What is Intranatal Care - Antenatal Screening

*Intranatal care is the care of the mother of the delivery.

# Basic principles of intranatal care :

1) Prevention of infection.

2) Prevention of dehydration and mitosis of the mother;

3) Relief of pain.

4) Prevention of trauma to the infant and mother.

5) Readiness to deal with complications such as prolonged labor, antepartum, hemorrhage, postpartum hemorrhage, convulsions, malpresentation, prolapse of the cord etc.

# objects of intranatal care:

1) To ensure that the mother receives the best available care during delivery.

2) To prevent maternal mortality and morbidity.

# delivering of intranatal care:

a) Domiciliary care:

* Mothers with normal obstetric history can be advised to have their confinement in their own homes, provided the home conditions are satisfactory. Such kind of delivery may be conducted by the health worker, female or trained dais and is known as 'Domiciliary midwifery service'.

Advantage of domiciliary care:

1) The familiar surroundings of the home may tend to remove the fear associated with delivery in the hospital.

2) Cross infection-generally fewer at home than in the MCH clinic/hospital; and

3) The mother is able to keep on eye on her children and domestic affairs which may tend to ease her mental tension.

Disadvantages of domiciliary care:

1) Less medical and nursing supervision than in the clinic/hospital.

2) The mother may have less rest

3) The mother may resume herb domestic duties too soon, and

4) Diet of the mother may be neglected.

B. Institutional care:

*This is recommended for all "high risk" pregnancies, and where home conditions are unsuitable.

*The length of stay in the hospital will vary with the nature of the case. In normal cases, the present practice of early discharge is not considered wrong. In selected cases, it is wiser to allow the mother a few days rest in the hospital.

*Rooming-in

Keeping the body's crib by the side of the mother's bed is called rooming in Merits of rooming-in.

1) Gives an opportunity for the mother to know her baby, thus a good mother-child bonding is established.

2) Mothers get a chance to practice breast feeding of babies.

3) Allays the fear in the mother's mind that the baby is not misplaced in the baby room. It also builds up her self-confidence.