An integrated postpartum health-care program was established by the Consultorio San Luis de Huechuraba (CSLH), a nongovernmental organization in a neighborhood of extreme poverty in Santiago, Chile. The main components were education, maternal and infant health care, support for the mothers, and active participation of women from the community served. The program was evaluated through indicators of contraceptive use, breastfeeding performance, infant growth and health, and a qualitative assessment of women's satisfaction. Controls were women of similar characteristics attending the nearby public clinic. Acceptability of contraceptive methods was similar but contraceptive options differed between clinics. The total number of pregnancies and of respondents lost to follow-up was significantly higher for the public clinic than for the CSLH. Breastfeeding duration was significantly longer and infant growth and health were found to be significantly better at the CSLH than at the public clinic. Women valued being treated with respect, receiving education and support, and being offered timesaving services and wider contraceptive choices at the CSLH. This study demonstrates that such interventions are possible for poor communities, providing significant advantages for women and children.

A study was made of the growth of Holstein Friesian females in an intensive production system in the Venezuelan tropics, using monthly weights from birth (no. = 922) up to 72 months of age (no. = 63). Birth weights were adjusted for age of dam, month and year of birth of heifer, whereas subsequent weights were adjusted for birth weight and month and year of birth. Despite lower weights at birth (mean = 35-9 kg), live weights were comparable to the Beltsville standard for the breed up to 12 months of age. However, at 24, 36, 48 and 72 months of age the weights observed only reached 0-84, 0-77, 0-75, 0-79 and 0-78, respectively, of the Beltsville standard. No effect was observed on birth weight of age of dam, month or year of birth, but birth weight affected subsequent weights (P < 0-001) and the effects of month and year of birth on live weight were significant at most ages. The poor quality of the forage consumed and stress due to high environmental temperatures and humidity appear to be the main reasons for the reduced growth rates. Von Bertalanffy's model gave a higher residual error than a polynomial model when fitted to the data, but resulted in a curve which agreed more closely with the conventional biological growth pattern.