Background: Preterm births are vulnerable to morbidities and require hospitalization in the neonatal care unit (NCU). The situation is stressful for mothers influencing their attachment and care to the newborns. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the experience of mothers having preterm newborns in NCU. Methods: The qualitative study was conducted among purposively selected 13 mothers of NCU admitted preterm infants at Tribhuvan University, Teaching Hospital. Data was collected using in-depth interview. Colaizzi content analysis method was used for data analysis. Results: Among 13 mothers, 8 were primipara, 25-30 years, homemakers; 6 had Bachelor or above education; 11 had ANC visit > 4 times. Ten infants were very preterm (< 32 weeks gestational age), 11 have very low birth weight (< 1500 gram), 9 born by caesarian section and stayed NICU for 7-14 days. Study identified 5 themes and 18 subthemes: loss of control (fear and anxiety, distress towards pain and suffering, guilt feeling, hopelessness); sense of difference (newborn’s appearance, needs and problems, breastfeeding and parental roles); care of newborn (trust to nurses, confidence and emotional attachment with care involvement,), support for coping (support from family, nurses and other mothers); and difficulties faced (distance to NCU, inadequate guidance and information, and lack of supportive environment) Conclusion: The hospitalization of preterm newborns in NCUs was usually stressful situation for mothers. Their positive experience and coping was related with provided guidance support and involvement in newborn care. Therefore, nurses working in NCU should consider these care components in their practice.

Background: Preconception care is the provision of biomedical, behavioral and social health interventions to women and couples before conception occurs. It aims at improving their health status, and reducing behavioral and environmental factors that contribute to poor maternal and child health outcomes. Therefore, the study was to assess the knowledge on preconception care among reproductive age women. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out amongst 150 reproductive age group women attending the OPD in Manmohan Memorial Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu. The sample was selected by non-probability/purposive sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data using interview technique. Data was analyzed via SPSS software version 16. Mean, median and standard deviation was used for analysis of data. Results: The finding showed that 31.3% had adequate knowledge, while 68.7% of the respondents had moderate knowledge about preconception care. Only 40.7% of the respondents knew that folic acid should be started when female discovers that she is pregnant, 36.7% of the respondents knew that folic acid should be started 3 months before conception. While only 24% respondents knew that folic acid is effective in reducing the risk of birth defects. significant association between level of knowledge on preconception care and family income and whereas there was no significant association between the level of knowledge and the age, ethnic group, education level, religion, residence, occupation, type of family, marital status. Conclusions: This study concludes that there was moderate knowledge on preconception care among reproductive age women. Hence, there should be proper counseling and more educational intervention to upgrade the knowledge level of women of reproductive age.

Background: Quality of life is an important aspect and high priority of the cancer patient care. The objective of the study was to find out the quality of life of cancer patients attending a Cancer hospital, Lumbini Province, Nepal. Methods: An analytical cross sectional study design based on quantitative approach was used in the study. The study was conducted in Sushil Koirala Prakhar Cancer Hospital, Khajura, Banke which was selected purposively considering only one cancer hospital in province five, Nepal. The entire cancer patients receiving at least one cycle of cancer treatment was included in the study using non probability purposive sampling technique. Semi structured interview based questionnaires was used and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire – C30 (EORTC QLQ- C30) was used for measuring quality of life. The data was collected by the enumerator by face to face interview. The collected data were   analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The patients with carcinoma (ca) lungs were in highest proportion (24.5%) followed by ca breast. The transform mean and SD score of Global Health/QoL was 35.84 (16.87), functional scale 36.35(15.54), symptoms scale 53.02 (14.61).Occupation was found to be associated with quality of life at statistically significant level in (p= .000) function score. Site of cancer was found to be associated with quality of life at statistically significant levels (p=.0.009) in symptom score. The patients with stage I and   II had high global health score and least in stage IV. There was positive correlation of .610** (p=.000) significant at 0.01 level with functional scales and high negative correlation of -.521(p=-.521**) with symptom scales at (p=.000) level of significance. The overall quality of life of cancer patients was poor. The pain management of cancer patients should be taken into consideration.

Health service provided to pregnant women during antenatal, childbirth and postnatal period is essential for maternal and child health. Proper care during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period are important for the health of mother and baby. High maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality demand improved healthcare which does not concern to coverage of health services alone. The health issues of pregnant women, mothers, infants and children need to be addressed with the attention to the quality of care (QoC).  The Nepal Health Sector Strategy (NHSS) also identifies equity and quality of care gaps as areas of concern for achieving the maternal health sustainable development goal (SDG) target. So this review aims to sensitize and draw attention to the quality of maternity care and client satisfaction to improve maternal and child health. For this article, different studies related to the quality of maternity care and satisfaction from care service received on maternity care are reviewed.

Introduction: Providers skilled in emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) services are essential, particularly in countries like Nepal with a high burden of maternal and newborn mortality. So this study aims to find out the status of comprehensive emergency obstetrical and neonatal care (CEmONC) service. Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data sources at maternity ward of KAHS teaching hospital, Jumla. Total 291 women admitted in maternity ward for childbirth were included in the study of six month period of 2075. Sampling technique was census for the study who were admitted for child birth purpose. Cases were selected from the record of the maternity ward. The data was collected by using structured tool. Ethical approval was taken from the ethical review committee of KAHS for ethical clearance. Data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Result: There were 291 women admitted in the maternity ward for the purpose of childbirth during six-month period. Among them 224(76.97%) women delivered baby by spontaneous vaginal delivery; 61(20.96%) delivered with C/S and 6(2.06%) were delivered with instrumental delivery. Regarding the indication of 61 cesarean section (C/S) delivery; 22.95% with fetal distress, 16.39% with cephalopelvic disproportion and 11.47% with meconium stained liquor Conclusions: About one third childbirth was done by cesarean section with indication of fetal distress, cephalo-pelvic disproportion and meconium stained liquor in higher proportion. Although CEONC service is effective, the rate of cesarean section can be reduced by providing good quality antenatal care.