ABSTRACT
Respiratory tract infection is the common viral infection and the principal cause of death among children under 5 years of age. It damages lung epithelium and increases mucus production and inflammation, leading to dyspnea. The sunshine vitamin (Vitamin D) and surfactant protein (SP) A and D along with their usual function play an important role in host defense. This article reviews with immune role of Vitamin D and SP A and D which aids excessive cytokines production, boosts phagocytosis, hinders inflammatory activity, and thus acts as a first-line defense against lung pathogens.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to study the impact of a Human Milk Bank (HMB) on neonatal mortality, incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and rate of exclusive breastfeeding. METHODS: This pre-post intervention study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching institute in south India. Data regarding neonatal mortality, incidence of NEC, and exclusive breastfeeding rates were collected for a period of 6 months before and after establishing a modern HMB and compared. RESULTS: The number of deliveries, live births, and incidence of preterm and VLBW neonates during pre- and post-HMB periods were comparable. Neonatal mortality was 11.32/1000 live births pre-HMB compared with 10.77/1000 live births post HMB. The incidence of NEC was 1.26% of live births pre-HMB compared with 1.07% post-HMB. Exclusive breastfeeding rate pre-HMB was 34% compared with 74% post HMB (p < .001). CONCLUSION: There is a decreasing trend in neonatal mortality and incidence of NEC after establishing a HMB. Human milk banking significantly improved exclusive breastfeeding rate in the population studied.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/epidemiology , Infant Mortality , Infant, Premature, Diseases/epidemiology , Milk Banks , Milk, Human , Adult , Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/prevention & control , Female , Hospitals, Teaching/statistics & numerical data , Humans , India/epidemiology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature , Infant, Premature, Diseases/prevention & control , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Adequate antenatal counseling combined with postnatal lactation support is likely to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a postnatal video based health education program in promoting exclusive breastfeeding among primiparous mothers. METHODS: This interventional study was done in a tertiary care teaching hospital, south India. Primiparous mothers in one postnatal ward (group A) received routine lactation counseling. A similar group of primiparous mothers in another postnatal ward (group B) were administered a video based health education program on exclusive breastfeeding in the local language Tamil in addition to the routine lactation counseling. The exclusive breastfeeding rates of these two groups of mothers were compared. Their knowledge and perceptions after intervention were also compared using a pretested questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 878 primiparous mothers, 94% fed colostrum and 43% initiated breastfeeding within one hour of delivery. Correct attachment was noted with 96% and 13% had lactation issues. Group B had marginally better exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months but not statistically significant. Mothers in group B had a statistically significant better knowledge score post-intervention compared to those in Group A. Use of gripe water was more in group A compared to group B. CONCLUSION: The video based health education program when combined with routine lactation counseling improved the knowledge regarding exclusive breastfeeding among postnatal primiparous mothers better than with routine lactation counseling alone. However, both interventions had similar effect on exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months.