Urban Mothers Research Articles

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and practices in a tertiary hospital of Central India

Background: Breastfeeding is a behavioural act of the mother, one that is affected by demographic, socioeconomic, and faith factors as well as by cultural traditions and beliefs. However, there is little scientific literature on potential gaps between knowledge and standard practices regarding exclusive breastfeeding and its predictors among mothers in central India. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted to explore the knowledge, perceptions, practices, and the associated factors of exclusive breastfeeding among urban and rural mothers at a tertiary hospital of central India. Results: A total of 500 post-natal mothers at the study hospital were interviewed to assess their knowledge and practices of exclusive breastfeeding. The study revealed that knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding was 47% while breastfeeding practices for up to six months of babies was reported by only 15% of participants. Breastfeeding within one hour of birth was reported by 31% of mothers. About 62% did not feed colostrum, while 57% fed their baby pre-lacteal feed. Mothers belonging to a rural community, living in joint family, literate, employed, better-off economic status, multigravida, having a previous history of vaginal delivery, and male child, and those counselled regarding breastfeeding during ANC visits had higher knowledge and better practices of exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: The findings of the study suggest an urgent need for regular counselling in ANC clinics to promote exclusive breastfeeding among women and their family caregivers. Breastfeeding awareness education programs for all pregnant women are recommended to ensure that mothers learn best practices regarding breastfeeding and its benefits.

Examining the Effects of the Pandemic on Entrepreneurial Activities among Urban Single Mothers: An Exploratory Study

This study was conducted in Malaysia to examine the effectiveness of the microfinance programme for urban single mother entrepreneurs in MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO). Implemented as a response to the pandemic, the MCO significantly disrupted businesses, particularly MSMEs. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between empowerment factors (economic, social, digital, and psychological) and governance aspects concerning the effectiveness of microfinance programmes. Using a positivist paradigm and employing quantitative methods through online questionnaire distribution, this research established a framework based on empowerment theory. The findings underscore the importance of economic empowerment, digital empowerment, and governance aspects for microfinance programme success, and provide empirical backing for suitable mitigation strategies for MSME entrepreneurs. The study emphasises the importance of supporting single mother entrepreneurs through various developmental activities, technical and vocational training, and comprehensive financial and non-financial aid initiatives. It stresses the critical role of women, particularly single mothers, in propelling societal and economic advancement, and advocating for their empowerment through targeted interventions. Overall, the findings enhance understanding of the challenges MSMEs face during crises, and offer insights for policymakers and microfinance agencies to strengthen support for single mother entrepreneurs in navigating future challenges and fostering economic resilience and development.

Rural Versus Urban Mothers' Microbiome Difference and Its Effect on Neonates: A Systematic Review.

Thegrowthanddevelopmentofmicroorganismsarestimulatedbyexternalstimuli. Urbanization has changed the macroenvironment and individual microenvironmental factors such as smoking, alcohol, and diet, which can alter the microbiota and influence disease in the mother and child. However, the microbiome difference between rural and urban mothers and its effect on neonates have received little attention, as per sources; we have not found any systematic review. This review determined the microbiome difference between rural and urban mothers and its effect on neonates.Fivestudies selected based oninclusion/exclusion criteria were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases, and evidence-based comparisons were made to establish the microbiome difference in rural and urban mothers and its effect on neonates. The study findings indicate that microbiome development in newborns is hindered by urbanization. Infantsborn to urban mothers have reduced microbial diversity, thereby having decreased protective immunity.

Shameful or shameless? Anxieties about mothers and women's autonomy on the Central African Copperbelt, 1956–1964

AbstractThis article deals with anxiety about and the shaming of modern urban mothers and wives on the mines of the late colonial Central African Copperbelt. Women's various labours and public presence lead to ambivalent depictions, such as the ‘careless mother’, that were part of a broader array of anxieties about women's autonomy on the mines. However, urban women rejected such labelling and resisted the isolation of modern motherhood. Instead, they created networks of mutual support and solidarity, they publicly shamed their failing breadwinners, supported one another financially, emotionally and through expressing solidarity in the press, thus seeking economic independence where possible.

The influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on rural-urban disparities in infant mortality in Kakamega Central Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya

Background: Infant mortality, measured as the summation of neonatal and post-neonatal mortalities, remain unacceptably high in Kakamega Central Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya. Reducing infant mortality is paramount not only in assessing the progress made towards the third sustainable development goal but also in creating a conducive environment for fertility reduction and in giving a chance to new-born babies to live out their social and economic potential in their families and societies at large. Objective: This study sought to establish the influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on rural – urban disparities in infant mortality in Kakamega Central Sub - County, Kakamega County, Kenya. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used. Systematic random sampling was employed to obtain a sample of 422 mothers within the reproductive age range of 15 to 49 years. Purposive sampling was used to arrive at key informants that were engaged in the study. Primary data were collected from December 2022 to January 2023 by administering pretested and validated questionnaires and interviewing key informants. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer software to estimate the prevalence of infant mortality and the odds ratio used as a measure of association at ρ<0.05. Results: Results of multivariate analysis indicated that there were higher likelihoods of rural neonatal (aOR = 1.913) and urban post-neonatal (aOR = 3.823) mortalities amongst mothers with no education qualifications. There were reduced likelihoods of rural post-neonatal (aOR = 0.105) and urban neonatal (aOR = 0.108) mortalities amongst mothers working in the professional, technical, managerial and clerical sectors. Both young (aOR = 1.579 for neonatal mortality) and old (aOR = 2.742 for infant mortality) ages at motherhood, and first births (aOR = 3.492 for infant mortality) and births of high orders (1.881 for neonatal mortality) were associated with increased likelihoods of mortalities in urban and rural areas, respectively. Urban mothers who observed a ≤ 24 months wait period prior to an index birth were more likely to report both post-neonatal (aOR = 3.294) and infant (aOR = 3.616) mortalities. Conclusions: The major contributors to the rural - urban disparities in infant mortality in Kakamega Central Sub-County were order of the index birth, which was significant only in rural areas, and wait period prior to the index birth, which was significant only in urban areas, after controlling for the confounding variables. It is important to advocate for childbearing during the middle reproductive ages and widen the wait period between successive births so as to improve the maturity of the mother and reduce parity, both of which correlate with low infant mortality. Future studies should be done on the relationship between marital status of the mother and infant mortality.

Comparative study to Evaluate the Utilisation of Antenatal Services among Post-natal Mothers Admitted in Selected rural and urban Hospitals of Kashmir

This study aimed to assess the utilisation of antenatal service among post-natal mothers, promoting maternal and child health, with the goal of achieving 100 percent antenatal service coverage. It employed a comparative descriptive research approach to evaluate antenatal service utilisation among post-natal mothers in both rural and urban hospitals in Kashmir. The non-probability purposive sampling technique covered 100 post-natal mothers, equally divided between rural and urban areas. A panel of experts created and validated a self-structured knowledge questionnaire to collect data. Pre-testing ensured clarity and feasibility. Data was gathered through interview technique and record analysis, followed by analysis using descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant disparities were found in antenatal service utilisation between rural and urban post-natal mothers in most areas of antenatal services. Utilisation of antenatal services in urban hospitals was better as in rural hospitals. More urban mothers as compared to rural mothers complained about compared to getting antenatal services. The major problems faced were non-cooperative family, strikes, long waiting time, lack of knowledge, improper communication with health personnel and long distance.

A Cross-sectional study design of risk factors related to antenatal care service use among pregnant women in Sinana district, Bale zone, Ethiopia.

Maternal health refers to the well-being of women through pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Antenatal care refers to the care that is given to a pregnant woman from the time that conception is confirmed until the beginning of labour. Ethiopia was known in concert of the world's nation with primary maternal mortality proportions. The major goal of this study was to survey risk factors related with antenatal care service use among pregnant ladies at regenerative age. Data were obtained from primary sources. To dissect the information, descriptive and Bayesian multilevel binary logistic regression of random coefficient model was utilized. The convergence of parameters was assessed by Monte carol Markova Chain utilizing Stata 16 and MLwiN 2.31 programming. The descriptive result showed that out of the whole 636 pregnant women considered around 60.5%were obtained antenatal care benefits. The odds ratio of pregnant women living in the rural areas being receiving antenatal care services was 0.206(OR = 0.206, P ≤ 0.05). This indicates that the use of prenatal care by rural mothers has decreased by 79.4% compared to urban mothers. Similarly, the Odds ratio for Pregnant women with medium and rich wealth index are 1.571(OR = 1.571, P ≤ 0.05) and 1.90(OR = 1.90, P ≤ 0.05) respectively. This means that pregnant women who are with medium and rich wealth index level had 57.1% and 90% increased odds compared to those pregnant women with poor wealth index consecutively. Varieties between the kebeles in terms of antenatal care benefit utilize were lessening by 0.9 % in random coefficient model. Generally, the study showed that there was high variation among pregnant women not to utilize antenatal care benefits and the likelihoods of prenatal use were found to increase with the husband occupation, wealth index, age category 25-34, and husband education level.

