Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Getting an early start on child health

DIR believes that child health begins in the womb. The Health Providers monintor each pregnant woman in their areas throughout their pregnancies, checking weight, blood pressure and fetal heartbeat. They also provide pre-natal classes, partly with the aim of dispelling mistaken beliefs about conception and birth. Finally, they encourage women to have at least two pre- and ante-natal examinations and commit to having a health professional in attendance at the birth. Across India, fewer than 50% of births take place in health facilities. In the Janta Colony, the rate has risen to almost 70%.