published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-198).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2005. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 14, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-211).

Thesis (M.N.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 143-152.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-257).

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-257). Aims to determine the impact of maternal undernutrition during late gestation and during the periconceptional and gestational periods on fetal growth, fetal blood pressure and the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis in the sheep.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-257). / xxii, 257 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Aims to determine the impact of maternal undernutrition during late gestation and during the periconceptional and gestational periods on fetal growth, fetal blood pressure and the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis in the sheep. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 2001

Height, skinfold, and circumference measurements were obtained from 29 normal weight and 17 overweight (>110% of desirable weight for height) healthy pregnant women every four weeks during their second trimester of pregnancy. The mean weight gain and food intake values were not significantly different for both groups. Measurements increased at a greater rate for the normal weight gravidas than for the overweight gravidas in almost every case. For both groups, increases in fat stores were greater in the central sites than in the peripheral sites. No clear relationship between age, prepregnant weight, and weight gain during the second trimester with the birthweight of the baby was found. The infant birthweights of both groups were at an optimal level ( >2500 grams) except for one (born to the mother 151% of her desirable weight for height). The similarity in results for the two groups is greatly due to there not being a large enough difference in prepregnant weights between the two groups. Nevertheless, the results do lend support to a 20 to 30 pound weight gain for an optimal outcome of pregnancy for healthy pregnant women with a wide range of prepregnancy weights. Those women 150% or more of their desirable weight for height may need to gain on the lower end of the spectrum due to their excess endogenous reserves and to possible harm to the fetus with large gains. / Master of Science

Post-natal care is a care given to the mother and the newborn during post-natal period. This period is crucial to save the lives of the mother and the newborn. Despite its importance, the utilisation of this service is very low in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to establish the views and experiences of women and health care workers on post-natal care services and determine the factors influencing its utilisation with the ultimate purpose of developing guidelines to improve uptake and quality of the services in South West Shoa Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to explore and describe the women’s views and experiences on utilisation of post-natal care service. Furthermore, the study sought to explore and describe health care workers views and experiences on provision of the services and to assess the factors facilitating or hindering to the utilisation of it. Ultimately, the study had intended to develop guidelines that would contribute towards improving the uptake and quality of the post-natal care services. The study used a qualitative descriptive and explorative research design to address the research questions. Qualitative data were collected from 19 women who gave birth in the past six months and from 24 health care workers providing post-natal care services (health care workers and health extension workers) and coordinating the overall maternal, neonatal and child health services in the study area (Zone and district health officials; primary health care units heads). The study used in-depth interview guides to collect data from the aforementioned study participants. Inductive thematic analysis was performed on the verbatim transcriptions using the Atlas ti version 8 qualitative data analysis software. Overall, the emerged themes from the analysis are categorised into women’s views and experiences on utilisation of PNC services, views and experiences of health care workers on PNC and factors facilitating and hindering the utilisation of PNC services. The study identified wide range of socio-cultural, knowledge and attitude related, physical, health facility related and health care workers related factors affecting the utilisation of post-natal care services. Consequently, after a systemic review of literature and stakeholders consultation the researcher used the findings of the study to develop guidelines to improve the uptake and quality of post-natal care services. The developed guidelines were also validated by maternal, neonatal and child health service providers and program leaders and the researcher strongly recommend the use of the developed guidelines that would improve the uptake and quality of post-natal care services. / Health Studies / Ph. D. (Public Health)