Supporting multiple birth families: Perceptions and experiences of health visitors

Obstetrics (a branch of medicine focusing on childbirth and midwifery), gynaecology (a field of medicine specific to women and girls with a particular focus on the reproductive system), and neonatology (a subspecialty of paediatrics focused on the care of newborn infants, especially those who are premature) cover the whole span of pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period for both mothers and babies. The topics covered by these disciplines include family planning, reproductive medicine, menopausal and geriatric (older adult) gynaecology, maternal medicine, and female urology. Because of the breadth of these disciplines, care teams involve hospital clinicians, surgeons, family doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas, and health visitors, among others....

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Health visitors urged to promote flu vaccine

Journal of Health Visiting ◽

10.12968/johv.2019.7.12.561 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 561-561

Author(s):

Polly Moffat

Keyword(s):

Health Visitors ◽

Flu Vaccine

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Management of Comprehensive Care of multiple-birth infants from fetal to infancy period: challenges, training, strategies

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-021-02613-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tahereh Changiz ◽

Mahboobeh Namnabati

Keyword(s):

Care Management ◽

Optimal Growth ◽

Comprehensive Care ◽

Multiple Births ◽

Care Plan ◽

Phone Call ◽

Multiple Birth ◽

Discharge Process ◽

Health Providers ◽

Challenges And Strategies

Abstract Background Prematurity escalates the crisis of the infants a susceptible group of the society. Multiple delivery further intensifies the susceptibility of both family and health system. A comprehensive care is, thus, necessary to ensure the optimal growth and development of such multiple-births. Accompanied by trainings, challenges, and strategies, the present study was conducted based on a two-year report of comprehensive care management experience on two sets of multiple infants. Methods A qualitative case study approach was used to survey these two sets of premature infants (quadruplet and quintuplet) and their families. The data were collected through medical files, interviews, questionnaire, field presence, phone call and WhatsApp application, and continued follow-ups. Content analysis was performed based on survey and interventions during a period of two years in Isfahan, Iran (2018–2020). Results Case presentation and comprehensive care management are the main areas resulted from this study. The results of the study were categorized in eight challenging areas (categories) and strategies including sterility and infertility period, transition from the intrauterine to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), discharge process, physical and developmental status, home visit and home care, development of care plan, socio-economic support, and coronavirus nightmare. Conclusion Based on challenges and strategies during these two years, the situation of the multiple-birth infants and their families’ needs should be identified as the first prerequisites in an inter-professional approach and in collaboration with the health providers. Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Welfare Organization, and the charities were the parties involved with this process in our study. It was also found that developing a separate specific package of comprehensive care management plan for multiple-births is a necessity.

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Bivariate binary analysis on composite index of anthropometric failure of under-five children and household wealth-index

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-021-02770-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Demeke Lakew Workie ◽

Lijalem Melie Tesfaw

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Composite Index ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Wealth Index ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Education Level ◽

Multiple Birth ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children ◽

Study Results

Abstract Background Malnutrition is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity of children in low and middle income countries including Ethiopia and household wealth index shares the highest contribution. Thus, in this study it is aimed to conduct bivariate binary logistic regression analysis by accounting the possible dependency of child composite index anthropometric failure and household wealth index. Methods In this study the data from Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 involved 9411 under five children was considered. Child Composite Index Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) measures the aggregate child undernourished derived from the conventional anthropometric indices (stunting, underweight and wasting). The correlation between CIAF and wealth index was checked and significant correlation found. To address the dependency between the two outcome variables bivariate binary logistic regression was used to analyze the determinants of child CAIF and household wealth index jointly. Results Study results show that region, place of residence, religion, education level of women and husband/partner, sex of child, source of drinking water, household size and number of under five children in the household, mothers body mass index, multiple birth and anemia level of child had significant association with child CIAF. Female children were 0.82 times less likely to be CIAF compared to male and multiple birth children were more likely to be CIAF compared to single birth. Children from Oromia, Somalie, Gambela, SNNPR, Harari and Addis Ababa region were 0.6, 0.56, 0.67, 0.52, 0.6 and 0.44 times less likely to be CIAF compared to Tigray. A household from rural area were 15.49 times more likely poor compared to a household. The estimated odds of children whose mothers attended primary, and secondary and higher education was 0.82, and 0.52 times respectively the estimated odds of children from mothers who had never attended formal education. Conclusion The prevalence of children with composite index anthropometric failure was high and closely tied with the household wealth index. Among the determinants, region, religion, family education level, and anemia level of child were statistically significant determinants of both CIAF and household wealth index. Thus, the authors recommend to concerned bodies and policymakers work on household wealth index to reduce the prevalence of child composite anthropometric failure.

