without these morbidities. ConclusionEBF practices were very low in India, and the present result shows children born to lower socioeconomic status had a higher chance of being EBF. Further research is needed to understand the relationships between EBF up to six months versus less than six months of birth on various morbidity.

Exploring Indian working mothers' transition to involuntary telecommuting

PurposeDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many working mothers in India adopted involuntary telecommuting work option for the first time. However, no research explored their adjustments and experiences in the new work setting. This paper aims to gain an in-depth understanding of Indian working mothers' lived experience of involuntary telecommuting.Design/methodology/approachA phenomenological research design was adopted. The authors conducted 14 in-depth, semi-structured telephonic and online interviews. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework.FindingsThe data analysis yielded two interconnected superordinate themes in this research: (1) characteristics of involuntary telecommuting and (2) the impact of involuntary telecommuting. Under the first theme, four sub-themes emerged: long working hours, increased family demands, reduced interaction with coworkers and technology-enabled communication with supervisors. The second theme comprised five sub-themes: time-based work interference with family, time-based family interference with work, strain-based family interference with work, absence of emotional and professional support and performance management concerns. Involuntary telecommuting mothers faced challenges due to lack of control over their daily work schedule and demands, along with an increased burden of unpaid household work, leading to difficulties in managing their work schedule and negotiating their professional role identity within the family. These findings emphasize that working mothers who participated in involuntary telecommuting encountered bidirectional time-based conflicts and unidirectional strain-based conflict.Research limitations/implicationsThe study examines a particular subset of women telecommuters who were working mothers with young children. These potential limitations are to be addressed in future research.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that managers should develop HR policies and telecommuting ecosystems in order to enhance effectiveness of telecommuting. Specifically, organizations offering telecommuting work options should create opportunities for informal interaction among peers and formal one-to-one interaction with managers. Moreover, HR managers should develop and implement employee-friendly telecommuting policies.Social implicationsThe research contributes to HRM and gender literature.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the discourses of work-life balance, workplace relationships and work policies within telecommuting literature.

Impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 [Amendment 2017] on job employment of working mothers in India

PurposeThis paper aims to clarify an impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) on job employment of working mothers. It proposes the certain facts that has positive impact on employment of women from the point of view of Government of India, but at the same time it highlights some negative implications that are faced by the employers and working mothers. The objective of this act is to provide a woman with a financial assistance and make her free from engaging in any work so as to protect health of “New Mother” and “New Born child”. Also, the act ensures women to take care of her child without having worry about loss of her job and loss of her employment.Design/methodology/approachThis paper carries efforts of researcher done on the topic of “Impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017)” and measures its impact on employers and job employment of working mothers in India through literature review from various sources like SCOPUS, EMERALD, EBSCO, PROQUEST, SAGE, etc. The paper opted for an exploratory study using the questionnaire approach of grounded theory, including 50 in-depth interviews of working mothers.FindingsOutcome of this describes both positive and negative implications of this amendment on businesses and job employment of working mothers. It throws the limelight on implementation of this act in real life and identification of problems and stress faced by women employee either to get the job or to retain the job during pregnancy period which is very hazardous to the health of women and her inborn child also.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.Practical implicationsThe paper includes implications of the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) on employers whether to hire women employee or not and on women though they are having capability to do work but because of ignorance of government on ensuring proper implementation of act, women are not getting opportunity to work after baby birth.Originality/valueThis paper fulfils an identified need to study and find some measures for effective implantation of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) so as to protect and regulate employment of women workers before and after child birth so as to increase female labour force participation rate.

“I believe there are as many motherhoods as there are mothers”: In conversation with Jerry Pinto

ABSTRACTJerry Pinto has always been a man of words and wit, as reflected in his career as a journalist, writer, and teacher. Em and the Big Hoom, his best-known novel, is described as a “profoundly moving book”, by Amitav Ghosh, who says: “I cannot remember when I last read something as touching.” Pinto’s debut novel depicts family relationships, hardships, and mental illness while reflecting on the practice and discourse of Indian motherhood. This conversation focuses on Pinto’s perspectives on motherhood, identity, and agency in the novel. It investigates how Indian motherhood relates to women’s silenced voices and, in many cases, depressed selves. The discussion elicits Pinto’s perspectives on what it means to be a mother in India, as well as his portrayal of the eponymous character Em’s mental illness. He discusses his inspiration for writing as well as some of the research that went into the creation of this semi-autobiographical work.

