Effect of Mobile-health on maternal health care service utilization in Eastern Ethiopia: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Globally, the rapid development of mobile technology has created new ways of addressing public health challenges and shifted the paradigm of health care access and delivery. The primary aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of Mobile-health on maternal health care service utilization in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods/design: Through, a cluster-randomized controlled trial, […]

Impact of the saving mothers, giving life approach on decreasing maternal and perinatal deaths in Uganda and Zambia

Background: Maternal and perinatal mortality is a global development priority that continues to present major challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) was a multipartner initiative implemented from 2012 to 2017 with the goal of improving maternal and perinatal health in high-mortality settings. The initiative accomplished this by reducing delays to timely and […]

The cost-effectiveness of using results-based financing to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in Malawi

Introduction Results-based financing (RBF) is being promoted to increase coverage and quality of maternal and perinatal healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. Evidence on the cost-effectiveness of RBF is limited. We assessed the cost-effectiveness within the context of an RBF intervention, including performance-based financing and conditional cash transfers, in rural Malawi. Methods We used a […]

What is the relationship between contraceptive services and knowledge of abortion availability and legality? Evidence from a national sample of women and facilities in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, abortions are legal for minors and for rape, incest, foetal impairment or maternal disability. Knowledge of abortion legality and availability is low, and little effort has been made to disseminate this information for fear of invoking anti-abortion sentiment; instead, systems rely on health providers as information gatekeepers. This study explores how exposure to […]

Longitudinal patterns of the relation between anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among postpartum women with and without maternal morbidities in Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-lagged autoregressive structural equation modelling

Background: The postpartum period is a time where mothers can undergo significant changes that increase vulnerability for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. However, the direct and indirect factors of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and their direction of relationships following childbirth is not well investigated in Ethiopia. The aim of this […]

Examining access to sexual and reproductive health services and information for young women with disabilities in Senegal: a qualitative study

This qualitative research aimed to examine Senegalese disabled women’s access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and information. Poor access to SRH services and information can lead to a range of negative consequences, including poor sexual, reproductive, and maternal health outcomes; rights violations; and impacts on mental health and livelihoods. Disabled women, who are […]

Predictors of facility-based delivery utilization in central Ethiopia: A case-control study

Background Improving access to maternal health services has been a priority for the health sector in lowincome countries; the utilization of facility delivery services has remained low. Although Ethiopia provides free maternal health services in all public health facilities utilization of services has not been as expected. Objective This study examined predictors of facility delivery […]

Public health risks of humanitarian crises in Mozambique

Mozambique has been experiencing various humanitarian crises with important public health implications over the last years. These crises compound underlying disease burden dominated by human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and malaria [1]. Despite important health gains over the last two decades, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted […]

Assessing factors associated with poor maternal mental health among mothers of children born small and sick at 24–47 months in rural Rwanda

Background: Global investments in neonatal survival have resulted in a growing number of children with morbidities surviving and requiring ongoing care. Little is known about the caregivers of these children in low- and middle-income countries, including maternal mental health which can further negatively impact child health and development outcomes. We aimed to assess the prevalence […]

“They must understand we are people”: Pregnancy and maternity service use among signing Deaf women in Cape Town

Background Women with disabilities are at disproportionate risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, however, there is limited information on their pregnancy histories. This mixed-methods study focuses on signing Deaf women whose access to health care may be compromised by language barriers related to their disability. Objective To describe and compare the pregnancy outcomes and maternity service […]