Delays in seeking treatment for fever in children under five years of age in Nigeria: Evidence from the National Demographic Health Survey.

In countries with high child mortality rates, such as Nigeria, early intervention for common childhood illnesses (e.g., pneumonia and malaria) is essential for improving clinical outcomes. The timely reporting and treatment of fever is therefore critical in making a differential diagnosis and choosing an appropriate course of treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and major risk factors associated with delays in seeking treatment for fever in children under five years of age in Nigeria. This study used a total weighted sample of 7,466 children under five years of age from the 2018 National Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey. Multivariable binary logistic regression modelling was used to investigate the association between predisposing, enabling, need, health service and community level factors, and delay in treatment-seeking for fever. We report the delays in seeking treatment for childhood fever that was reported by mothers in the last two weeks prior to the national survey. The prevalence for delayed treatment was 62.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.1%, 64.1%). Our findings showed that there were fewer delays in seeking treatment in children aged 24-59 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.93), among mothers who were formally employed (aOR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.96), regularly attended antenatal services (aOR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.66, 0.88), and for those who resided in wealthier households (aOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.56, 0.89). Children whose mothers resided in the North-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria were less likely to delay seeking treatment for fever (aOR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.73). However, mothers who had an unwanted pregnancy had a higher odds of delaying treatment for childhood fever (aOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.39). There were significant delays in seeking treatment for childhood fever in poorer homes found in geopolitically unstable zones of Nigeria. Mothers who were poor, unemployed, and with younger children (<12 months) often delayed seeking treatment for their febrile child. Future health promotion strategies and microenterprise schemes should target both rural and urban mothers residing in poor households. Children under 12 months of age should be a priority.

Patterns and practices of child labour among mothers in rural and urban areas in Lagos, Nigeria- A comparative study

Background: Child labour is a social phenomenon of global concern with serious consequences for child development, education and well-being. This study compared the pattern, attitude and child labour practices in urban and rural areas of Lagos State.Methods: This was a descriptive comparative cross-sectional study among mothers of children ages 5 to 17 years. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit 400 participants. The data was collected using a pre-tested, standardized questionnaire on child labour for household surveys. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences IBM (SPSS) version 20 software and the level of statistical significance was set at p&lt;0.05.Results: Urban mothers were older (43.8± 1.8 years) compared to rural mothers (41.9± 12.7 years), and a higher percentage of urban mothers (52.5%) had secondary education in contrast to rural mothers (25.5%). Child labour was more prevalent among children aged 5 to 10 years in rural areas (55.5%) compared to urban areas (44.5%). Within the past year, 33.8% of urban children and 66.2% of rural children were involved in labour and hawking was the most prevalent work in 31.0% and 69.0% of urban and rural children. The majority of rural child labourers (68.4%) and 31.6% of urban child labourers worked 8 to 10 hours daily, with a statistically significant difference (p &lt;0.001), primarily due to family support.Conclusion: There is a need for increased and continuous awareness campaigns aimed at educating communities, parents, and children about the detrimental effects of child labour on their overall well-being.

