Mothers Of Low Socioeconomic Status Research Articles

Process of developing text messages on healthy eating and physical activity for Chilean mothers with overweight or obese preschool children to be delivered via WhatsApp

AbstractBackground: Chile has a very high prevalence of childhood obesity; 25% among 4–5 y olds. Numerous school-based strategies have been implemented with no lasting improvement. Given that parents are key in obesity prevention and that their participation in programs is low, mobile technology is increasingly being used to test its effectiveness in changing children’s behavior. Objective: to report the process of developing text messages for Chilean mothers of low socioeconomic status with overweight or obese preschool children. Methodology: The process involved 3 stages: (a) initial elaboration of 60 messages on healthy eating and physical activity (b) 3 focus groups which included similar participants as the target population and (c) consensus on the final messages obtained from 56 experts, using the Delphi technique. Results: a list of 40 text messages encouraging healthy eating and promotion of physical activity which underwent a rigorous process are ready to be delivered via WhatsApp to low-income ...

Put down that smartphone and read to me!

Shared reading between a mother and child is known to benefit that toddler's cognition, social and emotional development, and brain growth. But just what happens inside the brain? To answer this, Hutton et al provide a rather novel, cross-sectional study of 22 low-socioeconomic status mothers and their 4-year-old girls, who completed a functional MRI using an established story-listening task, followed by videotaped observation of an uncoached mother-daughter reading session of the same age-appropriate picture book. Shared-reading scores were positively correlated with functional MRI activation of left frontal and temporal lobes plus the anterior insula, parahippocampus, and putamen. In the reading sessions, only 6 of 22 mother-child dyads shared reading spontaneously without an external prompt, while 10 more required a prompt by the research coordinator. Six did not read at all, due to maternal distraction usually by a smartphone. Shared reading quality scores were significantly negatively correlated with maternal distraction by smartphones. Maternal shared reading experience plays an important role in development of emergent literacy skills for young children. This joint task is associated with brain activation of key language structures, which can be followed by functional MRI. One might wonder whether these same critical brain structures are activated in the child who “interacts” alone with a book on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Most certainly, a parent more preoccupied with operating a smartphone than interacting with his child adversely affects intellectual development. Article page 204 ▶ Shared Reading Quality and Brain Activation during Story Listening in Preschool-Age ChildrenThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 191PreviewTo explore the relationship between maternal shared reading quality (verbal interactivity and engagement) and brain function during story listening in at-risk, preschool-age children, in the context of behavioral evidence and American Academy of Pediatrics, recommendations. Full-Text PDF

Shared Reading and Television Across the Perinatal Period in Low-SES Households.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that shared reading commence as soon as possible after birth and screen-based media be discouraged for those less than 18 months old. Early routines can predict long-term use and health outcomes. This longitudinal study involved low-socioeconomic status mothers (n = 282) enrolled in home visiting. Surveys were administered prenatally and at 2 months old regarding shared reading and infant television viewing, and health literacy was screened prenatally. Planned age to initiate reading decreased from 2.8 to 1.8 months old, 80% reading by 2 months old, averaging 1 to 3 days per week, with "too busy" being the major barrier. Planned age for infant TV decreased from 13.2 to 4.3 months old, 68% viewing by 2 months old and more than half daily. TV was observed in 70% of infant sleep environments. Health literacy was correlated with perceived developmental benefits of shared reading (positively) and TV viewing (negatively), 43% of mothers scoring at risk for inadequate levels. A majority cited the prenatal period as opportune to discuss reading and TV.

Are Maternal Factors Predictors for Early Childhood Caries? Results from a Cohort in Southern Brazil.

This study aimed to determine the influence of maternal factors on the early development of dental caries in Brazilian preschoolers. This cross-sectional study was nested in a cohort of adolescent mothers. The current wave was performed when the children were aged 24 to 42 months. The questionnaire-based survey targeted adolescent mothers and included demographic and socioeconomic variables as well as the maternal education level. In addition, clinical examinations were performed on the mothers and their children. Mothers were assessed for decayed, missing and filled teeth in the permanent dentition (DMFT index) and gingival assessment; their children were assessed for decayed, missing and filled teeth in the deciduous dentition (dmft index). Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate the prevalence ratio, risk ratio and 95% confidence intervals. This data was also used to identify the maternal risk factors associated with the outcomes (prevalence and severity of childhood caries). A total 538 mother-child dyads were evaluated; the prevalence of early childhood caries was 15.1% and maternal caries was 74.4%. After the adjustment, the children that exhibited a greater incidence of dental caries were from mothers of low socioeconomic status, or from those presenting decayed teeth and higher rates of gingival bleeding. The results of this study suggest that the oral health of mothers is a potentially important risk factor for the development of early childhood dental caries. Public health planners should consider this information when planning interventions in order to prevent the occurrence of early dental caries.

