In Utero ART Exposure and Birth and Early Growth Outcomes among HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants Attending Immunization Services: Results from National PMTCT Surveillance, South Africa
Background: Despite the recognized benefit of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for preventing and treating HIV, some studies have reported adverse birth outcomes with in utero ART exposure. We evaluated the effect of infant in utero HIV and ART exposure on preterm delivery (PTD), low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA), and underweight for age […]
Inequality in fertility rate among adolescents: evidence from Timor-Leste demographic and health surveys 2009–2016
Background: Despite a decline in global adolescent birth rate, many countries in South East Asia still experience a slower pace decline in adolescent birth rates. Timor-Leste is one of the countries in the region with the highest adolescent birth rate and huge disparities between socio-economic subgroups. Hence, this study assessed the magnitude and trends in […]
Effects of parenting classes and economic strengthening for caregivers on the cognition of HIV-exposed infants: A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in rural Zimbabwe
Introduction HIV-exposed children show signs of developmental delay. We assessed the impact of a pragmatic multicomponent intervention for caregivers of HIV-exposed children aged 0-2 years in Zimbabwe. Methods We conducted a cluster-randomised trial from 2016 to 2018. Clusters were catchments surrounding clinics, allocated (1:1) to either National HIV guidelines standard of care or standard care […]
The association of gut microbiota characteristics in Malawian infants with growth and inflammation
We tested the hypotheses that a more mature or diverse gut microbiota will be positively associated with infant growth and inversely associated with inflammation. We characterized gut microbiota from the stool samples of Malawian infants at 6 mo (n = 527), 12 mo (n = 632) and 18 mo (n = 629) of age. Microbiota […]
Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6-23 Months in Aleta Wondo District, Southern Ethiopia
Background. Dietary diversity (DD) is among the core infant and young child feeding (IYCF) indicators. However, in many developing countries, meeting the minimum standards of DD is challenging and information concerning its determinants is limited. Objective. To assess the level and predictors of DD among children aged 6-23 months in rural communities of Aleta Wondo […]
Implementation and evaluation of nonclinical interventions for appropriate use of cesarean section in low- And middle-income countries: Protocol for a multisite hybrid effectiveness-implementation type III trial
Background: While cesarean sections (CSs) are a life-saving intervention, an increasing number are performed without medical reasons in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Unnecessary CS diverts scarce resources and thereby reduces access to healthcare for women in need. Argentina, Burkina Faso, Thailand, and Vietnam are committed to reducing unnecessary CS, but many individual and organizational […]
Burden of disease among the world’s poorest billion people: An expert-informed secondary analysis of Global Burden of Disease estimates
Background The health of populations living in extreme poverty has been a long-standing focus of global development efforts, and continues to be a priority during the Sustainable Development Goal era. However, there has not been a systematic attempt to quantify the magnitude and causes of the burden in this specific population for almost two decades. […]
Socioeconomic inequalities in child growth failure in Ethiopia: Findings from the 2000 and 2016 Demographic and Health Surveys
Objective Socioeconomic inequalities in child growth failure (CGF) remain one of the main challenges in Ethiopia. This study examined socioeconomic inequalities in CGF and determinants that contributed to these inequalities in Ethiopia. Methods The Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys 2000 and 2016 data were used in this study. A pooled unweighted sample of the two […]
Participatory learning and action cycles with women’s groups to prevent neonatal death in low-resource settings: A multi-country comparison of cost-effectiveness and affordability
WHO recommends participatory learning and action cycles with women’s groups as a cost-effective strategy to reduce neonatal deaths. Coverage is a determinant of intervention effectiveness, but little is known about why cost-effectiveness estimates vary significantly. This article reanalyses primary cost data from six trials in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Malawi to describe resource use, explore […]
Delivery of iron-fortified yoghurt, through a dairy value chain program, increases hemoglobin concentration among children 24 to 59 months old in Northern Senegal: A cluster-randomized control trial
Background Innovative strategies are needed to enhance the nutritional impact of agriculture. Value chain approaches, which use supply chains to add value (usually economic) to products as they move from producers to consumers, can be used to increase access to nutritious foods and improve nutritional status. This study tested whether a dairy value chain could […]
