Survived infancy but still vulnerable: Spatial-temporal trends and risk factors for child mortality in rural South Africa (Agincourt), 1992-2007

Targeting of health interventions to poor children at highest risk of mortality are promising approaches for enhancing equity. Methods have emerged to accurately quantify excess risk and identify space-time disparities. This provides useful and detailed information for guiding policy. A spatio-temporal analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with child (1-4 years) mortality in […]

‘What men don’t know can hurt women’s health’: a qualitative study of the barriers to and opportunities for men’s involvement in maternal healthcare in Ghana

Background: The importance of men’s involvement in facilitating women’s access to skilled maternal healthcare in patriarchal societies such as Ghana is increasingly being recognised. However, few studies have been conducted to examine men’s involvement in issues of maternal healthcare, the barriers to men’s involvement, and how best to actively involve men. The purpose of this […]

Maternal aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Uganda

Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites of Aspergillus moulds and are widespread in the food supply, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Both in utero and infant exposure to aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) have been linked to poor child growth and development. The objective of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the association between […]

Patterns and determinants of pathways to reach comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care (CEmONC) in South Sudan: Qualitative diagrammatic pathway analysis

Background: Maternity referral systems have been under-documented, under-researched, and under-theorised. Responsive emergency referral systems and appropriate transportation are cornerstones in the continuum of care and central to the complex health system. The pathways that women follow to reach Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) once a decision has been made to seek care have received […]

Patterns and determinants of dropout from maternity care continuum in Nigeria

Background: The maternal, newborn and child health care continuum require that mother/child pair should receive the full package of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care in order to derive maximum benefits. Continuity of care is a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we investigate the patterns and factors associated with dropout in the continuum of […]

Cesarean delivery in Nigeria: Prevalence and associated factors •a population-based cross-sectional study

Objective To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with caesarean delivery in Nigeria. Design This is a secondary analysis of the nationally representative 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data. We carried out frequency tabulation, χ 2 test, simple logistic regression and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses to achieve the study objective. Setting Nigeria. […]

Infant gut microbiota characteristics generally do not modify effects of lipid-based nutrient supplementation on growth or inflammation: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial in Malawi

An unhealthy gut microbial community may act as a barrier to improvement in growth and health outcomes in response to nutritional interventions. The objective of this analysis was to determine whether the infant microbiota modified the effects of a randomized controlled trial of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) in Malawi on growth and inflammation at 12 […]

Effect of a community health worker delivered health, nutrition and responsive stimulation package and conditional cash transfers on child development and growth in rural Tanzania: Protocol for a cluster-randomized trial

Background: Child health, nutrition, and responsive stimulation interventions have been developed to improve child survival, growth and development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Nevertheless, research on integrated implementation approaches to deliver and promote uptake of these interventions is needed, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods/design: We will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a supply-side […]

Association between maternal age and adverse perinatal outcomes in Arba Minch zuria, and Gacho Baba district, southern Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study

Background: Globally, delayed childbearing to the advanced age is a growing option. It is an emerging public health issue in developing countries. Currently, adverse perinatal outcomes significantly increased. A few studies showed the effect of advanced maternal age on adverse perinatal outcomes. However, most used secondary data or chart reviews, and this increases the risk […]

Maternal dietary practices, dietary diversity, and nutrient composition of diets of lactating mothers in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Background Optimal nutrition during lactation is essential for the well-being of the mother and the infant. Studies have shown that access to nutrient-rich foods during lactation is critical as minimal stores of nutrients can have adverse effects. This study aimed to investigate the diversity, composition, and nutrient adequacy of diets of lactating mothers in Southwest […]