Perspectives of Low Socioeconomic Status Mothers of Premature Infants.

Transitioning premature infants from the NICU to home is a high-risk period with potential for compromised care. Parental stress is high, and families of low socioeconomic status may face additional challenges. Home visiting programs have been used to help this transition, with mixed success. We sought to understand the experiences of at-risk families during this transition to inform interventions. Mothers of infants born at <35 weeks' gestation, meeting low socioeconomic status criteria, were interviewed by telephone 30 days after discharge to assess caregiver experiences of discharge and perceptions of home visitors (HVs). We generated salient themes by using grounded theory and the constant comparative method. Interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was achieved. Twenty-seven mothers completed interviews. Eighty-five percent were black, and 81% had Medicaid insurance. Concern about infants' health and fragility was the primary theme identified, with mothers reporting substantial stress going from a highly monitored NICU to an unmonitored home. Issues with trust and informational consistency were mentioned frequently and could threaten mothers' willingness to engage with providers. Strong family networks and determination compensated for limited economic resources, although many felt isolated. Mothers appreciated HVs' ability to address infant health but preferred nurses over lay health workers. Low-income mothers experience significant anxiety about the transition from the NICU to home. Families value HVs who are trustworthy and have relevant medical knowledge about prematurity. Interventions to improve transition would benefit by incorporating parental input and facilitating trust and consistency in communication.

Low Birth Weight in Neonates of Iran 2015

Background: Low birth weight has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as weight at birth of less than 2500 grams. Any baby born prematurely is more likely to be small. However there are other factors that can also contribute to the risk of low birth weight, these include: race, mothers’ age, multiple births, mothers’ health and mothers of lower socioeconomic status. The incidence of low birth weight is monitored through both health system surveillance and household surveys. Among regions, South Asia has the highest incidence of low birth weight, with one in four newborns weighing less than 2500 grams. In a study in Iran the prevalence of LBW was estimated 7 percent (SD 95%), prevalence of LBW is different according to the geographical region. Methods: Demographic data got from mothers and children height and weight measured by trained staffs in and out of hospital and health facilities. Results: Total number of births in Iran in 2015 is 1,509,081 that from this 777,351 are male, 731,014 are female and 716 ambiguous. The percentage of LBW in male, female and ambiguous is 6.5, 7.7 and 53.9 respectively. The highest percent of LBW in female was related to Sistan Blochestan province with 12.6 and the lowest percent to Lorestan province with 5.6 percent. Discussion: According to the guidelines published by World Health Organization (WHO), any neonate with a birth weight less than 2500 grams is considered to be LBW. LBW and PTM are leading causes of adverse perinatal outcomes and are closely related to neonatal diseases and deaths. In the world, there are more than 20 million LBW infants born each year that 95.6% are born in developing countries. In the present study, the number of LBW neonate in male, female and ambiguous was 50,569, 55,972 and 386; the percentage of LBW in male, female and ambiguous was 6.5, 7.7 and 53.9 respectively. Regarding the prognosis of LBW, with development of perinatology, the survival rate of LBW infants has substantially increased. However, some adverse outcomes are still relatively common, especially long-term complications such as cerebral palsy, delayed neurodevelopment and visual and hearing impairments. Conclusions: The incidence of LBW in Iran is higher in deprived provinces such as Sistan Blochestan in southeast of Iran.