Prospective Cohort Study of Emergency Department Visit Frequency and Diagnoses Before and During COVID-19 Pandemic in Urban, Low-Income, US- and Foreign-Born Mothers in Boston, MA.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic fundamentally changed how populations interface with the healthcare system. Despite historical spikes in US mortality during the pandemic, emergency department (ED) visits were paradoxically low. This is a concerning phenomenon that raises a red flag regarding access to care, especially among vulnerable populations. In this study we sought to understand how ED utilization evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic among traditionally understudied, low-income, racially diverse US- and foreign-born mothers. This is a secondary analysis of a pre-existing dataset of 3,073 participants enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort at birth and followed prospectively. We obtained ED visit diagnoses from 2019 and 2020 via electronic health records, categorized according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, and compared them using graph plots, chi-square, and negative binomial regression. The number of ED visits decreased by 29.1% (P < 0.001) from 2019 (1,376) to 2020 (976). However, visits for infectious and parasitic diseases, including COVID-19, increased by 90.6% (32:61) with COVID-19 accounting for 77% of those visits in 2020 (47/61). Mental health-related visits increased by 40.9% (44:62), with diagnoses of alcohol use disorder increasing by 183% (6:17). Regression analysis showed 50% less ED utilization among foreign- vs US-born participants; however, the increase in infectious diseases visits was greater among foreign-born compared to US-born mothers (185% vs 26%, P = 0.01), while the increase in mental health diagnoses was greater among US-born mothers (69% vs -33%, P = 0.10). Despite a decrease in total ED visits during the pandemic, there was an increase in COVID-19- (immigrant > US born) and mental health- (US-born only) related visits. Our findings demonstrate that EDs remain a critical access point for care for minority populations and have implications for preparedness, resources, and services of EDs in urban settings to better address the needs of communities. However, alternative avenues for healthcare services for these populations, particularly during health crises, warrant further investigation.

Breastfeeding Prevalence and Factors Affecting Breastfeeding Duration Among Urban Multi-ethnic Malaysian Mothers: A Single-Center University Hospital Study.

Breastfeeding rates in urban Malaysian mothers are below World Health Organization (WHO) targets. Our prospective survey identified breastfeeding prevalences at 3, 6, and 12 months of 85.5%, 77%, and 60%, respectively. Combined (direct and expressed) breastfeeding significantly sustained longer-term breastfeeding. Efforts should be focused on mothers of Indian ethnicity and on expression after one month postpartum.

Breastfeeding Disparities Among Rural Breastfeeding Dyads in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Study.

Background/Objective: Low breastfeeding initiation and duration of exclusivity put rural mothers and infants at risk for morbidity and mortality and significant economic costs. This scoping study aimed to identify determinants of breastfeeding disparities among rural dyads in high-income countries and their modifiable factors. Methods: The Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework was used. A literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL Complete, Embase, and APA PsycInfo databases to identify studies related to rural breastfeeding that met criteria published between 2012 and 2022. Results: Twenty-five studies were included. Rural mothers from high-income countries are more likely to be younger, be unmarried, have lower educational attainment, have lower socioeconomic status, smoke, and have a higher prepregnancy body mass index than their urban counterparts. Rural mothers across White, Black, and Hispanic racial and ethnic groups have significantly lower breastfeeding rates compared to urban mothers. Maternal physiological preparedness, breastfeeding problems, lifestyle choices, support from family, evidence-based practice, workplace support, and policy development and implementation for breastfeeding promotion were identified as modifiable factors. Interventions using technology are an emerging field to overcome rurality. Conclusions: Although breastfeeding disparities are prevalent in rural dyads, the basic challenges mothers face when breastfeeding are universal, despite geographical locations in high-income countries. More specific support needs to be provided for breastfeeding dyads to continue breastfeeding. Resource allocation needs to be improved to increase access to care. Patient-centered technology interventions may decrease breastfeeding barriers in rural areas.

The interplay of gender, motherhood, and the digital economy in China: exploring the experiences of urban mothers in WeChat businesses

In recent years, there has been tremendous growth in the e-commerce industry in China. This study focuses on the experiences of urban mothers who engage in e-commerce on the WeChat platform. Through in-depth interviews with 35 urban mothers as digital laborers on WeChat, our findings reveal that career disruptions due to childbirth and the lack of public support for domestic care work often drive urban mothers to engage in e-commerce. However, only a small number of highly educated mothers who strategically exemplify the practices of intensive motherhood ideology are able to generate sufficient income. This study sheds light on the commercialization of the online mother communities on WeChat and how these communities reinforce the intensive motherhood ideology. The separation of the public and private spheres in China after the economic reforms has resulted in urban mothers with young children engaging in precarious digital work. Meanwhile, the commercialization of the private sphere has blurred the boundaries between the public and private spheres with market logic, further perpetuating gender inequalities in contemporary China. Further research is needed to understand the impact of the digital economy on female digital labor in China, especially for mothers with young children.

Association of rural-urban place of residence with adequate antenatal care visit in Bangladesh.

