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Table 1 Content of prenatal and postnatal home visits by HSAs

From: Contribution of community-based newborn health promotion to reducing inequities in healthy newborn care practices and knowledge: evidence of improvement from a three-district pilot program in Malawi

Pregnant women

Visit 1 (1 st trimester, if possible)

Visit 2 (2 nd trimester)

Visit 3 (3 rd trimester)

Counseling on:

Counseling on:

Counseling on:

• Early ANC including IPTp, ITN, TTV

• Early recognition of danger signs and prompt care seeking among pregnant women

• Skilled attendance at birth

• Minor ailments of pregnancy & management/care seeking

• Birth preparedness and complication readiness

• Clean delivery/Clean delivery kit

• Good nutrition

• Subsequent visits for ANC including IPTp, ITN, TT

• Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding

• Hygiene and rest

• Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT)

• Newborn warmth, asphyxia management, skin-to-skin, delaying first bath

• Danger signs of pregnancy

 

• PMTCT and feeding options

• Ascertaining HIV status

• Family planning

• Common newborn and maternal danger signs

Postnatal visits

Day 1 visit

Day 3 visit

Day 7 visit

(Home delivery)

(Both facility and home delivery)

(Both facility and home delivery)

Counseling on newborn care:

Counseling on newborn care:

Counseling on newborn care:

• Attachment and positioning

• Attachment and positioning

• Attachment and positioning

• Early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding

• Exclusive breastfeeding

• Exclusive breastfeeding

• Warmth/skin to skin/delay first bath

• Vaccinations

• Vaccinations

• Hygiene, cord care/skin care

• Hygiene, cord care and skin care

• Hygiene, cord care and skin care

• Support PMTCT when necessary

• Warmth, skin-to-skin care

• Warmth, skin-to-skin care

Activities:

Activities:

Activities:

• Examine newborn & identify: danger signs or low birth weight babies & refer

• Examine newborn & identify: danger signs or low birth weight babies & refer

• Examine newborn & identify: danger signs or low birth weight babies & refer

 

• Encourage postnatal check at a health facility on day 7

• Subsequent weekly visits for low birth weight babies

Counseling on maternal care:

Counseling on maternal care:

Counseling on maternal care:

• Identify maternal danger signs and refer

• Identify maternal danger signs and refer

• Identify maternal danger signs and refer

• Good nutrition

• Good nutrition

• Good nutrition

• Hygiene

• Hygiene

• Hygiene

• Rest

• Rest

• Rest

  

• Encourage under-five visits and family planning at 6 weeks