EFFECTIVENESS OF AN AWARENESS PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE REGARDING HUMAN MILK BANK AMONG ANTENATAL MOTHERS: A STUDY PROTOCOL

Background: Breast milk offers the ideal source of nutrition for the rst 6 months after birth and may remain a part of an infant's diet. Many infants lack access to their mothers' own milk because of issues related to the mother's illness death, abandonment, or infant illness. This lack of access to breast milk leaves infant more vulnerable to disease, poor health, or death, especially when they are born preterm, have low birth weight or are severely malnourished. A human milk bank screens donated milk and distributed the milk to infants in need. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an awareness program on knowledge and attitude regarding human milk bank among antenatal mothers in selected hospitals. Methodology: A pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design will be used. 73 antenatal mothers will be selected by non-probability convenience sampling. The tool will consist self-structured knowledge questionaries and attitude scale based on human milk bank. After pre-test and administering intervention on awareness program on human milk bank, post-test will be conducted on 7th day. Content validity of questionnaire will be carried out by the experts of concerned eld. Reliability of tool will be assessed by Cronbach's alpha value. The collected data will be analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Expected results: There may be signicant difference between pre-test and post-test knowledge and attitude score regarding human milk bank among antenatal mothers. Limitation: This study will be delimited to selected geographical areas. Conclusion: An awareness programme will be effective in improving knowledge and enhancing favourable attitude regarding human milk bank among antenatal mothers and thus able to combat with the myths and misconception regarding human milk donation and its acceptance.