Perinatal hypoxic–ischemic brain injury results in neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy and serious long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is an ideal and safe imaging modality for suspected hypoxic–ischemic injury. The pattern of injury depends on brain maturity at the time of insult, severity of hypotension, and duration of insult. Time of imaging after the insult influences the imaging findings. Mild to moderate hypoperfusion results in germinal matrix hemorrhages and periventricular leukomalacia in preterm neonates and parasagittal watershed territory infarcts in full-term neonates. Severe insult preferentially damages the deep gray matter in both term and preterm infants. However, associated frequent perirolandic injury is seen in term neonates. MRI is useful in establishing the clinical diagnosis, assessing the severity of injury, and thereby prognosticating the outcome. Familiarity with imaging spectrum and insight into factors affecting the injury will enlighten the radiologist to provide an appropriate diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Neonatal hypothermia is increasingly recognized as a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Warmth care is an essential component of newborn interventions to reduce neonatal mortality. The present study deals with the knowledge, attitude and neonatal warmth care practices among postnatal mothers/care givers in the postnatal ward and aims to assess the level of understanding, acceptance and implementation of warmth care practices among mothers/care givers. As ThermoSpot is proven to be useful in detecting hypothermia in newborn babies, mothers were taught to detect hypothermia and take necessary steps by observing the colour changes of ThermoSpot. We wanted to assess the knowledge, attitude and neonatal warmth care practices among postnatal mothers/care givers in the postnatal ward. We also wanted to educate the mothers to detect hypothermia in the newborn with a simple tool like ThermoSpot and to educate them regarding correct neonatal warmth care practices. METHODS This is a hospital based interventional study, conducted among 108 post-natal mothers for a period of 6 months. Sociodemographic details of mothers were collected in a proforma. Neonatal warmth care practices followed by mothers were noted. ThermoSpot was applied to all 108 babies and any change in the colour of ThermoSpot was recorded on day 1, at 48 hours and at 72 hours. All mothers were educated about interpretation of change in colour of the ThermoSpot in detecting hypothermia or fever in the newborn baby. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Version 20) software. RESULTS Out of 108 mothers, majority were in 20-24 years age group. Literacy and multiparity of the mothers were found to have statistical significance (p<0.05) regarding the knowledge of drying the baby and wrapping with warm clothes. Mothers of nuclear family, higher socioeconomic status, higher parity, and who had normal vaginal delivery, had shown higher knowledge about skin to skin contact which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Knowledge about rooming in had shown statistical significance among educated mothers, mothers belonging to higher socioeconomic status, higher parity and who had normal vaginal delivery (p <0.05). There was no statistical significance between knowledge of mothers about timing of new-born's first bath and demographic profile of mothers. Out of 108 mothers, 86 (79.6%) had knowledge to initiate breast feeds immediately after delivery where as 20.4% of mothers thought that breast feeds can be fed only when baby cries. Out of 648 ThermoSpot readings, 4 mothers reported PALE GREEN once, and one mother reported RED colour once. Data was analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Version 20) software. CONCLUSIONS In the present study, lack of maternal education on essential newborn care during antenatal (5%) and postnatal periods (13%) by health personnel was found to be one of the important factors contributing to poor knowledge and implementation of essential newborn warmth care practices. As ThermoSpot is not costly (Rs. 7 p...

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