Multivitamin supplements have no effect on growth of tanzanian children born to HIV-infected mothers
Growth faltering and micronutrient deficiencies commonly coexist in HIV-exposed children in sub-Saharan Africa, and correcting deficiencies, such as those of vitamins B-complex, C, and E, may improve HIV-related endpoints and child growth. We therefore examined the effect of daily oral supplementation of vitamins B-complex, C, and E on growth among 2341 children born to HIV-infected […]
Count Models Analysis of Factors Associated with Under-Five Mortality in Ethiopia
Background. Under-five mortality has continued a key challenge to public health in Ethiopia, and other sub-Saharan Africa countries. The threat of under-five mortality is incessant and more studies are needed to generate new scientific evidence. This study aimed to model the number of under-five deaths a mother has experienced in her lifetime and factors associated […]
Pooled prevalence and determinants of informed choice of contraceptive methods among reproductive age women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis
Background: Despite the commitments of the government to minimize unintended pregnancy, abortion, and unmet need for contraceptives, as per our search of the literature, there is no study on the pooled prevalence and determinants of informed choice of contraceptive methods in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence and determinants of […]
Timing of malaria in pregnancy and impact on infant growth and morbidity: A cohort study in Uganda
Background: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major cause of fetal growth restriction and low birth weight in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding of the impact of MiP on infant growth and infant risk of malaria or morbidity is poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to describe the impact of MIP on […]
The association of malaria infection and gestational hypertension in Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Background The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) contribute 14% to global maternal mortality. HDP encompasses several subcategories, including gestational hypertension (GH) and pre-eclampsia. These two conditions are both characterised by a rise in blood pressure, with an onset from 20 weeks of gestation. They also share some common risk […]
PROTEA, A Southern African Multicenter Congenital Heart Disease Registry and Biorepository: Rationale, Design, and Initial Results
Objectives: The PartneRships in cOngeniTal hEart disease (PROTEA) project aims to establish a densely phenotyped and genotyped Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) cohort for southern Africa. This will facilitate research into the epidemiology and genetic determinants of CHD in the region. This paper introduces the PROTEA project, characterizes its initial cohort, from the Western Cape Province […]
Sex inequality in under-five deaths and associated factors in low and middle-income countries: a Fairlie decomposition analysis
Background: There exist sex disparities in the burden of Under-five deaths (U5D) with a higher prevalence among male children. Factors explaining this inequality remain unexplored in Low-and Medium-Income Countries (LMIC). This study quantified the contributions of the individual- and neighborhood-level factors to sex inequalities in U5D in LMIC. Methods: Demographic and Health Survey datasets (2010-2018) […]
Impact of maternity waiting homes on facility delivery among remote households in Zambia: Protocol for a quasiexperimental, mixed-methods study
Introduction Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) aim to improve access to facility delivery in rural areas. However, there is limited rigorous evidence of their effectiveness. Using formative research, we developed an MWH intervention model with three components: infrastructure, management and linkage to services. This protocol describes a study to measure the impact of the MWH model […]
Effect of postpartum depression on exclusive breast-feeding practices in sub-Saharan Africa countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mood disorder that affects behavioural, physical and mental health of women and newborn after childbirth. Although a wide range of research have been conducted on maternal and infant health outcomes, the effect of postpartum depression on exclusive breastfeeding practices remains ambiguous, and needs addressing. The aim of this […]
Placental malaria is rare among zanzibari pregnant women who did not receive intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy
Zanzibar has transitioned from malaria control to the pre-elimination phase, and the continued need for intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) has been questioned. We conducted a prospective observational study to estimate placental malaria positivity rate among women who did not receive IPTp with sulfadoxinepyrimethamine. A convenience sample of pregnant women was enrolled from six […]