Adequate antenatal care (ANC) is crucial to reduce maternal/neonatal deaths, but the proportion of mothers with appropriate ANC is lower in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high-income countries. Furthermore, in many LMICs, including Bangladesh, there are intra-country disparities, and rural regions have substantially lower adequate ANC than urban regions. In this cross-sectional study, we performed secondary analyses on Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 data to examine the rural-urban differences in adequate initiation, number, and quality of ANC. Women of reproductive age (i.e., 15-49-year-olds) with at least one birth in the three years before the survey were included. After reporting the prevalence of adequate ANC by rural-urban place, simple and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association. Among 4974 women, 1331 and 3643 were from urban rural regions, respectively. The proportions of mothers who initiated the visits in the first trimester, had at least four ANC visits, and had quality ANC were 47.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 44.6-50.3), 59.0% (95% CI: 56.3-61.8), and 27.1% (95% CI: 24.6-29.6) in urban regions, and 33.4% (95% CI: 31.6-35.1), 42.8% (95% CI: 41.0-44.7), and 14.5% (95% CI: 13.1-15.8) in rural regions, respectively. These differences in ANC utilization were observed regardless of most sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics. After adjusting for sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, compared to urban mothers, rural mothers had lower odds of at least four ANC visits (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.77, 95% CI: 0.65-0.91) and quality ANC (AOR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.65-0.97) but the odds for timely initiation (AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73-1.01) was not significant. Findings of this study showed significant disparities between rural and urban regions regarding appropriate ANC coverage, and the importance of improving ANC coverage among some sociodemographic groups to reduce these disparities, especially among mothers with low socioeconomic status.

Urbanization associates with restricted gut microbiome diversity and delayed maturation in infants

Alterations of the microbiome are linked to increasingly common diseases such as obesity, allergy, and inflammatory bowel disease. Post-industrial lifestyles are thought to contribute to the gut microbiome alterations that cause or aggravate these diseases. Comparing communities across the industrialization spectrum can reveal associations between gut microbiome alterations and lifestyle and health, and help pinpoint which specific aspect of the post-industrial lifestyle is linked to microbiome alterations. Here, we compare the gut microbiomes of 60 mother and infant pairs from rural and urban areas of Senegal over two time points. We find that urban mothers, who were more frequently overweight, had different gut microbiome compositions than rural mothers, showing an expansion of Lachnospiraceae and Enterobacter. Urban infants, on the other hand, showed a delayed gut microbiome maturation and a higher susceptibility to infectious diseases. Thus, we identify new microbiome features associated with industrialization, whose association with disease may be further investigated.

Rural-urban Disparities in Prenatal Care Utilization: A Study from Khulna District of Bangladesh

This study attempts to identify the nature of prenatal care through a comparative study between urban and rural mothers living in Khulna district of Bangladesh. Two wards in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and three villages under Rupsha upazila were purposely selected as the study area of this research. The data were collected from 148 mothers selected through simple random sampling method. Findings reveal that medical check-ups during pregnancy were common among most of the respondents (95.9%) in urban areas while it was much less observed among the rural ones (60.8%). Findings also suggest that respondents’ residence was associated with frequency of visiting clinics, taking extra foods during pregnancy and preferred place for medical check-ups during their last pregnancy. Besides, access to reproductive health care services, availability of medical facilities and doctors differed significantly from rural to urban area.

Perceptions on Healthy Eating Impact the Home Food Environment: A Qualitative Exploration of Perceptions of Indigenous Food Gatekeepers in Urban Fiji.

The home food environment (HFE) can have important direct and indirect impacts on dietary practices. Nutrient transitions in the HFE of Pacific Island countries (PICs) are key contributors of the high rates of adult and childhood overweight and obesity in the region. Pacifica mothers are important sociocultural agents who play critical roles in their HFE through setting eating-appropriateness standards and mitigating the impacts of food availability and accessibility on the HFE. This study used an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore how urban indigenous Fijian mothers perceive healthy eating and how these perceptions impacted the food decisions they made for their families. Mothers in this study held complex, multifaceted perceptions on healthy eating and these perceptions had both positive and negative impacts on the family food choices they made, the strategies they adopted for healthy eating and their perceived motivators for healthy eating. The findings of this study underscore the need for a deeper understanding and analysis of uptake of public health messaging related to healthy and unhealthy eating and the importance of targeted promotion of healthful nutrition in this community. Promoting consumption of traditional and locally grown foods can enhance nutrition and food security and combat nutrition transition in the region.

