Risk Factors of Birth Asphyxia among Newborns at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study

Background: Despite a global decline in under-five deaths, the neonatal mortality rate remains slow in developing countries and birth asphyxia remains the third cause of neonatal deaths. Globally, neonatal deaths accounts for 45% of under-five deaths, birth asphyxia causes 23-40% of neonatal deaths in Ethiopia. There is limited data on risk factors of asphyxia in […]

Pooled prevalence and determinants of skilled birth attendant delivery in East Africa countries: a multilevel analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys

Introduction: Skilled health professional assisted delivery is an effective strategy to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. Skilled assistant delivery can prevent about 16–33% of maternal and newborn mortality. Despite the commitments of the government to assure home free delivery, majority of the births in Sub-Saharan Africa are attended by traditional birth attendants. As to our […]

Geographic variation and factors associated with under-five mortality in Ethiopia. A spatial and multilevel analysis of Ethiopian mini demographic and health survey 2019

Background The distribution of under-five mortality (U5M) worldwide is uneven and the burden is higher in Sub-Saharan African countries, which account for more than 53% of the global under-five mortality. In Ethiopia, though U5M decreased substantially between 1990 and 2019, it remains excessively high and unevenly distributed. Therefore, this study aimed to assess geographic variation […]

A quality assessment of Health Management Information System (HMIS) data for maternal and child health in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia

Health management information system (HMIS) data are important for guiding the attainment of health targets in low- and middle-income countries. However, the quality of HMIS data is often poor. High-quality information is especially important for populations experiencing high burdens of disease and mortality, such as pregnant women, newborns, and children. The purpose of this study […]

Neonatal Mortality and Education Related Inequality in Cesarean Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Multi-Country Propensity Score Matching and Meta-Analysis

Background: Sub-Saharan African (SSA) newborns are ten times more likely to die in the first month than a neonate born in a high-income country. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between educational attainment and neonatal mortality (NM) among women with cesarean section (CS) deliveries in SSA countries. Methods: Using data from […]

Pre-conception and prenatal factors influencing gestational weight gain: a prospective study in Tigray region, northern Ethiopia

Background: In low-income countries, the high prevalence of pre-pregnancy undernutrition remains a challenge for the future health of women and their offspring. On top of good nutrition, adequate gestational weight gain has been recognized as an essential prerequisite for optimal maternal and child health outcomes. However, good-quality data on factors influencing gestational weight gain is […]

Factors associated with comprehensive knowledge of antenatal care and attitude towards its uptake among women delivered at home in rural Sehala Seyemit district, northern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study

Background Despite the current sustainable development goal period (i.e. SDG 3), the prevention of maternal and neonatal mortality is not satisfactory in Ethiopia. Keeping women knowledgeable about antenatal care and maintaining a positive attitude towards its uptake, particularly in the marginalized rural community is crucial. However, evidence regarding the knowledge and attitude of women towards […]

Household food insecurity and physically demanding work during pregnancy are risk factors for low birth weight in north Shewa zone public hospitals, Central Ethiopia, 2021: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Background: Despite numerous efforts to improve the quality of maternal and child health medical services, over 20 million babies are born with low birth weights each year globally. However, factors related to low birth weight like physically demanding work during pregnancy, intimate partner violence, and food insecurity have not been explored well in Ethiopia. Thus, […]

Effects of dietary and health factors on nutritional status of children in pastoral settings in Borana, southern Ethiopia, August–October 2015

Background: Childhood undernourishment is a major public health problem globally, and being responsible for higher mortalities in children and enormous health costs in sub-Saharan Africa. However, scarcity of data on the magnitude of malnutrition and its underlying causes, especially in the pastoral system, limits the effectiveness of potential interventions. This study addresses the nutritional status […]

Drought and child undernutrition in Ethiopia: A longitudinal path analysis

Background The increase in the frequency of extreme events due to climate change poses a serious challenge to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 2 of ending hunger by 2030. While evidence exists on the impact of drought on under-five children, its effect during late childhood and early adolescence remains less investigated. Objective This study estimates […]