Attachment Representations and Maternal Sensitivity in Low Socioeconomic Status Mothers

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;According to attachment theory, mental representations are defined as dynamic cognitive guides that organize both perceptual and behavioral aspects of the self, attachment figure, and relationships with others. Based on this assumption, several studies had reported a relationship between attachment representations and the quality of care provided by mothers to their infants. This study explored on the relationship between maternal attachment representations, assessed by a narrative script task, and the quality of maternal care observed at home. Participants were 32 mothers between 19 and 44 years of age (M&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;=&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;29.6, SD&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;=&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;6.28) and their children between 8 and 10 months (M&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;=&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;8.91, SD&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;=&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;0.96). The results did not show a significant relationship between global scores of participants’ observed care (i.e.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; maternal sensitivity) and their attachment representations. However, a specific association was found between two dimensions of sensitivity (acceptance and active/animated interactions) and the narrative script that refers to a child&lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;’&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;s physical injury event. Additionally, mothers who reported early separation experiences with their children showed a significant association between sensitivity and attachment representations on mother-child scripts. Moreover, these mothers showed lower scores on global sensitivity and on specific behavioral care dimensions, such as sensitive response and acceptance to child’s signals, than those of mothers that did not report separations early in their children’ lives.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Why Fever Phobia Is Still Common?

BackgroundFever is a reliable sign of illness, but it also evokes fear and anxiety. It is not the fever itself but the fear of possible complications and accompanying symptoms that is important for pediatricians and parents.ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate maternal understanding of fever, its potential consequences, and impacts on the treatment of children.Patients and MethodsA questionnaire was use to explore the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of mothers of 861 children brought to four medical centers in different regions of Turkey in 2012, with fever being the chief complaint. All the children were aged 3 months - 15 years.ResultsAmong the 861 mothers, 92.2% favored antipyretics for fever, either alone or in addition to external cooling measures. Most favored paracetamol or ibuprofen. In this study, the appropriate use of antipyretics was 75.2%, which was higher than that reported in the literature. In common with previous reports, seizures and brain damage were perceived as the most frightening and harmful effects of fever. All the mothers expressed concerns about fever, but they were most common among the highly educated or those with one child.ConclusionsFever phobia remains common, not only among low socioeconomic status mothers but also among those of high socioeconomic status. Healthcare providers should take fever phobia into account and provide correct information to caregivers about fever at all visits.

Prenatal screening for psychosocial risks in a high risk-population in Peru using the KINDEX interview

BackgroundPrenatal stress and other prenatal risk factors (e.g. intimate partner violence) have a negative impact on mother’s health, fetal development as well as enduring adverse effects on the neuro-cognitive, behavioral and physical health of the child. Mothers of low socio-economic status and especially those living in crime-ridden areas are even more exposed to a host of risk factors. Societies of extreme violence, poverty and inequalities, often present difficulties to provide adequate mental health care to the most needed populations. The KINDEX, a brief standardized instrument that assesses 11 different risk factors was used by midwives to identify pregnant women at-risk, in a suburban area with one of the highest levels of domestic violence in Lima. The instrument was designed to be used by medical staff to identify high-risk child-bearing women and, based on the results, to refer them to the adequate psychological or social support providers. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of psychosocial screening using the KINDEX in a Latin American Country for the first time, and to explore the relationship of the KINDEX with thee major risk areas, maternal psychopathology, perceived stress and traumatic experiences.MethodsThe study was conducted in cooperation with the gynecological department of a general hospital in a suburban area of Lima. Nine midwives conducted interviews using the KINDEX of ninety-five pregnant women attending the gynecological unit of the hospital. From these, forty pregnant women were re-interviewed by a clinical psychologist using established instruments in order to assess the feasibility of the prenatal assessment in public health settings and the relationship of the KINDEX with maternal perceived stress, psychopathology symptoms and trauma load during pregnancy.ResultsWe found high rates of risk factors in the examined pregnant women comparable with those found in the general population. Significant correlations were found between the KINDEX sum score and the three risks areas, stress, psychopathology and trauma load as assessed in the Clinical Expert interviews. The different risks assessed by the KINDEX are related to higher levels of stress, psychopathology and trauma load, depending on the risk.ConclusionsThe relationship between past adverse experience and current stressors with perceived maternal stress, psychopathology symptoms and traumatic experiences confirm the importance of prenatal assessment for psychosocial risks. The use of KINDEX by midwives providing obstetrical care to pregnant women in urban Peru is feasible and can be used to identify high-risk women and refer them to the adequate mental health or social services for necessary attention and support. Early interventions are essential to mitigating the adverse effects of maternal stress, trauma and psychopathology on the fetus and child.

