Open AccessINFANT HEALTH CARE
Author(s) -
Muhammad Asim,
Babak Mahmood,
Malik Muhammad Sohail
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the professional medical journal/the professional medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2071-7733
pISSN - 1024-8919
DOI - 10.29309/tpmj/2015.22.08.1142
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , medicine , colostrum , nursing , health care , family medicine , pediatrics , postnatal care , obstetrics , pregnancy , biology , economics , antibody , immunology , genetics , economic growth
In Pakistan 1 in every 14 infants die before reaching one year of age. Infant mortalityhighly depends upon the health care practices by the caretakers. Objective: To investigate theinfant risky health care practices and their impact on infants’ health in Pakistan. Study Design:Descriptive systematic literature review. Setting and Period: All the research articles that waspublished in between 2000 to 2015. Methods: Focusing on newborn health care practices withspecial reference to mothers utilization of antennal and postnatal care, pre-lacteal feedings,colostrum, breastfeeding, cord care practices and complementary feeding. A systematic searchof national and international literature especially from developing countries was undertakenfrom peer-reviewed indexed journals and news articles from 2000-2015 to access the infanthealth care practices. Results: sixty five articles were included in this review article. All thestudies focused on the determinants of infant health care practices. It was found that mother’sprenatal and postnatal care utilization service was poor. It was further investigated that colstrumis not preferred first feed of the mothers and family members to their infants. Mostly mothersgave the pre-lacteal feeding to their children irrespective to their education and social statusand it cause the delayed in initiating the breastfeeding to the neonates. Only a small proportionof the mothers initiate the breastfeeding with in the first hour of birth and mothers are unawareabout the importance of breastfeeding. Furthermore, the mothers are also unaware about cordcare and use conventional methods for cord care. Conclusion: It was investigated that infanthealth care practices is highly influenced by the culture and religious belifs of the caretakers.Due to the lack of proper health care of infants, Pakistan is facing high infant mortality rateand substandard infant health indicators. It is suggested that government and policy makersshould arrange the trainings/ workshops for the mothers and adolescents for the purpose todiscourage the risky health care practices.