Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...

Prevent malaria
• Ask whether the woman and newborn will be sleeping
under a bednet. If yes:
o Ask if it has it been dipped in insecticide.
o Advise her to dip it every six months.
If not, advise her to use an insecticide-treated bednet, and
provide information to help her do this.
Note that WHO/GMP (Global Malaria Program) now recommends use of long lasting
insecticidal nets (LLINs) that maintain efficacy for at least 3 years. 6
Prevent vitamin A deficiency
• Give 200,000 IU vitamin A capsules after delivery
or within six weeks of delivery.
• Explain to the woman that the capsule with vitamin
A will help her to recover better and that the baby
will receive the vitamin through her breast milk.
• Ask her to swallow the capsule in your presence.
• Explain to her that if she feels nauseated or has a
headache, it should pass in a couple of days.
• Do not give capsules with high dose of vitamin A
during pregnancy.
Prevent iron-deficiency anemia
• For intermittent preventive treatment of hookworm to
prevent anemia, provide doses of a broad antihelminthic
(to be taken every six months) to women living in
hookworm endemic areas.
• Iron/folate supplementation to prevent anemia.
• If hemoglobin is between 8–11 g/dL, give ferrous sulfate or
ferrous fumerate 60 mg by mouth plus folic acid 400 mcg by
mouth once daily for at least three months after childbirth.
• If hemoglobin is ≤7 g/dL, treat for anemia according to
national protocols.
(Note: The ferrous sulfate or fumerate dose will depend upon
the woman’s hemoglobin. Follow national guidelines on the
specific treatment, as this may vary from country to country.)
6 Source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr43/en/index.html; accessed on March
26, 2009
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Integrated maternal and newborn care
Basic skills course