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BACKGROUND: Knowing current trends for timely comprehensive action for health promotion practices is an important prerequisite for medical practitioners and policy makers. METHODS: A survey of mothers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in central India. RESULTS: On the knowledge front >83.75% of the mothers studied showed good knowledge about breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Similar, but not as encouraging, were the results about attitude, with 76.25% of mothers having a positive attitude. The results of the practices part were varied. The WHO indicators assessed were 'early initiation of breastfeeding' (68.75%), 'exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months' (85%) (however exclusive breast feeding for first 6 months was carried out by only 36.25%), 'introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods' (48.75%), 'continued breastfeeding at 1 year' (63.75%) and 'continued breastfeeding at 2 years' (6.25%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a discrepancy between knowledge and practices. The exclusive breast feeding rates are far from the ideal and there is a decline of continued breast feeding beyond 15 months. This calls for sustained efforts with the aim - 'cover all and cover completely'. The ideal WHO indicator for exclusive breast feeding should be 'exclusive breastfeeding for first 6 months' which will provide information about the completeness of this ideal practice.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcome of inborn preterm neonates with respiratory-distress-syndrome (RDS), using the approach of administering nasal-continuous-positive-airway-pressure (CPAP) alone and administering surfactant only if they require mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: All preterm neonates diagnosed as RDS from 01-May-2006 to 10-July-2010 were prospectively enrolled for the study at a referral centre in India. Nasal-CPAP alone was administered to all spontaneously breathing neonates. Surfactant was administered in babies <28 wk gestational age if the baby was intubated for resuscitation at birth. For the remaining babies, surfactant was administered if the baby required ventilation for RDS in first 72 h. The primary outcome assessed was survival to discharge. RESULTS: Of the 83 babies with RDS, 33(39.76%) neonates needed MV of which one baby was transferred due to non-availability of ventilator. Of the remaining 32 babies administered MV, 31 were administered surfactant. Fifty (61.24%) babies were managed with CPAP alone. Overall, 72/82(87.8%) babies managed at the authors' center survived the neonatal period, and 71/82(86.8%) babies were discharged to home. Among the neonates who were ventilated, 26/32(81.25%) survived the neonatal period, and 25/32(78.12%) were discharged home. Among the babies receiving CPAP, 46/50(92%) survived and were discharged to home. CONCLUSIONS: Institution of CPAP alone in all spontaneously breathing preterm babies with RDS and administration of surfactant to only those needing MV reduces the need for intubations and surfactant administration without affecting the outcome adversely. Extreme preterms with RDS, however, may be given surfactant if they happen to be intubated for resuscitation at birth.