Infant Health Challenges in the Postnatal Period

1. INFANT HEALTH CHALLENGES IN
THE POSTNATAL PERIOD
Mohammad Aslam Shaiekh
MPH-3rd Batch
School of Health and Allied Sciences (SHAS)
Pokhara University (P.U)
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2. Introduction
Infant means end of one years of life .
According to NDHS 2016 infant mortality rate is
32/ 1000 live birth .
Postnatal period are commonly used to refer to
the first 6 weeks of childbirth.
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3. infant health challenges in the
postnatal period are :
Preterm birth
Smallness for gestational age
Congenital anomalies
Severe bacterial infection
Neonatal tetanus
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4. Newborns suffering from birth trauma
Hypothermia and Hyperthermia
Jaundice
Hepatitis B
HIV/ infection
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5. Preterm birth
preterm birth means Birth at a gestational age of <37
weeks occurs . In developed countries it is the main cause
of perinatal mortality; in these countries as many as 85%
of neonatal deaths occurring in structurally normal
infants can be attributed to preterm birth
It is also an important cause of disability and handicap: of
all infants born <32 weeks and surviving the neonatal
period 6-7% have a major handicap and another 8% a
minor handicap
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6. Smallness for gestational age
• Low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g, as defined byWHO) may
be due to preterm delivery or smallness for gestational
age .
• A very high proportion of infants in less developed
countries are born with low birth weight.
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7. Congenital anomalies
• Congenital anomalies or malformations are an important
cause of perinatal and neonatal deaths. Among the most
severe malformations are neural tube defects and other
defects of the central nervous system. chromosomal
disorders, malformations of the gastrointestinal tract,
congenital heart disease, malformations of the urogenital
system. Some of the malformations may have been caused
by infectious diseases acquired during pregnancy (rubella,
cytomegalovirus infection, toxoplasmosis).
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8. Severe bacterial infection
• Infections are significant causes of mortality and
morbidity in newborn infants, both preterm and term.
The two principal sources of neonatal infection are the
mother and the environment, including the delivery
place, the nursery or home. Infections manifesting in the
first days of life are usually the result of exposure to
microorganisms of maternal origin.
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9. Neonatal tetanus
• This is very serious infection only occurs in regions where
basic hygienic measures during and after delivery are
neglected or unknown, and where the immunization
coverage of young women is still inadequate.
• The main strategy in the fight against neonatal tetanus is
clean delivery, together with immunization of pregnant
women and women of childbearing age,
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10. Newborns suffering from birth
trauma
• Perinatal trauma (birth injuries) may be mechanical, by
difficult deliveries. It includes fractures, subcutaneous
hematomas, damage to the central nervous system like
intracranial hemorrhage and spinal cord injuries, and
damage to peripheral nerves .The best prevention of birth
injuries is appropriate management of labour and
delivery
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11. •Hypothermia is harmful to the newborn. The
baby’s body cools down rapidly, unless measures
are taken such as keeping them dry and in a
warm environment. A fall in body temperature
can be reduced by skin-to-skin contact between
baby and mother.Hypothermia should be
prevented,
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12. •Hyperthermia is usually caused by a too warm
environment, e.g. by exposure to sun or hot-water
bottles, especially if the baby is well swaddled. It can
be harmful and the environment should be adjusted
adequately. Clinically hyperthermia cannot be
distinguished from fever and an infection should
always be considered and ruled out as a potential
cause of increased body temperature.
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13. Jaundice
It is both normal and common for healthy newborn
infants to become jaundiced. In term infants this
occurs in about 15% and more frequently in
preterm. Jaundice is a sign not a disease as long as
the level of bilirubin does not go over values
considered to be safe. The most common jaundice
in term newborn infants is physiological and it
seldom reaches severity that might be harmful.
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14. HIV/AIDS infection
• the main concern with respect to childbirth is the vertical
transmission from mother to infant during pregnancy,
labour and postnatally.
• During the post natal period infected mother transmitted
their child by breast feeding .
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15. Hepatitis B
If the mother is a carrier of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), there
is a high risk of vertical transmission from the mother to the
baby during and after birth. Affected infants usually
become asymptomatic chronic carriers, and will be at risk
later in life of chronic liver disease and hepatoma.
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16. Conclusion
• The health challenges faced by the newborn are
impressive; their extent is greater than in any other
relatively short period of human life. This justifies a well-
organized the health care system, designed to check the
health of the infant, to support the parents in their task,
and to take measures whenever necessary to prevent or
combat disease.
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17. References
postpartum care of the mother and newborn ;particle
guideline WHO 1998 .
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18. THANKYOU
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