Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Research

Health of a mother and newborn depends not only on the health care received during pregnancy and Intra partum but also during postpartum period.A cross-sectional study was conducted on Gadaba and Konda Dora Tribal populations at random from 95 tribal villages in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh.Data were collected from 300 lactating women from each Tribe who were Aged between 15-45 years through in-depth and face to face interview method.Nearly one fifth (18.0%-20.0%) of the present Tribal women reported that the Umbilical cord was cut after the delivery of the placenta, and majority of the respondents were not sure/unaware of the time of removing the umbilical cord. Most of the Gadaba (80.3%) and Konda Dora (82.3%) Tribes used the new shaving blade to cut the umbilical cord. After cutting the Umbilical cord, new thread was tied to the stump to arrest the blood flow in 80.3% of Gadaba and 83.0% of Konda Dora newborns. About 96.0% of Gadaba and 95.3% of Konda Dora newborns were applied with variety of oils or ash of vegetative origins and also used different powders to the wound for healing.Some of the present study Tribal women have adopted certain unhygienic Practices in cutting the umbilical cord with unsterilized unsafe instruments, tying the wound with available material and also applying the cord stump with different substances which are considered as unhealthy practices.