BACKGROUND: Drawing attention to home birth conditions and subsequent neonatal infections is a key starting point to reducing neonatal morbidity which are a main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of respiratory, ophthalmic, and diarrhoeal infections in neonates; the proportion of mothers of neonates, following clean delivery practices; and to explore existing community practices during delivery and the neonatal period. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study, including 10 questionnaires and five Key-Informant interviews, in rural Karamoja, Uganda. RESULTS: Post-delivery razor blade and string use was 90%, but clean delivery surface use only 30%, while 90% obtained bathing water for neonates from boreholes. No mothers washed hands after latrine-related activities compared with 83% for food-related activities. None delivered in health centres or with skilled birth attendants. Respiratory infections occurred in eight neonates, compared to two ophthalmic infections, and no diarrhoea. CONCLUSION: Use of clean delivery surfaces needs to be improved as well as washing after latrine-related activities. Diarrhoea was far less common than expected. Since rural Mother-Infant pairs spend the majority of their post-delivery time around the homestead, hygiene impacts neonatal infections to a large degree, possibly even more so than delivery practices.
BACKGROUND: Drawing attention to home birth conditions and subsequent neonatal infections is a key starting point to reducing neonatal morbidity which are a main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of respiratory, ophthalmic, and diarrhoeal infections in neonates; the proportion of mothers of neonates, following clean delivery practices; and to explore existing community practices during delivery and the neonatal period. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study, including 10 questionnaires and five Key-Informant interviews, in rural Karamoja, Uganda. RESULTS: Post-delivery razor blade and string use was 90%, but clean delivery surface use only 30%, while 90% obtained bathing water for neonates from boreholes. No mothers washed hands after latrine-related activities compared with 83% for food-related activities. None delivered in health centres or with skilled birth attendants. Respiratory infections occurred in eight neonates, compared to two ophthalmic infections, and no diarrhoea. CONCLUSION: Use of clean delivery surfaces needs to be improved as well as washing after latrine-related activities. Diarrhoea was far less common than expected. Since rural Mother-Infant pairs spend the majority of their post-delivery time around the homestead, hygiene impacts neonatal infections to a large degree, possibly even more so than delivery practices.
Authors: Li Liu; Hope L Johnson; Simon Cousens; Jamie Perin; Susana Scott; Joy E Lawn; Igor Rudan; Harry Campbell; Richard Cibulskis; Mengying Li; Colin Mathers; Robert E Black Journal: Lancet Date: 2012-05-11 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Cheryl A Moyer; Raymond Akawire Aborigo; Gideon Logonia; Gideon Affah; Sarah Rominski; Philip B Adongo; John Williams; Abraham Hodgson; Cyril Engmann Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2012-06-15 Impact factor: 3.007
Authors: Hannah Blencowe; Simon Cousens; Luke C Mullany; Anne C C Lee; Kate Kerber; Steve Wall; Gary L Darmstadt; Joy E Lawn Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2011-04-13 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Peter Waiswa; Margaret Kemigisa; Juliet Kiguli; Sarah Naikoba; George W Pariyo; Stefan Peterson Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2008-06-21 Impact factor: 3.007