Experiences of a multiple intervention trial to increase maternity care access in rural Tanzania: Focus group findings with women, nurses and community health workers
Objectives: In order to improve maternal health and women’s access to maternity care services in Rorya District, Mara, Northern Tanzania, we introduced several interventions across the district from 2018 to 2019. The interventions were workshops with nurses to encourage respectful care of women and transportation subsidies for women to reach the health facilities for delivery. […]
The effectiveness of community-based continuous training on promoting positive behaviors towards birth preparedness, male involvement, and maternal services utilization among expecting couples in rukwa, Tanzania: A theory of planned behavior quasi-experimental study
Background. Rukwa Region has the highest maternal mortality ratio, 860 deaths per 100,000 live births in Tanzania. The region has neonatal mortality rate of 38 deaths per 1,000 live births. Previous interventions to promote maternal and neonatal health targeted access to maternal services by removing financial barriers and increasing the number of health facilities. However, […]
Maternal mortality and distance to facility-based obstetric care in rural southern Tanzania: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional census data in 226 000 households
Background: Access to skilled obstetric delivery and emergency care is deemed crucial for reducing maternal mortality. We assessed pregnancy-related mortality by distance to health facilities and by cause of death in a disadvantaged rural area of southern Tanzania. Methods: We did a secondary analysis of cross-sectional georeferenced census data collected from June to October, 2007, […]
‘They say she is bewitched’: A qualitative study of community and health provider perspectives regarding pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in rural Tanzania
The objective of this qualitative study was to understand community and health provider perspectives regarding pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in rural Tanzania. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions with health workers and community members were conducted in the Geita and Singida districts. An interview guide, focusing on individual or community-based factors affecting women’s access to […]
Morbidity and mortality among a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected and uninfected pregnant women and their infants from Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania
Background: Morbidity and mortality patterns among pregnant women and their infants (before antiretroviral therapy was widely available) determines HIV-1 diagnostic, monitoring, and care interventions. Methods: Data from mothers and their infants enrolled in a trial of antibiotics to reduce mother-to-child- transmission of HIV-1 at 4 sub-Saharan African sites were analyzed. Women were enrolled during pregnancy […]
Challenges and successes of distributing birth kits with misoprostol to reduce maternal mortality in rural Tanzania
The Saving Mothers Project was conducted from September 2015 to March 2017 in Bunda and Tarime Districts, Mara Region, Tanzania. The purpose of this project was to train community health workers (CHWs) to use mobile phones applications to register and educate pregnant women about safe deliveries and encourage them to access skilled health care providers […]
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 […]
Major factors that impact on women’s health in Tanzania: The way forward
Tanzania’s health policy is to improve the health of all Tanzanians with a focus on those most at risk. One of the major objectives is to reduce infant and maternal morbidity and mortality and increase life expectancy. The life expectancy in Tanzania is 49 years for males and 53 years for females. Maternal mortality is […]
Changes in maternal and neonatal care after a quality improvement intervention in a sub-Saharan setting
Aim: Quality improvement approaches have been integrated into routine health care in high-resource settings, but not in low-resource settings. We aimed to report the achievements in maternal and neonatal care after a quality improvement intervention in a sub-Saharan setting. Methods: After a first quality assessment in 2012 at Tosamaganga hospital in Tanzania, main areas of […]
Infant co-sleeping patterns and maternal sleep quality among Hadza hunter-gatherers
Objective: Despite widespread interest in maternal–infant co-sleeping, few quantified data on sleep patterns outside of the cultural west exist. Here, we provide the first report on co-sleeping behavior and maternal sleep quality among habitually co-sleeping hunter-gatherers. Design: Data were collected among the Hadza of Tanzania who live in domiciles constructed of grass huts with no […]
