Knowledge of Essential Newborn Care Among Rural Mothers

Background: Components of essential newborn care and neonatal resuscitation are proven interventions for reducing neonatal mortality and stillbirth. Objective: To assess the level of knowledge of essential newborn care among the rural mothers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out during January - December 2019 in Panchagarh district of the Rangpur division in Northern Bangladesh. A total of 354 rural postnatal mothers were purposively selected for the study. Rural mothers were interviewed with a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the mothers was 22.1±3.2 years where 33.1% were illiterate and 83.3% were house wives. Majority of the mothers (76.3%) had taken antenatal care visit,48.3% delivered their children at home, 70.9% had normal delivery and 56.5%had taken postnatal care. Only few mothers (11.0%) knew about kangaroo cares, 83.9%mothers did not know that baby should be given first bath after 24 hours of birth, 26.3%mothers knew that the umbilical stump of baby should not be covered a cloth/bandage. Majority of the mothers (57.1 %) knew that one should start breast feeding immediately after birth and 62.4 %mothers knew that one should start vaccination just after birth. Less than half of the mothers (41.2 %) knew that one should not use any substance like Kajol to eyes. Majority of the mothers (59.3%) had inadequate knowledge regarding ENC while 40.7% had adequate knowledge. Literate mothers involved in job, family members <6 with monthly family income > 20,000 taka had significantly more adequate knowledge than others (p<0.001). Again, mothers who took ANC, delivered their babies at private hospitals, underwent cesarean section and took postnatal care had significantly more adequate knowledge than others (p<0.001). Conclusion: Majority of the mothers had inadequate knowledge regarding essential new born care. Health education and behavioral change communications on essential newborn care are recommended. Health workers should give special emphasis on thermal care by Kangaroo care, naval care and early breast feeding. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2021; 47(1): 34-41