Disparities in pregnancy-related deaths: Spatial and Bayesian network analyses of maternal mortality ratio in 54 African countries
Background Maternal mortality remains a public health problem despite several global efforts. Globally, about 830 women die of pregnancy-related death per day, with more than two-third of these cases occurring in Africa. We examined the spatial distribution of maternal mortality in Africa and explored the influence of SDoH on the spatial distribution. Methods We used […]
Maternal health and birth outcomes in a South African birth cohort study
Background Maternal physical and mental health during pregnancy are key determinants of birth outcomes. There are relatively few prospective data that integrate physical and mental maternal health measures with birth outcomes in low- and middle-income country settings. We aimed to investigate maternal health during pregnancy and the impact on birth outcomes in an African birth […]
Maternal psychosocial risk factors and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) during infancy in a South African birth cohort
Objective To investigate the association between maternal antenatal and/or postnatal psychosocial risk factors (including depression, psychological distress, alcohol abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV) and infant lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in a low- and middleincome- country (LMIC). Study design Pregnant women (n = 1137) enrolled in a South African birth cohort study, the Drakenstein […]
Maternal factors associated with low birth weight in public hospitals of Mekelle city, Ethiopia: A case-control study
Background: Mothers in low socio-economic conditions frequently have low birth weight infants. Inaddition Physically demanding work during pregnancy also contributes to poor fetal growth. During gestation a woman needs balanced nutrition for a healthy outcome. Women with inadequate nutritional status at conception are at greater risk of aquiring disease; their health usually depends on the […]
Associations between maternal mental health and early child wheezing in a South African birth cohort
Background: Wheezing in early childhood is common and has been identified in high-income countries (HIC) as associated with maternal antenatal or postnatal psychosocial risk factors. However, the association between maternal mental health and childhood wheezing has not been well studied in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), such as South Africa. Methods: A total of 1137 […]
Evaluating the effect of maternal mHealth text messages on uptake of maternal and child health care services in South Africa: a multicentre cohort intervention study
Background: There are high expectations that mobile health (mHealth) strategies will increase uptake of health care services, especially in resource strained settings. Our study aimed to evaluate effects of an mHealth intervention on uptake of maternal health services. Methods: This was an intervention cohort study conducted at six public antenatal and postnatal care clinics in […]
Impact of postpartum tenofovir-based antiretroviral therapy on bone mineral density in breastfeeding women with HIV enrolled in a randomized clinical trial
Objectives We set out to evaluate the effect of postnatal exposure to tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy on bone mineral density among breastfeeding women living with HIV. Design IMPAACT P1084s is a sub-study of the PROMISE randomized trial conducted in four African countries (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01066858). Methods IMPAACT P1084s enrolled eligible mother-infant pairs previously randomised in the […]
Optimizing task-sharing in abortion care in Ghana: Stakeholder perspectives
Ghana has made progress in expanding providers in abortion care but access to the service is still a challenge. We explored stakeholder perspectives on task-sharing in abortion care and the opportunities that exist to optimize this strategy in Ghana. We purposively sampled 12 representatives of agencies that played a key role in expanding abortion care […]
The dop system of alcohol distribution is dead, but it’s legacy lives on
Objective: Determine the prevalence of Dop, a system of labor payment via alcoholic beverages, in a South African province, and its influence on maternal drinking and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Methods: Data from studies of FASD epidemiology were analyzed. Results: Forty-two percent to 67% of mothers reported drinking. In 1999, 5% of women reported […]
The developmental effects of HIV and alcohol: A comparison of gestational outcomes among babies from South African communities with high prevalence of HIV and alcohol use
Background: There is growing evidence of the negative impact of alcohol on morbidity and mortality of individuals living with HIV but limited evidence of in utero effects of HIV and alcohol on exposure on infants. Methods: We conducted a population-based birth cohort study (N=667 mother-infant dyads) in South Africa to investigate whether maternal alcohol use […]
