Evidence of Concurrent Stunting and Obesity among Children under 2 Years from Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds in the Era of the Integrated Nutrition Programme in South Africa
In view of persistent stunting and increasing rates of obesity coexisting among children in the era of the Integrated Nutrition Programme, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determined concurrent stunting and obesity (CSO) and related factors using a random sample of child–mother pairs (n = 400) in Mbombela, South Africa. Sociodemographic data was collected using […]
Body size preferences and food choice among mothers and children in Malawi
Overweight in mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly increasing and may be related to body size perceptions and preferences. We enrolled 268 mother–child (6–59 months) pairs in central Malawi; 71% of mothers and 56% of children were overweight/obese, and the remainder were normal weight. Interviewers used seven body silhouette drawings and a questionnaire […]
Quality of antenatal care in Zambia: A national assessment
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the recommended interventions to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Yet in most Sub-Saharan African countries, high rates of ANC coverage coexist with high maternal and neonatal mortality. This disconnect has fueled calls to focus on the quality of ANC services. However, little conceptual or empirical work exists on […]
Community-level interventions for pre-eclampsia (CLIP) in Mozambique: A cluster randomised controlled trial
Objectives: Pregnancy hypertension is the third leading cause of maternal mortality in Mozambique and contributes significantly to fetal and neonatal mortality. The objective of this trial was to assess whether task-sharing care might reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes related to delays in triage, transport, and treatment. Study design: The Mozambique Community-Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) cluster […]
Introduction of the Ellavi uterine balloon tamponade into the Kenyan and Ghanaian maternal healthcare package for improved postpartum haemorrhage management: An implementation research study
Objectives Use of intrauterine balloon tamponades for refractory postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) management has triggered recent debate since effectiveness studies have yielded conflicting results. Implementation research is needed to identify factors influencing successful integration into maternal healthcare packages. The Ellavi uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) (Ellavi) is a new low-cost, preassembled device for treating refractory PPH. Design […]
Did a quality improvement intervention improve quality of maternal health care? Implementation evaluation from a cluster-randomized controlled study
Objective: To test the success of a maternal healthcare quality improvement intervention in actually improving quality. Design: Cluster-randomized controlled study with implementation evaluation; we randomized 12 primary care facilities to receive a quality improvement intervention, while 12 facilities served as controls. Setting: Four districts in rural Tanzania. Participants: Health facilities (24), providers (70 at baseline; […]
Risk factors for Group B Streptococcus colonisation and disease in Gambian women and their infants
Objectives: To determine risk factors for GBS colonisation in Gambian mothers and in their infants from birth to day 60-89 of age. Methods: Swabs and breastmilk from mothers/infant pairs were collected and cultured on selective agar. Negative samples were analysed for GBS DNA via real-time PCR. Positive isolates were serotyped using multiplex PCR and gel-agarose […]
Late weaning and maternal closeness, associated with advanced motor and visual maturation, reinforce autonomy in healthy, 2-year-old children
We studied neurodevelopmental outcomes and behaviours in healthy 2-year old children (N = 1306) from Brazil, India, Italy, Kenya and the UK participating in the INTERGROWTH-21st Project. There was a positive independent relationship of duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and age at weaning with gross motor development, vision and autonomic physical activities, most evident if […]
Determinants for perinatal adverse outcomes among pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membrane: A prospective cohort study
Background: One of the most critical functions of the fetal membranes is to remain intact until the onset of labor to maintain the protective intrauterine fluid environment. In most pregnancies, spontaneous rupture usually occurs near the end of the first stage of labor. Preterm premature membrane rupture (PROM) occurs when the fetal membrane ruptures before […]
Patterns of mortality in public and private hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background: Ethiopia is encountering a growing burden of non-communicable diseases along with infectious diseases, perinatal and nutritional problems that have long been considered major problems of public health importance. This retrospective analysis was carried out to examine the mortality patterns from communicable diseases and non communicable diseases in public and private hospitals of Addis Ababa. […]
