Knowledge and Practice regarding postnatal and new-born care among postnatal women

Mothers have an inexplicable and vital role in building a healthy nation. Pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood are natural processes that bring joy to individual women and families. After delivery the women begins to experience physiological and psychological change in her body. These changes usually occur without difficulty. Around the world, it is recognized that postnatal care is crucial in maintaining and promoting the health of the woman and the new born baby. It also gives opportunity for health personnel to promote exclusive breastfeeding, personal hygiene, appropriate feeding   practices, family planning counselling and other services. Postnatal care also includes provision of postnatal calcium and iron supplementation to the mother and immunization of new-born.

OBJECTIVE

To assess knowledge and practice regarding postnatal and new-born care.

Quantitative research approach with descriptive research design was used to assess the knowledge and practice regarding postnatal and new-born care among postnatal women at Himalayan Hospital Jollygrant Dehradun. 110 Postnatal women were taken as a sample using total enumerative sampling technique. Data was collected using self-structured knowledge questionnaire and self-reported practice checklist using interview method.

Figure 1: Assessment of Knowledge score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal and new born care

n=110

Figure 1. illustrates the knowledge score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal care and new-born care which depicts majority of the postnatal mothers (60%) had good knowledge 33.64%  had good knowledge and 6.36% had poor knowledge.

Table 1: Mean, SD, Median Range of knowledge score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal and new born care

n=110

Table 1, describes that the highest possible score of the knowledge questionnaire was 37, out of which the range of score came between 6-31. The mean score of knowledge was 21.93±5.6 with mean percentage of 59.27%.

Figure No. 3:  Assessment of  level of practice regarding Postnatal and New-born care.

Figure No.3. illustrates the practice  score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal care and new-born care which shows majority of the postnatal women (63.64%) had  good practice and 36.36% had average  practice score  regarding postnatal and new born care.

Table 2: Mean SD, Median, Range of self-reported practice score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal and new born care

n=110

Table 2. Displays the total score of the checklist was 30 . the lowest range of score was 12 and the highest score was 27. The mean and SD of practice score was 20.49±2.89. Mean percentage for the practice score was 68.3%.

The assessment of  knowledge score of postnatal mother regarding postnatal care and new-born care shows that majority of the postnatal mothers (60%) had good knowledge 33.64%  had good knowledge and 6.36% had poor knowledge. This finding is supported by Selva Rani, Suresh Suja, et al. (2023) study on assessment of knowledge on postnatal care. The outcome demonstrates that: Poor knowledge score = 23.3%, 40%on average Excellent = 36.7%. Similarly assessment of practice shows majority of the postnatal women (63.64%) had good practice and 36.36% had average  practice score  regarding postnatal and new born care. This finding is supported by Malashree Hazarika , Dhiramani Baishya (2022) study on  assessment of  the practice  regarding postnatal and newborn care. The result shows that  54% had good practice 44% had average practice and 2% had poor practice regarding postnatal care.

LIMITATION:

 Generalization of the finding will be limited because of small sample size.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.      Similar study can be done of community area

2.      Similar study can be done on large sample size

3.      Comparative research can be done between Primigravida and multigravida mothers

Source of Funding: This work was supported by financial assistance from the Himalayan College of Nursing (HCN), Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU).

Conflicts of interest: No conflicts of interest

Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from Ethics Committee of SRHU (SRHU/HIMS/ETHICS/2023/117)

Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all the Participants.

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