Integrated Maternal and Newborn Care Basic Skills Course ...

• Ideally take preventive steps early with appropriate care and nourishment of the girl
child.
• Counsel families/mothers to ensure that women in general:
o delay child bearing until they are at least 20 years old.
o have adequate nutrition.
o have sufficient rest and are not subjected to hard work during pregnancy.
o have basic care to detect and treat problems before pregnancy.
• Ensure through care and counseling that pregnant women:
o receive quality prenatal care, including taking iron and folic acid to manage anemia
and preventing malaria through the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria and
use of insecticide-treated bednets.
o recognize danger signs and seek appropriate care.
o follow birth spacing (2-3 years) through being encouraged to use contraception.
Complications of Low Birth Weight
Low birth weight babies have several handicaps that make them more susceptible to a number
of problems, many of which can be life threatening, especially in smaller, more preterm infants.
Some of the key issues are noted in Table 15, along with some strategies for treatment and
management.
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Integrated maternal and newborn care
Basic skills course