Traditional birth attendants' advice toward breast-feeding, immunization and oral rehydration among mothers in rural Bangladesh

Traditional birth attendants (TBAs) are regarded as essential child health care providers in Bangladesh. A community-based cross-sectional study was c ompleted using questionnaires and interviews to compare trained and untrain ed TBAs' advice on (1) breastfeeding, (2) immunizations and (3) oral rehydr ation therapy as an extended part of their maternity care training. Twenty- eight trained TBAs (TTBAs) and 27 corresponding untrained TBAs (UTBAs) in t he Dhaka district were interviewed to investigate the effect of their advic e on the three outcome variables of maternal health care. Additionally, 276 questionnaires were distributed to the mothers cared for by these TBAs to determine their knowledge of infant-care practices. In-depth interviews wit h 25 mothers provided additional insight. While TTBAs may have more knowledge and be more willing to disseminate heal th care information to mothers with new infants than UTBAs, the mother's he alth practices were independent of the advice provided by the two groups of TBAs. Additionally, the mother's health practices equaled or exceeded expe cted norms.