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Trends in early initiation of breastfeeding in Bangladesh and a multilevel analysis approach to find its determinants

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84412-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Foyez Ahmmed ◽

Muhammad Mahabub Rahaman Manik

Keyword(s):

Wealth Index ◽

Early Initiation ◽

Multiple Birth ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

Antenatal Visit ◽

Regression Result ◽

Chi Square ◽

Early Initiation Of Breastfeeding ◽

The Hierarchical Structure ◽

Initiation Of Breastfeeding

AbstractEarly initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) is an essential practice for child health as well as for maternal health. This study aims to determine trends, prevalence, and factors associated with EIBF in Bangladesh. Data for this study were extracted from Bangladesh demographic and health surveys (BDHS) 2004, 2007, 2011, and 2014. This study found an increasing trend in EIBF in Bangladesh irrespective of the different characteristics of mothers and children. Chi-square test was conducted to find the association between EIBF and different factors. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to consider the hierarchical structure of the data. Regression result showed that educated parents [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.14, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.04, 1.26 ], exposure to media [AOR = 1.13, CI = 1.05, 1.21], 2nd or 3rd birth order [AOR = 1.13, CI = 1.04, 1.23], wanted child [AOR = 1.12, CI = 1.02, 1.23], antenatal visit [AOR = 1.07, CI = 1.00, 1.15], antenatal visit by medically trained provider [AOR = 1.06, CI = 1.00,1.13] and rich wealth index [AOR = 1.10, CI = 1.01, 1.20] were positively associated with EIBF. In contrast, mothers with caesarian delivery [AOR = 0.36, CI = 0.31, 0.40], delivery in private facility [AOR = 0.83, CI = 0.73, 0.95], multiple birth, and higher maternal age were less likely to EIBF.

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A peer support group for newly qualified health visitors

Journal of Health Visiting ◽

10.12968/johv.2015.3.12.678 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (12) ◽

pp. 678-680 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rebecca Price

Keyword(s):

Peer Support ◽

Support Group ◽

Peer Support Group ◽

Health Visitors

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Household structure, maternal characteristics and children’s stunting in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from 35 countries

International Health ◽

10.1093/inthealth/ihz105 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sanni Yaya ◽

Olanrewaju Oladimeji ◽

Emmanuel Kolawole Odusina ◽

Ghose Bishwajit

Keyword(s):

Birth Interval ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Household Structure ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Physical Growth ◽

Multiple Birth ◽

Rural Children ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Ssa Countries ◽

Childhood Stunting

Abstract Background Adequate nutrition in early childhood is a necessity to achieve healthy growth and development, as well as a strong immune system and good cognitive development. The period from conception to infancy is especially vital for optimal physical growth, health and development. In this study we examined the influence of household structure on stunting in children <5 yrs of age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. Methods Demographic and Health Survey data from birth histories in 35 SSA countries were used in this study. The total sample of children born within the 5 yrs before the surveys (2008 and 2018) was 384 928. Children whose height-for-age z-score throughout was <−2 SDs from the median of the WHO reference population were considered stunted. Percentages and χ2 tests were used to explore prevalence and bivariate associations of stunting. In addition, a multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to stunted children. All statistical tests were conducted at a p<0.05 level of significance. Results More than one-third of children in SSA countries were reportedly stunted. The leading countries include Burundi (55.9%), Madagascar (50.1%), Niger (43.9%) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (42.7%). The percentage of stunted children was higher among males than females and among rural children than their urban counterparts in SSA countries. Children from polygamous families and from mothers who had been in multiple unions had a 5% increase in stunting compared with children from monogamous families and mothers who had only one union (AOR 1.05 [95% CI 1.02 to 1.09]). Furthermore, rural children were 1.23 times as likely to be stunted compared with urban children (AOR 1.23 [95% CI 1.16 to 1.29]). Children having a <24-mo preceding birth interval were 1.32 times as likely to be stunted compared with first births (AOR 1.32 [95% CI 1.26 to 1.38]). In addition, there was a 2% increase in stunted children for every unit increase in the age (mo) of children (AOR 1.02 [95% CI 1.01 to 1.02]). Multiple-birth children were 2.09 times as likely to be stunted compared with a singleton (AOR 2.09 [95% CI 1.91 to 2.28]). Conclusions The study revealed that more than one-third of children were stunted in SSA countries. Risk factors for childhood stunting were also identified. Effective interventions targeting factors associated with childhood stunting, such as maternal education, advanced maternal age, male sex, child’s age, longer birth interval, multiple-birth polygamy, improved household wealth and history of mothers’ involvement in multiple unions, are required to reduce childhood stunting in the region.

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Twin language or phonological disorder?

Journal of Child Language ◽

10.1017/s0305000900009272 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 273-289 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Barbara Dodd ◽

Sandra McEvoy

Keyword(s):

Free Speech ◽

Multiple Birth ◽

Adult Form ◽

Context Free

ABSTRACTThe acquisition of language in the preschool years by multiple-birth children is often reported to be atypical. Some researchers have claimed that they use ‘twin language’, i.e. an autonomous language specific to a multiple-birth set. This claim was investigated by describing and comparing the phonological characteristics of the speech of 19 sets of two- to four-year-old multiple-birth children, and by measuring multiple-birth children's understanding of their twins' or triplets' context-free speech. The results indicated that multiple-birth children are prone to phonological disorder and consequently their speech is often unintelligible. Siblings' phonologies evidenced some similarities, although they were not identical. Multiple-birth children were better able to understand their siblings' mispronunciations than were other children of the same age, although that understanding was dependent on how closely the error form resembled the adult form. While these three factors conspire to give the impression that ‘twin language’ is common, none of these findings provided support for the claim that multiple-birth children use an autonomous language.

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