Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of Neonatal Care among Post Natal Mothers attending in Ayder and Mekelle Hospital in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia 2013

The most recent estimates suggest that 130 million babies born every year, 4 million die in neonatal period. Neonatal mortality now accounts for approximately two-thirds of the 8 million deaths in infants less than 1 year of age and nearly four tenths of all deaths in children less than 5 year of age. Worldwide 98% of all neonatal death occurs in developing countries .Mostly at home, and attributable to infection birth asphyxias, injuries and consequences of prematurely, low birth weight and congenital anomalies. To assess the knowledge and practice of neonatal care among post natal mothers attending in governmental hospitals found in Mekelle town, Tigray, Ethiopia 2013. Study was conducted on knowledge and practice of neonatal care among post natal mothers and the study design of the research project is facility based cross-sectional study design was used. The data period from May—June 2013 .The data was collected from 290 post natal mothers by trained interviewers using structure questionnaire .The data was analyzed using Microsoft excel 2007. Out of the total 290 respondents 153 (53%) were in the age group of 25-29 years and the remaining 45 (16%) were 30-34 year and 18 (6%) were between 35-39 years. The mean age were 27.04(± 5.9). Out of the total study participants 220(75.86%) of the respondents were knew that vaccine given to prevent from infection, 53(18.28) of them responded that to improve the health of the baby. Of the total respondents 247(85.17%) responded that nothing should be put on the umbilical cord to dry, 43 (14.83%) of the respondents put something to the umbilical cord stump such as animal dung and butter .Of the total study participants 112(38.6%) of the mothers said that first bath should be started after twenty-four hour, but more than half of the respondents 178(61.4%) were not. Out of total study participants the total 107(36.9%) were practiced traditional malpractice, like uvulectomy 58(20%). majority of mothers have had good knowledge, toward benefits of vaccination, initiation of Brest milk, umbilical care and new born danger sing. Health education played significant role to increase their knowledge. This study revealed that malpractice was still concern in the study area and significant number of study participants conducted malpractice and lack of awareness was main reason for traditional malpractice.