Maternal and neonatal epidemiological features in clinical subtypes of preterm birth

Objective: This study was designed to characterize and compare the maternal and newborn epidemiological characteristics through analysis of environmental factors, sociodemographic characteristics and clinical characteristics between the different clinical subtypes of preterm birth (PTB): Idiopathic (PTB-I), premature rupture of the membranes (PTB-PPROM) and medically indicated (PTB-M). The two subtypes PTB-I and PTB-PPROM grouped are called spontaneous preterm births (PTB-S).Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted in 1.291 preterm nonmalformed singleton live-born children to nulliparous and multiparous mother’s in Tucumán-Argentina between 2005 and 2010. Over 50 maternal variables and 10 newborn variables were compared between the different clinical subtypes. The comparisons were done to identify heterogeneity between subtypes of preterm birth: (PTB-S) versus (PTB-M), and within spontaneous subtype: (PTB-I) versus (PTB-PPROM). In the same way, two conditional logistic multivariate regressions were used to compare the odds ratio (OR) between PTB-S and PTB-M, as well as PTB-I and PTB-PPROM. We matched for maternal age when comparing maternal variables and gestational age when comparing infant variables.Results: The PTB-I subtype was characterized by younger mothers of lower socio-economic status, PTB-PPROM was characterized by environmental factors resulting from inflammatory processes, and PTB-M was characterized by increased maternal or fetal risk pregnancies.Conclusions: The main risk factor for PTB-I and PTB-M was having had a prior preterm delivery; however, previous spontaneous abortion was not a risk factor, suggesting a reproductive selection mechanism.

Determinants of trends in breast-feeding indicators in Nigeria, 1999-2013.

The present study aimed to examine the trends and differentials in key breast-feeding indicators in Nigeria for the period 1999-2013. Longitudinal study of trends (1999-2013) in optimal feeding practices using a series of population-based Nigerian Demographic and Health Surveys. Trends in socio-economic, health service and individual characteristics associated with key breast-feeding indicators were examined using multilevel regression analyses. Nigeria. Children (n 88 152) aged under 24 months (n 8199 in 1999; n 7620 in 2003; n 33 385 in 2008; n 38 948 in 2013). Among educated mothers, there was an increase in prevalence of exclusive breast-feeding (26% in 1999 to 30% in 2013) and predominant breast-feeding (27% in 1999 to 39% in 2013) compared with mothers with no schooling. A similar increasing trend was evident for mothers from wealthier households and mothers who had a higher frequency of health service access compared with mothers from poorer households and women who reported no health service access, respectively. Mothers with no schooling predominantly breast-fed, but the odds for bottle-feeding were higher among educated mothers and women from wealthier households. The odds for early initiation of breast-feeding were lower for mothers who reported no health service contacts and mothers of lower socio-economic status. Significant increasing trends in key breast-feeding indicators were evident among mothers with higher socio-economic status and mothers who had more health service access in Nigeria. Broader national and sub-national policies that underpin nursing mothers in work environments and a comprehensive community-based approach are proposed to improve feeding practices in Nigeria.

Risk factors for postneonatal, infant, child and under-5 mortality in Nigeria: a pooled cross-sectional analysis

ObjectivesTo identify common factors associated with post-neonatal, infant, child and under-5 mortality in Nigeria.Design, setting and participantsA cross-sectional data of three Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) for the years...

Depression and related factors in mothers of school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

The mothers of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder tend to experience depression at higher levels because of the poor social interaction and deviant behaviors of their children. These depressed mothers often harm themselves and negatively impact their family and community. This study examines maternal depression and its related factors in the mothers of school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. A cross-sectional study with a purposive sampling of 100 mothers of school-age children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was developed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), social support scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Pearson product moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze data. The findings showed that almost half of the mothers with school-aged ADHD children suffered higher pa-renting stress and that 34% required professional psychiatry referral. In addition, 40% of the participants suffered from depression. Higher levels of parenting stress were associated with a higher incidence of depression (r = .647, p < .001). Participants with better social support had lower depression levels (r = -.327, p < .01). 'Parenting stress' and having a monthly total household income of ≤ NT$40,000 were significant predictors of maternal depression. 'Maternal stress' was the most significant predictor, with a total explained variance of 41.9% (R(2) change = 41.9%). The results of this study are intended to help medical staff better care for the mothers of school-aged children with ADHD. These results will assist in the evaluation of maternal depression, parenting stress, and levels of required social support. It will especially help in the evaluation of maternal depression symptoms of those mothers of low socioeconomic status with high parenting stress. Providing these mothers with parental training, education on effective parenting and discipline strategies, and better social support may effectively reduce maternal depression, which will help minimize the negative impacts of this depression on the family and the community.

