Evaluation of a maternal health care project in South West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia: Before-and-after comparison
Background: Despite recent achievements in health targets, Ethiopia still faces challenges in health service delivery. Between 2012 and 2015, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Doctors with Africa CUAMM, implemented a multifaceted project aimed at improving access to maternal and child health services in three districts in Ethiopia. This paper evaluates the performance of this project, based […]
Determinants of Maternal Near Miss in Western Ethiopia
Background: Analysis of maternal near miss events and identification of factors resulting in maternal death are vital to improve the quality of obstetric care in any given setting. This study is aimed to determine the magnitude of maternal miss and identify its determinants. Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case-control study design was used. Sixty one maternal […]
“Safe anaesthesia” for the South African rural obstetric patient in Kwazulu-Natal
Background: The South African National Committee for Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths has shown that anaesthesia-related maternal deaths continue to increase at district hospitals. This has been attributed to substandard anaesthesia care and resuscitation. This study investigated the anaesthesia practices, work circumstances, support structure and access to training by doctors involved in obstetric anaesthesia in […]
Examining the impact of WHO’s Focused Antenatal Care policy on early access, underutilisation and quality of antenatal care services in Malawi: A retrospective study
Background: A variety of antenatal care models have been implemented in low and middle-income countries over the past decades, as proposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). One such model is the 2001 Focused Antenatal Care (FANC) programme. FANC recommended a minimum of four visits for women with uncomplicated pregnancies and emphasised quality of care […]
Maternal near-miss and mortality associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remote from term: a multicenter observational study in Ghana
BACKGROUND: Maternal death rates remain high in many low- and middle-income countries. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy account for 18% of maternal mortality in Ghana. The maternal near-miss approach was designed to evaluate severe (acute) complications in pregnancy, which is useful to detect potential areas for clinical care improvement. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed (1) to determine […]
Travel of pregnant women in emergency situations to hospital and maternal mortality in Lagos, Nigeria: A retrospective cohort study
Introduction Prompt access to emergency obstetrical care (EmOC) reduces the risk of maternal mortality. We assessed institutional maternal mortality by distance and travel time for pregnant women with obstetrical emergencies in Lagos State, Nigeria. Methods We conducted a facility-based retrospective cohort study across 24 public hospitals in Lagos. Reviewing case notes of the pregnant women […]
Incidence and causes of maternal near-miss in selected hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background: Because maternal mortality is a rare event, it is important to study maternal near-miss as a complement to evaluate and improve the quality of obstetric care. Thus, the study was conducted with the aim of assessing the incidence and causes of maternal near-miss. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in five selected public […]
Improved prediction of gestational hypertension by inclusion of placental growth factor and pregnancy associated plasma protein-a in a sample of Ghanaian women
Background: We assessed whether adding the biomarkers Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A) and Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) to maternal clinical characteristics improved the prediction of a previously developed model for gestational hypertension in a cohort of Ghanaian pregnant women. Methods: This study was nested in a prospective cohort of 1010 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics […]
Don’t forget eclampsia in the efforts to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality
Hypertensive disorders are a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite advances in prevention and clinical management, women in low-resource countries continue to bear the burden of the sequelae of severe pre-eclampsia–eclampsia. Sustainable strategies to improve the care of women with hypertensive disease, to identify those at risk for hypertensive disease, and to […]
A Human-Centered Approach to CV Care: Infrastructure Development in Uganda
In this case study, we describe an ongoing approach to develop sustainable acute and chronic cardiovascular care infrastructure in Uganda that involves patient and provider participation. Leveraging strong infrastructure for HIV/AIDS care delivery, University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute and Case Western Reserve University have partnered with U.S. and Ugandan collaborators to improve cardiovascular […]
