Women’s perspectives on quality of maternal health care services in Malawi
Despite promotion by many stakeholders to improve maternal health outcome in many developing countries including Malawi, many analysts agree that the utmost success in maternal health will arise if maternal health care services are an unparallel led source for women’s health care solutions for any problem related to childbirth. Health advocates worldwide claim that even […]
Changes in maternal and neonatal care after a quality improvement intervention in a sub-Saharan setting
Aim: Quality improvement approaches have been integrated into routine health care in high-resource settings, but not in low-resource settings. We aimed to report the achievements in maternal and neonatal care after a quality improvement intervention in a sub-Saharan setting. Methods: After a first quality assessment in 2012 at Tosamaganga hospital in Tanzania, main areas of […]
Prevalence and Predictors of “Small Size” Babies in Ethiopia: In-depth Analysis of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, 2011
BACKGROUND: Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies account for nearly 80% of neonatal deaths globally. In Ethiopia, only 5% of them are weighed at birth. This study analyzes the prevalence and key proximate determinants of reported infant size, and its validity to use as a proxy indicator for low birth weight inthe Ethiopian context. Data source: […]
Global, regional, and national levels of maternal mortality, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
Background In transitioning from the Millennium Development Goal to the Sustainable Development Goal era, it is imperative to comprehensively assess progress toward reducing maternal mortality to identify areas of success, remaining challenges, and frame policy discussions. We aimed to quantify maternal mortality throughout the world by underlying cause and age from 1990 to 2015. Methods […]
Direct maternal deaths attributable to HIV in the era of antiretroviral therapy: evidence from three population-based HIV cohorts with verbal autopsy
OBJECTIVE: To assess whether HIV is associated with an increased risk of mortality from direct maternal complications. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study using data from three demographic surveillance sites in Eastern and Southern Africa. METHODS: We use verbal autopsy data, with cause of death assigned using the InSilicoVA algorithm, to describe the association between HIV and […]
Cost-effectiveness of maternal influenza immunization in Bamako, Mali: A decision analysis
Background Maternal influenza immunization has gained traction as a strategy to diminish maternal and neonatal mortality. However, efforts to vaccinate pregnant women against influenza in developing countries will require substantial investment. We present cost-effectiveness estimates of maternal influenza immunization based on clinical trial data from Bamako, Mali. Methods We parameterized a decision-tree model using prospectively […]
Measurement approaches in continuum of care for maternal health: A critical interpretive synthesis of evidence from LMICs and its implications for the South African context
Background: Global strategies recommend a continuum of care for maternal health to improve outcomes and access to care in low and middle income countries (LMICs). South Africa has already set priority interventions along the continuum of care for maternal health, and mandated their implementation at the district health level. However, the approach for monitoring access […]
Exploring the feasibility of eHealth solutions to decrease delays in maternal healthcare in remote communities of Ghana
Background: Despite the introduction of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal deaths from 400 to 100 per 100,000 live births, the proportion of maternal deaths is still much higher in most developing countries like Ghana. Various interventions have been implemented in Ghana that focus on increasing skilled maternal care. These are especially needed in […]
A narrative literature review on media and maternal health in Africa
Health communication is a strategy used to disseminate health information to individuals and communities to enable them to make decisions that will enhance their health and well-being. Particularly in the era of digital health, such strategies tend to emphasize health promotion and disease prevention. Access to essential health information is a fundamental aspect of an […]
Are Indigenous research principles incorporated into maternal health research? A scoping review of the global literature
Background: Indigenous women world-wide are diverse and heterogenous, yet many have similar experiences of colonization, land dispossession, and discrimination. These experiences along with inequitable access to, and quality of, maternal healthcare increase adverse maternal health outcomes. To improve health outcomes for Indigenous women, studies must be conducted with Indigenous involvement and reflect Indigenous research principles. […]
