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Introduction: A newborn has limited capacity to maintain temperature when exposed to cold environments. Therefore it is important to maintain newborn in optimal thermal environment. Neonatal hypothermia carries higher case fatality rate when concurrently occurs with other neonatal problems. Neonatal hypothermia is common neonatal problem.Objectives: This study assessed neonatal thermal care practices and beliefs among rural women in west Guji Zone, south Ethiopia. Methods and Materials: A community based cross sectional study combined with qualitative study was undertaken in rural areas of west Guji Zone. Randomly selected 388 rural mothers of infants less than 6 months old were participated in quantitative study. Three focus group discussions and three in-depth interviews were conducted among mothers of infants less than 6 months old; and grandmothers and traditional birth attendants respectively. Quantitative data was collected by using structured and pretested Afaan Oromo version questionnaire adapted from relevant literatures. Qualitative data was collected by in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The qualitative data was cleaned, coded and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Qualitative data was analyzed by thematic approach. Results: Out of 423 women planned for the study, 388 women were successfully interviewed and included into the analysis. In general rural women believe in importance of newborn thermal protection. The findings show that approximately 75% and 85% of women dried and wrapped their newborns respectively after delivery. However in study area drying and wrapping newborn are usually done after first newborn bath. Just over 84% of women bathed their newborns in less than 6 hours of delivery and majority of them used warm water for the bathing. About 69.1% and 57.7% of women put head cover to their newborns immediately after birth and initiated breast feeding within one hour of delivery respectively. Skin to skin care of newborn is non-existent in study area and perceived as odd, frightening and potential dangerous practice. Conclusion: Studied women practice some of recommended neonatal thermal care and believe in their importance in keeping newborn warm. However practice and believes about delayed first bath is against standard recommendation, whereas skin to skin care is non-existent and perceivably odd practice. |
