Assessment of the quality of antenatal care in Mozambique
Objective: To assess the quality of antenatal care and its covariates among postpartum women in Mozambique. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: The study was undertaken either at the maternity hospital or at home, in Mozambique, in 2019. Participants: A total of 393 women aged 18 to 49 years were interviewed immediately after giving birth. Measurements: The […]
Is a woolen cap effective in maintaining normothermia in low-birth-weight infants during kangaroo mother care? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background: Neonatal hypothermia is an important challenge associated with morbidity and mortality. Preventing neonatal hypothermia is important in high-resource countries, but is of fundamental importance in low-resource settings where supportive care is limited. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a low-cost intervention that, whenever possible, is strongly recommended for temperature maintenance. During KMC, the World Health […]
Factors influencing access of pregnant women and their infants to their local healthcare system: A prospective, multi-centre, observational study
Background: The successful implementation of maternal vaccination relies on results of clinical trials, considering the prenatal and postnatal attendance at selected healthcare institutions. This study evaluated factors influencing maternal/infant access to healthcare facilities to identify potential barriers to participation in future clinical trials on maternal vaccination. Methods: In this prospective, multi-centre, observational study, pregnant women […]
Factors Associated With Uptake of Iron Supplement During Pregnancy Among Women of Reproductive Age in Tanzania: an Analysis of Data From the 2015 to 2016 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicators Survey
Background: Pregnant women are vulnerable to iron deficiency due to the fact that more iron is needed primarily to supply the growing fetus and placenta and to increase the maternal red cell mass. Little is known on the factors associated with uptake of iron supplement during pregnancy. Methods: The study used data from the 2015 […]
Evaluating the accessibility and utility of HIV-related point-of-care diagnostics for maternal health in rural South Africa: A study protocol
Introduction: Poor healthcare access is a major barrier to receiving antenatal care and a cause of high maternal mortality in South Africa (SA). ‘Point-of-care’ (POC) diagnostics is a powerful emerging healthcare approach to improve healthcare access. This study focuses on evaluating the accessibility and utility of POC diagnostics for maternal health in rural SA primary […]
How can corporate taxes contribute to sub-Saharan Africa’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? A case study of Vodafone
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency threaten progress in reaching many of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets by 2030. The under-5 mortality and maternal mortality rates are well below the targets, and if we progress at the current pace, there is a high risk of not meeting the 2030 goals. Furthermore, the initial […]
Determinants of maternal high-risk fertility behaviors and its correlation with child stunting and anemia in the East Africa region: A pooled analysis of nine East African countries
Background In low-income nations, high-risk fertility behavior is a prevalent public health concern that can be ascribed to unmet family planning needs, child marriage, and a weak health system. As a result, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence high-risk fertility behavior and its impact on child stunting and anemia. Method This study […]
Quality of antenatal care predicts retention in skilled birth attendance: A multilevel analysis of 28 African countries
Background: An effective continuum of maternal care ensures that mothers receive essential health packages from pre-pregnancy to delivery, and postnatally, reducing the risk of maternal death. However, across Africa, coverage of skilled birth attendance is lower than coverage for antenatal care, indicating mothers are not retained in the continuum between antenatal care and delivery. This […]
Engaging Men and Boys in Maternal Health: Results from a Participatory Film Project in Maputo Province
Background: Research has demonstrated that men often play a critical role in increasing access to and use of maternal health services. Improving male involvement in maternal health can contribute to better health outcomes for the mother, the newborn, and the father. Objectives: Assess barriers and facilitators for male involvement in maternal health in a local […]
Improving emergency obstetric care in Mozambique: The story of Sofala
Objective: The 5-year project in the province of Sofala was designed to improve access, quality and utilization of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) by strengthening rural hospitals and health centers and ultimately the health system’s capacity to respond to emergencies more quickly and effectively. Methods: Implementation consisted of attention to infrastructure, human resource development, transportation and […]
