Meeting demand-Obstetric hemorrhage and blood availability in Malawi, a qualitative study

Background Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Malawi. Despite the presence of a centralized institution supplying blood and blood products for hospitals across the country, a lack of timely blood transfusion has been identified as a critical barrier to successful PPH management. This study aims to understand the factors that […]

Social vulnerability, parity and food insecurity in urban South African young women: the healthy life trajectories initiative (HeLTI) study

Social vulnerability indices (SVI) can predict communities’ vulnerability and resilience to public health threats such as drought, food insecurity or infectious diseases. Parity has yet to be investigated as an indicator of social vulnerability in young women. We adapted an SVI score, previously used by the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), and calculated SVI […]

Can we design the next generation of digital health communication programs by leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to segment target audiences, bolster impact and deliver differentiated services? A machine learning analysis of survey data from rural India

OBJECTIVES: Direct to beneficiary (D2B) mobile health communication programmes have been used to provide reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health information to women and their families in a number of countries globally. Programmes to date have provided the same content, at the same frequency, using the same channel to large beneficiary populations. This manuscript presents […]

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Antenatal Healthcare-Seeking Behaviors in Ghana and the United States

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic impacted healthcare systems worldwide. In this study, we conducted qualitative interviews with pregnant women in Ghana and the United States (US) to understand their antenatal care (ANC) experience. Adapting to the virtual nature of the pandemic, social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp were used to recruit, consent, enroll, and interview women. […]

Screening for infectious maternal morbidity – knowledge, attitudes and perceptions among healthcare providers and managers in Malawi: a qualitative study

Background: Maternal morbidity and mortality related to infection is an international public health concern, but detection and assessment is often difficult as part of routine maternity care in many low- and middle-income countries due to lack of easily accessible diagnostics. Front-line healthcare providers are key for the early identification and management of the unwell woman […]

Impact of COVID-19 on immunization services for maternal and infant vaccines: Results of a survey conducted by imprint—the immunising pregnant women and infants network

The COVID-19 pandemic response has caused disruption to healthcare services globally, including to routine immunizations. To understand immunization service interruptions specifically for maternal, neonatal and infant vaccines, we captured the local experiences of members of the Immunising Pregnant Women and Infants Network (IMPRINT) by conducting an online survey over 2-weeks in April 2020. IMPRINT is […]

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the availability of maternal and child health products and childhood vaccines

Background: In many low- and middle-income countries, the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has challenged efforts to ensure access to and availability of quality maternal, newborn, and child health (MCH) services and essential MCH commodities. Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the availability of maternal and child health products and childhood vaccines […]

Health care in pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and pregnancy outcomes in six low- and-middle-income countries: Evidence from a prospective, observational registry of the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health

Objective: To assess, on a population basis, the medical care for pregnant women in specific geographic regions of six countries before and during the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in relationship to pregnancy outcomes. Design: Prospective, population-based study. Setting: Communities in Kenya, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, India […]

Perception and experience of health extension workers on facilitators and barriers to maternal and newborn health service utilization in ethiopia: A qualitative study

Background: Health extension workers (HEWs) have substantial inputs to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. However, their perceptions and experiences were not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to explore their perceptions and experiences on facilitators and barriers to maternal and newborn health services in Ethiopia. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was […]

Covid-19 and health sector development plans in africa: The impact on maternal and child health outcomes in uganda

Introduction: Health Sector Development Plans (HSDPs) aim to accelerate movement towards achieving sustainable development goals for health, reducing inequalities, and end-ing poverty. Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services are vulnerable to economic imbalances, including health insecurity, unmet need for healthcare, and low health expenditure. The same vulnerability influences the potential of a country […]