Determinants of stunting and severe stunting among under-fives: evidence from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey.

BackgroundStunting remains a major public health concern in Nepal as it increases the risk of illness, irreversible body damage and mortality in children. Public health planners can reshape and redesign new interventions to reduce stunting and severe stunting among children aged less than 5 years in this country by examining their determinants. Hence, this study identifies factors associated with stunting and severe stunting among children aged less than five years in Nepal.MethodsThe sample is made up of 2380 children aged 0 to 59 months with complete anthropometric measurements from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine stunting and severe stunting against a set of variables.ResultsThe prevalences of stunting and severe stunting were 26.3% [95% confidence Interval (CI): 22.8, 30.1] and 10.2% (95%CI: 7.9, 13.1) for children aged 0–23 months, respectively, and 40.6 (95%CI: 37.3, 43.2) and 15.9% (95%CI: 13.9, 18.3) for those aged 0–59 months, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, multivariable analyses showed that the most consistent significant risk factors for stunted and severely stunted children aged 0–23 and 0–59 months were household wealth index (poorest household), perceived size of baby (small babies) and breastfeeding for more than 12 months (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for stunted children aged 0–23 months = 2.60 [95% CI: (1.87, 4.02)]; AOR for severely stunted children aged 0–23 months = 2.87 [95% CI: (1.54, 5.34)]; AOR for stunted children aged 0–59 months = 3.54 [95% CI: (2.41, 5.19)] and AOR for severely stunted children aged 0–59 months = 4.15 [95% CI: (2.45, 6.93)].ConclusionsThis study suggests that poorest households and prolonged breastfeeding (more than 12 months) led to increased risk of stunting and severe stunting among Nepalese children. However, community-based education intervention are needed to reduce preventable deaths triggered by malnutrition in Nepal and should target children born to mothers of low socioeconomic status.

Breastfeeding in African Americans may not depend on sleep arrangement: a mixed-methods study.

Despite high bedsharing rates, breastfeeding rates are low among African Americans. Describe the association between breastfeeding and bedsharing; elucidate barriers to breastfeeding in African Americans. African American mothers with infants <6 months were recruited for this cross-sectional, mixed-methods study and completed an infant care practices survey. A subgroup participated in focus groups or individual interviews. A total of 412 completed the survey; 83 participated in a focus group or interview. Lower socioeconomic status mothers were more likely to breastfeed exclusively or at all if they bedshared (P = .02 and P = .01, respectively). Bedsharing was not associated with breastfeeding among higher socioeconomic status mothers. Breast pain, lack of support, and maternal skepticism about breastfeeding benefits were barriers; the latter was a recurrent theme among nonbreastfeeding mothers. While bedsharing is associated with breastfeeding in lower socioeconomic groups, it is not in higher socioeconomic African American groups. Skepticism about breastfeeding benefits may contribute to low breastfeeding rates in African Americans.

Incidence and risk factors of burn injuries among infants, Finland 1990–2010

BackgroundOur aim was to study the incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and risk factors of burn injuries in infants younger than 1year. MethodsData on burn-injured infants during 1990–2011 in Finland came from the National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR). Information on birth and maternal-related factors came from the Finnish Medical Birth Register, and data on fatal injuries from the Cause of Death Register of Finland. ResultsThis study included 1842 children, female to male 1:1.5. The annual overall incidence of inhospital and outpatient admissions increased during the study period (p<0.05). Major risk factors were male gender, parity, and the mother's socioeconomic status and young age. The most common causes were scalds and contact burns. Severity of the injury increased along with increasing age, and children aged 9–12months had the highest prevalence of surgical treatment. ConclusionsBurn injury incidence in children under 1year has increased during recent decades in Finland. First-born 9- to 12-month-old boys of young mothers of low socioeconomic status are at higher risk of burn injuries. Preventative work needs strengthening to reduce infant burn injuries.

