Determinants of maternal health services utilization in urban settings of the Democratic Republic of Congo – A Case study of Lubumbashi City
Background: The use of maternal health services, known as an indirect indicator of perinatal death, is still unknown in Lubumbashi. The present study was therefore undertaken in order to determine the factors that influence the use of mother and child healthcare services in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.Methods: This was transversal study of women […]
Association between prenatal provision of lipid-based nutrient supplements and caesarean delivery: Findings from a randomised controlled trial in Malawi
In populations with a high prevalence of childhood and adolescent undernutrition, supplementation during pregnancy aiming at improving maternal nutritional status and preventing fetal growth restriction might theoretically lead to cephalopelvic disproportion and delivery complications. We investigated whether the prenatal provision of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) was associated with an increased risk of caesarean section […]
Epidemiology of pre-existing multimorbidity in pregnant women in the UK in 2018: a population-based cross-sectional study
Background: Although maternal death is rare in the United Kingdom, 90% of these women had multiple health/social problems. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of pre-existing multimorbidity (two or more long-term physical or mental health conditions) in pregnant women in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland). Study design: Pregnant women aged […]
Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: A critical overview of the literature
Background: Gender inequalities are important social determinants of health. We set out to critically review the literature relating to gender equity and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa with the aim of identifying priorities for action. Design: During November 2011, we identified studies relating to SRH and gender equity through a […]
Family poultry: Multiple roles, systems, challenges, and options for sustainable contributions to household nutrition security through a planetary health lens
Achieving sustainable production of eggs by family poultry production systems that meet both environmental health and welfare standards is a complex endeavour. Humans have been raising different species of poultry for thousands of years across many different agroecological zones. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has identified four different family poultry production […]
Rural-urban disparities in missed opportunities for vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country decomposition analyses
Background: In this study, we aimed to explore the rural-urban disparities in the magnitude and determinants of missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using nationally representative household surveys conducted between 2007 and 2017 in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The risk difference in MOV between rural or […]
Determinants of complementary feeding practices among children aged 6–24 months in urban slums of Pune, Maharashtra, in India
Background: Inequalities in child feeding practices are evident in urban slums in developing nations. Our study identified the determinants of complementary feeding (CF) practices in the informal settings of Pune, India, a district close to the business capital of India. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional study design, 1066 mother–children dyads were surveyed. Five indicators defined by […]
Women’s use of non-conventional herbal uterotonic in pregnancy and labour: evidence from birth attendants
Background: Over the years, governments and stakeholders have implemented various policies/programmes to improve maternal health outcomes in low-middle-income countries. In Ghana, Community Health Officers were trained as midwives to increase access to skilled maternal healthcare. The government subsequently banned traditional birth attendants from providing direct maternal healthcare in 2000. Despite these, there is an unprecedented […]
Associations of land, cattle and food security with infant feeding practices among a rural population living in Manyara, Tanzania
Background: Livelihoods strategies and food security experiences can positively and negatively affect infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. This study contributes to this literature by exploring how variation in household economics among rural farmers in Tanzania relates to IYCF patterns over the first 8 months of an infant’s life. Methods: These data were produced […]
Prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among pregnant women in Konso district, southern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study
Background: Undernutrition during pregnancy is an important public health problem. It is highly prevalent in Ethiopia but not sufficiently addressed yet. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among pregnant mothers in Konso district, Ethiopia. Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with a qualitative inquiry from December 2018 […]
