Waterless Hand Cleansing With Chlorhexidine During the Perinatal Period

Pregnant women in the intervention arm will receive an intensive hand cleansing promotion delivered at 3 in-home visits between one month prenatal and 1 week post natal. The intervention will promote and discuss with mothers the benefits of hand cleansing with chlorhexidine before breastfeeding, before umbilical cord care, after contact with respiratory secretions, and the convenience of using a waterless hand sanitizer especially during the neonatal period. Each mother will receive a half-liter pump bottle with chlorhexidine lotion. The program will also educate mothers about infectious causes of morbidity and mortality in neonates and promote understanding of the risk to the neonate from these diseases.

This arms will receive maternal and neonatal health counselling which includes discussion and education about antenatal care, safe and clean delivery, recognition of danger signs for the mother and neonate, immediate new born care, and essential new born care. Each mother will receive a clean delivery kit and pictoral cue cards for danger sign recognition.