Impact of a Home Care Educational Program for Mothers Having Pre-term Infants in General Hospitals in Port Said

Abstract

Background: Prematurity is associated with an increased risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Conventional neonatal care of premature infants is expensive and needs both highly skilled personnel and permanent logistic support Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of home care education program on pre-term infant outcome Materials and Methods:A quasi-experimental study was carried out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units at El Naser, General Port Fouad hospitals and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Centers at Port-Said city. The sample comprised 100 neonates and their mothers divided equally into study and control groups. Results:The implementation of a well-designed applied intervention program about home care of preterm infant proved to be successful in improving infants' outcomes in terms of breastfeeding. These improvements were retained throughout the four-month follow-up with better body weight and length gains, less gastrointestinal, respiratory and infection problems, and lower rate of re-hospitalization.Conclusion: Implementation of the intervention program led to a positive infants' outcome in terms of anthropometric measurements, physical signs, and reduction of the risks of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and infection problems, better feeding and less-re hospitalization. Therefore, the study recommended the implementation of the program on a wider scale to confirm its merits and for further improvement.