Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Among Mothers of Infants Regarding Breastfeeding

Objective: This study aims at understanding the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of breastfeeding among mothers and the factors associated with good knowledge about breastfeeding. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study among 251 mothers of infants admitted in the pediatric wards of SAT Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram was conducted during November-December 2019. The mothers of infants born between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation and without major birth defects were included in the study. The data were entered into an MS Excel sheet and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 26.0. Significance of association was tested using Chi-square test and multivariate analysis was done using binary logistic regression test. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.25 (SD 4) years. On multivariable analysis, higher education and older age were found to be significantly associated with good knowledge. Independent sample T-Test results show that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean age of mothers with good knowledge (26.4(±4), 25.14(±3.7)), p-0.015 and statistically significant association was found between the mean attitude scores (34.07(5.58)) with current breastfeeding practices (p=0.002). Chi-square test shows that exclusive breastfeeding was significantly associated with the mother’s age (p=0.006); 64.2% of women practicing exclusive breastfeeding were less than 25 years of age. This study also demonstrated a significant association between the initiation of breastfeeding within an hour and exclusive breastfeeding (p=0.003). Conclusion: This study shows that mothers with higher age and higher educational qualifications were significantly associated with good knowledge about breastfeeding. Even though mothers have good knowledge, nearly half the mothers only exclusively breastfeed their infants for six months. Improving the educational qualification of women and increasing awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding among young women will promote breastfeeding practices

Ultra sonographic study of right lobe of liver morphometry with age, sex, height, weight and BMI of individual in central Indian population

Correlation between craniocaudal length of right lobe of liver and age of subjects is not significant at 5% level of significance. Correlation between craniocaudal length of right lobe of liver and gender of subjects is significant at 5% level of significance, (p=0.00). Craniocaudal length of right lobe and height of subjects showing +ve correlation and correlation between ccl of rt lobe and height  of subjects is significant at 5% level of significance. Craniocaudal length of right lobe and body mass index  of subjects showing +ve correlation (r=0.356) and correlation between ccl of rt lobe and BMI  of subjects is significant at 5% level of significance. Craniocaudal length of right lobe and weight of subjects showing +ve correlation (r=0.047) and correlation between ccl of rt lobe and weight of subjects is not significant at 5% level of significance

Analysis of position of greater palatine foramen in central Indian adult skulls: a consideration for maxillary nerve block

To anaesthetize posterior part of soft palate for various surgical procedures, knowledge of the position of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) is very important. Blocking of maxillary division of trigeminal nerve or its branches for local anaesthesia is common practice for maxillofacial surgeries. Objective: this study was aimed to determine the morphology of greater palatine foramen in relation to certain fixed points. Methodology: this study was conducted on 86 dry adult Indian skulls. All the measurements were done with vernier caliper accurate to 0.1 mm. Using flexible stainless steel wire direction of opening of GPF into oral cavity was noted. Results: In 73.26% cases, GPF is located opposite third maxillary molar tooth. Mean distance from GPF to the incisive fossa (IF) was found to be 35.9 mm. The mean distance between posterior margins of GPF to posterior border of hard palate was 3.4 mm. The distance between the GPF to the midline maxillary suture was 15.3 mm. In 74.42% cases, direction of opening of GPF was located antero-laterally. Arched palatal vault was found in 66.28% skulls. Conclusion: The location of greater palatine foramen is variable still in most of the cases it is located opposite third molar tooth and is directed antero-later