Mothering load: Underlying realities of professionally engaged Indian mothers during a global crisis

AbstractThe current global crisis has had a significant impact on professionally engaged mothers and the proliferation of the invisible nature of the work that they are engaged in on a daily basis. Several research studies have indicated how mothers seem to have been particularly affected. Mothers experienced an exacerbation in their domestic household and child‐care responsibilities due to the absence of househelp and other child care arrangements while balancing their professional careers. These challenges crystallized the existing gender inequalities and the gendered nature of parenting. Using a feminist lens, this study explores the experiences of mothering load during COVID‐19 against the backdrop of urban India. A total of two themes and six sub‐themes were identified through the process of thematic analysis—Triad of work included increased care work, increased formal work, and increased worry work and Mothering experiences: Burdens and Biases included the lack of support, parental role overload, and gendered nature of parenting. This study adds to the limited empirical evidence of working mothers in India while straddling the worlds of feminism and mental health activism. Findings indicate the need to explicitly highlight the invisibilized phenomena of unpaid care work, worry work, and the gendered nature of parenting that contribute to the larger experience of mothering load. The findings also point toward acknowledging the importance of maternal mental health and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 to establish and enforce stronger policies around recognizing and appreciating unpaid care and domestic work to promote gender equality and empowering women at all levels. This may be enacted through the encouragement of shared responsibilities within the household and family units as contextually feasible and through the development of appropriate infrastructure, social protection policies, and the delivery of public services.

Factors associated with suboptimal complementary feeding practices among mothers of infants and young children in India.

To examine the current complementary feeding practices among infants and young children aged 6 to 23 months in India, and factors influencing these practices at child, parental, household and community levels. Data on 74,095 last-born children aged 6 to 23 months used in this study were obtained from the 2015 India Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS). Complementary feeding indicators (timely introduction of complementary foods to infants aged 6 to 8 months old, minimum meal frequency, minimum dietary diversity, and minimum acceptable diets) were estimated, and their associated factors were identified using descriptive and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses. The prevalence of the timely introduction of complementary foods to infants aged 6 to 8 months was 45.1%. The proportion of children between ages 6 to 23 months who received the minimum meal frequency, minimum dietary diversity and minimum acceptable diets were 36%, 21% and 9.1%, respectively. Findings from the multivariate analyses revealed that mothers of infants delivered at home, mothers who had no antenatal check-up, mothers who are Hindus, mothers living in rural areas or those from the Western/Northern geographical regions of India were at higher risk of suboptimal complementary feeding practices.

577. Cord Blood Protective Antibodies Seroprevalence against Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Mumps and Rubella at Birth among Healthy Term Indian Neonates

Abstract Background The resurgence of vaccine preventable diseases in young infants is a matter of concern worldwide. Cord blood antibodies seroprevalence against various vaccine preventable diseases could reflect protection rates among adults, which could be important in providing protection in early infancy of newborn baby. Tdap vaccination is not yet part of immunization program for pregnant women in India. Methods Apparently healthy term newborns, delivered at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India, over two-year period were enrolled after taking informed written consent from their parents, and their cord blood sample was collected at birth. Ethical clearance was obtained from Institute Ethics Committee before starting enrollment. Results A total of 160 newborns (M:F=86:74) were enrolled. In our study, antibodies (IgG) against diphtheria toxin (DT) were >0.1 IU/ml in 44.4% (71/160), 0.01 to 0.1 IU/ml in 53.1% (85/160) and < 0.01 IU/ml in 2.5% (4/160). Only 44.4% of them were fully protected at birth against diphtheria. Antibodies (IgG) against pertussis toxin (PT) >40 U/ml were seen in 41.2% (66/160). Out of these 66 children, 23 had titers >100 U/ml. Total of 58.8% (94/160) children had antibodies < 40 U/ml. Out of these 94 children, 48 had titers < 20 U/ml. Since correlates of protection in pertussis are not defined; those having titers >100 U/ml i.e. 14.3% were most protected; while those having titers < 20 U/ml were least protected. Antibodies (IgG) against measles antigen were >12 IU/ml in 88.8% (142/160). Antibodies (IgG) against mumps antigen were >12 IU/ml in 83.1% (133/160). Antibodies (IgG) against rubella antigen were >12 IU/ml in 83.7% (134/160). Conclusion Protective antibodies against diphtheria and pertussis toxins were less in the studied newborns at birth making them susceptible to these diseases in early infancy, before primary vaccination commences. Tdap vaccination for pregnant mothers in India could help in improving these titers and protection in early infancy. Protective antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella in studied newborns at birth were satisfactory. For further enhancing protection, especially against rubella, one dose of MMR vaccine may be advised for women in child bearing age. Acknowledgement: PGI Intramural Research Grant Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Working mothers in India: Multiple role conflict and the psychological distress

