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pubmed:otherAbstract |
PIP: The main causes of infant mortality in 71% of the cases are diarrhea, measles, acute respiratory infection, and neonatal tetanus. A UN child survival strategy includes growth monitoring, oral rehydration, breast feeding, immunization, fertility, food and female literacy (GOBI-FFF). Previous research has shown a correlation between low levels of infant mortality and high levels of female literacy. Educated women are more likely to delay marriage, and childbearing. Child mortality is much higher for those born to women under 20 years old and also much higher for those born within 1 or 2 after the previous birth. Maternal mortality is also higher for mothers under 20 and with closely spaced births of 3 or more children. The majority of adults in developing countries have knowledge of family planning but teen pregnancy is a concern. Better nutrition during pregnancy would decrease infant deaths. Growth monitoring is another way to reduce infant mortality and morbidity. The difficulties are in the reluctance to adapt programs to local traditional methods of growth monitoring and going to direct recording scales. Immunization is estimated to have prevented over 3 million deaths from measles, tetanus, whooping cough and polio in 1984 alone. In spite of progress, only 50% of children in developing countries are immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and tetanus by the age of 1 year. these activities must be integrated into primary health care and community development projects to make better contact with people needing this service. oral rehydration therapy not only reduces mortality from diarrhea but can reduce morbidity by reducing the duration of the illness and by increasing the weight gain. Breast feeding has been shown in many studies to reduce the risk of deaths of infants. The promotion of breast feeding includes the issues of maternity leave, job security, and child care at the work place.
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