Prelacteal feeding among infants within the first week of birth in eastern Uganda: evidence from a health facility-based cross-sectional study
Background: Prelacteal feeding hinders early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding but is understudied in Uganda. We examined the prevalence and factors associated with prelacteal feeding among postpartum mothers in Kamuli district in rural eastern Uganda. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between December 2020 and January 2021 at four large healthcare facilities and randomly […]
An e-health decision support system for improving compliance of health workers to the maternity care protocols in South Africa
Background: There are problems of quality in maternity services at primary health care level in South Africa. Many of these problems can be traced to non-adherence to the maternity care guidelines and lack of tools to support clinic staff and managers in their roles. Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the utility […]
Maternal cortisol and stress are associated with birth outcomes, but are not affected by lipid-based nutrient supplements during pregnancy: An analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial in rural Malawi
Background: Prenatal micronutrient supplements have been found to increase birth weight, but mechanisms for increased growth are poorly understood. Our hypotheses were that 1) women who receive lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) during pregnancy would have lower mean salivary cortisol concentration at 28 wk and 36 wk gestation compared to the multiple micronutrient (MMN) and iron-folic […]
Explaining changes in child health inequality in the run up to the 2015 millennium development goals (MDGs): The case of Zambia
Background Child health interventions were drastically scaled up in the period leading up to 2015 as countries aimed at meeting the 2015 target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). MDGs were defined in terms of achieving improvements in average health. Significant improvements in average child health are documented, but evidence also points to rising inequality. […]
Cost-effectiveness of conditional cash transfers to retain women in the continuum of care during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period: Protocol for an economic evaluation of the Afya trial in Kenya
Introduction A wealth of evidence from a range of country settings indicates that antenatal care, facility delivery and postnatal care can reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity in high-burden settings. However, the utilisation of these services by pregnant women, particularly in low/middle-income country settings, is well below that recommended by the WHO. The Afya […]
Characteristics of successful integrated family planning and maternal and child health services: Findings from a mixed-method, descriptive evaluation
Background: Most postpartum women in low- and middle-income countries want to delay or avoid future pregnancies but are not using modern contraception. One promising strategy for increasing the use of postpartum family planning (PPFP) is integration with maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services. However, there is limited evidence on effective service integration strategies. We […]
Comprehensive review of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based primary health care in improving maternal, neonatal and child health: 6. strategies used by effective projects
Background As part of our review of the evidence of the effectiveness of community-based primary health care (CBPHC) in improving maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH), we summarize here the common delivery strategies of projects, programs and field research studies (collectively referred to as projects) that have demonstrated effectiveness in improving child mortality. Other articles […]
Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
Abtsract. Background: Alternatives to the traditional ‘supply-side’ approach to financing service delivery are being explored. These strategies are termed results-based finance, demand-side health financing or output-based aid which includes a range of interventions that channel government or donor subsidies to the user rather than the provider. Initial pilot assessments of reproductive health voucher programs suggest […]
Dietary Practice and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women at Public Health Institution in Mizan-Aman Town, Southwest Ethiopia
Background: A poor dietary intake of key macronutrients and micronutrients adversely affects pregnancy outcomes and neonatal health. The occurrence of dietary inadequacy during pregnancy is higher compared to any other stage of the life cycle. Therefore, this study aimed to assess dietary practice and associated factors among pregnant women. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design […]
Risk factors and knowledge associated with high unintended pregnancy rates and low family planning use among pregnant women in Papua New Guinea
Unintended pregnancy is a major driver of poor maternal and child health in resource-limited settings. Data on pregnancy intention and use of family planning (FP) is scarce in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but are needed to inform public health strategies to improve FP accessibility and uptake. Data from a facility-based cross-sectional sample of 699 pregnant […]