Étude pilote : influence de la prise en charge de mères obèses sur leurs attitudes éducatives vis-à-vis des comportements obésogènes des enfants

Obese mothers of low socioeconomic status have children with a significantly higher risk of developing obesity. Certain up-bringing practices seem to increase this risk. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of patient education in obese women on their up-bringing behavior. Forty-six overweight or obese women, mothers of at least one child under 12, taking part in a social center patient education program betweenOctober 2011 and February 2013 were included. Asemi-structured interviewwas conductedwith 5women to assess their practices and behaviors. At the end of the patient education program, the mothers forced their children less often to finish their plates and asked them more often if they were hungry before giving them a snack. Families often played board games. The interviews confirmed a substantial change in the up-bringing practices concerning attitude towards food and exercising. This study suggests that in social-economically disadvantaged areas, early management of obese mothers promotes behavioral change at the household level, and could be a lever in the prevention of childhood obesity.

The Relationship Among Depression, Parenting Stress, and Partner Support in Low-Income Women From Montevideo, Uruguay

We investigated the prevalence and predictors of depression in low-income mothers (n = 99) of young children from Uruguay. We administered the Beck Depression Scale (BDI) and the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and asked who is responsible for the main tasks of parenting and household care. We found a high prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression (BDI >19 points, 31.3%), with women with t scores > 90 on the PSI being seven times more likely to experience moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms than women with lower PSI scores (p <.01). This is the first investigation of the predictors of depression in urban Uruguayan mothers of low socioeconomic status.

Evaluation of anaemia in booked antenatal mothers during the last trimester.

Anaemia occurring during pregnancy is an important public health problem in developing countries. In India, anaemia is one of the most common causes of maternal death, accounting for 20% of total maternal deaths. This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating anaemia among booked antenatal mothers during the last trimester, its possible impact on pregnancy and its outcome in antenatal mothers, visiting antenatal clinic in a teaching tertiary care hospital at Pondicherry, India. This hospital based, descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Clinical Pathology and Pharmacology at Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Hospital in Pondicherry, India. Socio-economic and gestational status data was collected with the help of structured questionnaire from booked antenatal mothers in third trimester. Venous blood was collected for the estimation of Haemoglobin by using Sahli's Haemoglobinometer and morphological typing of anaemia was estimated by using Leishmann Stain peripheral blood smears. The women were followed-up till delivery and their antenatal, neonatal and other birth outcomes were recorded. Seventy five booked antenatal women, aged 19 - 40 years, with gestational ages of 27- 40 weeks, were recruited for the study. We observed that among 75 antenatal mothers, the Haemoglobin level was less than 10grams% in 83% cases and that it was more than 10 grams% in 17% cases. Iron deficiency anaemia and dimorphic anaemia were recorded in 37% and 19% of the women respectively. High percentage of anaemia was noted in women of higher age group (23-27 years), in those with multi-parity (55%) and low educational levels (100%) and in mothers of low socio-economic status (100%). In the pregnancy outcomes, 85% and 60% anaemic mothers reported maternal and foetal complications respectively. In spite of regular antenatal visits in third trimester, maternal anaemia is still high and it is often associated with low education status, socio-economic status and multi-parity, based on our study. There is a need of health education programmes with respect to haematinics compliance and adequate intake of iron rich diet during pregnancy, to be strengthened for safe maternal and foetal outcomes.

Relações entre o temperamento infantil aos oito meses e as práticas educativas maternas aos 18 meses de vida da criança

Este estudo investigou as relações entre características do temperamento infantil, avaliadas aos oito meses de vida do bebê, e as práticas educativas maternas, avaliadas aos 18 meses da criança. Participaram 28 díades mãe-criança, com bebês saudáveis do sexo masculino e de nível socioeconômico baixo, residentes em Salvador. Foram aplicados o Questionário de Temperamento Infantil Revisado e a Entrevista Estruturada sobre Práticas Educativas Maternas. A análise de conteúdo permitiu a classificação das práticas educativas maternas em práticas facilitadoras e não facilitadoras do desenvolvimento social. Embora tenham sido encontradas correlações moderadas entre as dimensões limiar de resposta e aproximação-retraimento e o escore total de temperamento e as práticas educativas maternas, a análise de regressão não confirmou nenhuma dessas relações. Discute-se a relevância de variáveis moderadoras e mediadoras e, ainda, particularidades do instrumento utilizado para a avaliação do temperamento.