Abstract

Sujata Shrestha*, Parita Shrestha
and Pratima Koirala

ABSTRACT

Background: In many countries around the world, neonatal deaths are so commonplace that children are not even named until they survive their first month of life. Most of the neonatal deaths are preventable if their mothers are aware and provide proper newborn care. The study was carried out with the aim to find out the level of awareness regarding neonatal care among postnatal mothers at Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur-10, Chitwan. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used to measure the level of awareness among 80 postnatal mothers attending in Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur-10, Chitwan by using enumerative sampling technique. Data was collected by using structured face to face interview schedule from dated 2018 June 20- 2018 July 4 and was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among a total of 80 respondents, 45% of respondents belonged to age group 20-27 years, while majority of respondents 72.5% were from urban areas, most of the respondents 97.5% were literate, 62.5% were primipara. Mean score of respondents’ awareness regarding neonatal warmth and breastfeeding was 77.5 and 60.7 respectively followed by hygiene, danger signs and immunization 63, 68 and 42 respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded that more than half 58.8% of postnatal mothers had adequate level of awareness on neonatal care while statistical significant association was found between the level of awareness with religion p=0.012 and place of residence p=0.025. However, awareness regarding frequency of breastfeed in a day, position after burping, sleeping hours in a day, time and frequency of urination and meconium passed after birth, time for neonatal bath, hypothermia and disease preventable vaccine name after birth was still inadequate. Hence, there is need of awareness program by government and health personals on neonatal care to postnatal mothers.