Factors influencing breastfeeding continuation and formula feeding beyond six months in rural and urban households in Indonesia: a qualitative investigation

BackgroundGlobal and Indonesian guidelines suggest that breastfeeding should continue for at least the first two years of life. While many studies have focused on six-month exclusive breastfeeding practices, little is known about why mothers do not sustain breastfeeding beyond this period. This qualitative study aimed to explore factors influencing breastfeeding continuation and formula feeding beyond six months, regardless of any additional food consumed, focusing on Indonesia’s rural and urban areas.MethodsWe collected the data through 46 in-depth interviews in Pati District and Surakarta City, Central Java, Indonesia. Participants were mothers, grandmothers, health care practitioners, and village kader (frontline female health workers). We used thematic analysis combining deductive and inductive techniques for analysing the data.ResultsRural mothers practised breastfeeding and intended to breastfeed for a longer duration than urban mothers. Maternal attitude towards breastfeeding, breastfeeding knowledge, previous experiences, and other breastfeeding strategies (e.g., enhancing maternal dietary quality) positively influenced breastfeeding sustainability. In the urban setting, mothers encountered several breastfeeding barriers, such as perceived breast milk insufficiency and child hunger and satiety, child biting, and breastfeeding refusal, causing them to provide formula milk as a breast milk substitute or supplement. In addition, families, communities, health practitioners, and employment influenced maternal decisions in breastfeeding continuation and formula-feeding practices.ConclusionsOptimal breastfeeding practices up to two years of age are determined by the individual and setting (i.e., community, healthcare, employment) factors. Providing breastfeeding education covering practical breastfeeding guidance will encourage mothers to breastfeed for longer. Such interventions should involve families, communities, health workers, and the work environment as a breastfeeding support system. Policymakers should develop, enforce, and monitor the implementation of breastfeeding policies to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in households, communities, health systems, and work settings.

MATERNAL AND FETAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MISOPROSTOL USE IN MUBENDE REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL, UGANDA

There are numerous obstetric uses for misoprostol. It mimics the normal labour process by causing the uterus to contract strongly and by softening and dilating the cervix. This action makes it a uterotonic. The maternal uses include cervical ripening, initiating labour, treating incomplete abortions, preventing and treating postpartum haemorrhage, and causing abortions. This study sought to identify maternal and foetal risk factors related to misoprostol use among mothers who gave birth at the regional referral hospital in Mubende.&#x0D; A mixed method analytical cross-sectional design was used with mothers, their infants, and healthcare professionals. 385 respondents made up the sample. Interviews, observation, and the review of documents were used to gather the data.&#x0D; 12.4% of mothers had ever used misoprostol. In comparison to mothers who lived in rural areas, urban mothers were two times more likely to have a positive history of misoprostol usage (COR=1.843, 95% CI (0.903-3.763)). Mothers with a parity of 2–4 had a 0.5x lower likelihood of using misoprostol [COR=0.514, 95% CI (0.166–1.595)]. Better APGAR scores of 4-7 (4 times) and 8-10 (2 times) in newborns were associated with a higher likelihood of a positive history of misoprostol use.&#x0D; In conclusion, misoprostol use poses dangers to both the mother and the foetus, necessitating careful observance.

Knowledge-practice gap in breastfeeding and the factors influencing it among the urban mothers attending the immunization clinic under a tertiary care hospital in eastern India

Background: Breast milk is a complete food for the newborn. Timely introduction of breast milk and exclusive breast feeding till 6 months of age of a newborn, with proper positioning and adequate attachment to mother’s breast is encouraged as Initiation of breast feeding within the first hour after birth, prevents the newborn from the risk of morbidity and mortality. An effective improvement in mother’s self efficacy and understanding on breast feeding will be useful in meeting the nutritional goals of the child. Aim of study was to assess the knowledge, perception and practice among the mothers on breast feeding and the factors influencing their practice and to determine probable association of ideal infant weight with exclusive breast feeding. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study among 390 mothers attending the Immunization Clinic of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar. They were assessed if they breast fed infant by following the ideal positioning and proper attachment to breast and for their knowledge, perception and practices of breast feeding. Analysis was done using STATA-17. Results: Good knowledge, perception and practice of breast feeding was present among 88.2%, 83.5% and 69.8% mothers, respectively. Association between ideal weight of baby and proper breast feeding technique was found. Knowledge was more positively related to practice, than to perception. Conclusions: Children who have been exclusively breast fed, had the right weight for age. Mother and other family members must be aware of proper technique, adequacy and frequency of breast feeding for the best nourishment of the newborn.