Incidence of induced abortion and post-Abortion care in Tanzania
Background Tanzania has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and unsafe abortion is one of its leading causes. Yet little is known about its incidence. Objectives To provide the first ever estimates of the incidence of unsafe abortion in Tanzania, at the national level and for each of the 8 geopolitical […]
Effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile children less than five years in 12 malaria-endemic African countries: A mixed-methods study
Background: In 2010, WHO revised guidelines to recommend testing all suspected malaria cases prior to treatment. Yet, evidence to assess programmes is largely derived from limited facility settings in a limited number of countries. National surveys from 12 sub-Saharan African countries were used to examine the effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile […]
Pediatric out-of-hospital deaths following hospital discharge: A mixed-methods study
Background: Out-of-hospital death among children living in resource poor settings occurs frequently. Little is known about the location and circumstances of child death following a hospital discharge. Objectives: This study aimed to understand the context surrounding out-of-hospital deaths and the barriers to accessing timely care for Ugandan children recently discharged from the hospital. Methods: This […]
Determinants of good vitamin A consumption in the 12 East Africa Countries using recent Demographic and health survey
Background Vitamin A one of the important micronutrients that it cannot be made in the human body and must be taken from outside the body through the diet. Ensuring that vitamin A is available in any form in sufficient quantities remains a challenge, especially in regions where access to vitamin A-containing foods and healthcare interventions […]
Effect of a labor triage checklist and ultrasound on obstetric referral at three primary health centers in Eastern Uganda
Objective: To test whether introduction of a midwife-performed triage checklist and focused ultrasound improves diagnosis and referral for obstetric conditions, including multiple gestation, placenta previa, oligohydramnios, preterm birth, malpresentation, and abnormal fetal heart rate. Methods: We implemented an intake log (Phase 1), a checklist (Phase 2), and a checklist plus ultrasound scan (Phase 3) at […]
Use of wind-up fetal Doppler versus Pinard for fetal heart rate intermittent monitoring in labour: A randomised clinical trial
Objectives: In resource-poor settings, the standard of care to inform labour management is the partograph plus Pinard stethoscope for intermittent fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring. We compared FHR monitoring in labour using a novel, robust wind-up handheld Doppler with the Pinard as a primary screening tool for abnormal FHR on perinatal outcomes. Design: Prospective equally […]
“As a woman who watches how my family is… I take the difficult decisions”: a qualitative study on integrated family planning and childhood immunisation services in five African countries
Background: Family planning (FP) has the potential to improve maternal and child health outcomes and to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. However, substantial unmet need for modern contraceptive methods (MCMs) persists in this region. Current literature highlights multi-level barriers, including socio-cultural norms that discourage the use of MCMs. This paper explores women’s choices and decision-making […]
Individual and community-level factors of abortion in East Africa: a multilevel analysis
Background: Abortion is one of the top five causes of maternal mortality in low and middle-income countries. It is associated with a complication related to pregnancy and childbirth. Despite this, there was limited evidence on the prevalence and associated factors of abortion in East African countries. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and […]
Food insufficiency is associated with lack of sustained viral suppression among HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding ugandan women
Food insecurity is associated with poor virologic outcomes, but this has not been studied during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We assessed sustained viral suppression from 8 weeks on antiretroviral therapy to 48 weeks postpartum among 171 pregnant and breastfeeding Ugandan women; 74.9% experienced food insufficiency. In multivariable analysis, food insufficiency [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.38, 95% […]
Aflatoxin exposure in pregnant women of mixed status of human immunodeficiency virus infection and rate of gestational weight gain: a Ugandan cohort study
Objectives: To examine the association between aflatoxin (AF) exposure during pregnancy and rate of gestational weight gain (GWG) in a sample of pregnant women of mixed HIV status in Gulu, northern Uganda. Methods: 403 pregnant women were included (133 HIV-infected on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 270 HIV-uninfected). Women’s weight, height and socio-demographic characteristics were collected at […]