In India, women play different roles and are contributing in every domain of society. This paper tries to explore the psychological distress faced by working mothers and conflicts in their multiple roles. With birth of a child, women’s responsibility increases which multiplies if they are working also. Motherhood changes the way in which a women is perceived in society and at her workplace. Significant social and personal adjustments are necessary to cope with such a situation for women. Though, working women enjoy their identity, independence and financial benefits but still it is also true that they play dual role and are over-burdened with different works related to personal and professional areas. The problems become complicated and increase with birth of a child for working women. As a mother and dual demands of work place and family as well as proper rearing of child, they face various adjustment problems and it triggers psychological distress among them. This study tries to explore the level of psychological distress, how they feel and multiple role conflicts they experienced. As well as this study provides some interventions for improving mental health of working mothers.

Differences in Quality of Care of Family Planning Services Received by Age and Contraceptive Continuation Among Young Mothers in India

PurposeYouth face barriers that affect their use of family planning (FP) services, including low quality of care and provider bias. Although young women have the highest unmet need for FP in India, little is known about the effect of age on quality of care received. Additionally, although youth have higher contraceptive discontinuation than older women, the factors associated with continuation, including the effect of quality of care, are not well known. This study aims to assess differences in quality of care received by young mothers aged 15–24 and mothers aged 25–48, and to examine factors associated with modern contraceptive continuation 6 months after initiation among young mothers. MethodsData come from a 12-month longitudinal study of married reversible contraceptive users in India. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine adjusted associations of age and reported receipt of low, medium, or high quality of care. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with modern contraceptive continuation after 6 months. ResultsResults showed that young mothers were less likely to receive high quality of care than older mothers, and that among young mothers, motivation to prevent pregnancy was significantly associated with continued use after 6 months. DiscussionAs India aims to improve quality of care and increase access to services for youth, special attention should be paid to care received by young mothers, as well as options to support them in continuing to use contraceptive methods as long as they desire to prevent pregnancy.

Knowledge, Awareness and Perceptions towards Breastfeeding practices among antenatal and postnatal mothers in India

Breastfeeding the baby is the most important practice that promotes optimal growth and development of the infant. World Health Organization has recommended exclusive Breastfeeding for the first six months. Breastfeeding not only promotes Infant health and wellbeing but also protects the mother from developing illnesses. There is a compelling need to understand the level of awareness, perceptions and attitude towards breastfeeding and also develop programs to ensure that the knowledge is translated to practice in the postnatal phase. This review highlights the level of knowledge, attitude and perceptions towards breastfeeding, factors influencing the breastfeeding practices, Breastfeeding and its relation to Mental health of new mothers and the various initiatives launched by the Government to promote awareness on breastfeeding.

Impaired mother-infant bonding: a community study from India

ABSTRACT Purpose Impaired mother-infant bonding (MIB) is associated with inadequate maternal skills and pose a higher risk for impaired learning, child abuse, and psychiatric disorders in children. There are approximately 24 million births annually in India; however, community data on MIB from India is lacking. Methods The study reports the findings of a cross-sectional survey of 8189 mothers with children of age between 13 and 15 months from the state of Kerala, India. Bonding was assessed using the Mother–infant bonding scale (MIBS). Other correlates assessed include obstetric and birth history, chronic pain, postpartum depression and temperamental issues in the infant. Results The prevalence of impaired MIB in our sample was 12.3%. Those in extended/joint family, experiencing postpartum complications, supplementary breastfeeding in the first 6 months, postpartum depression and temperamental issues in infant were found to be associated with increased MIBS scores in a multivariate mixed-effect zero-inflated poisson model. Conclusion Experience of impaired MIB is not uncommon among mothers in India. More needs to be done to explore these issues, especially among those with higher risk to ensure appropriate interventions to mitigate long-term consequences.