Assessing development assistance for child survival between 2000 and 2014: A multi-sectoral perspective
Background: The majority of Countdown countries did not reach the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) on reducing child mortality, despite the fact that donor funding to the health sector has drastically increased. When tracking aid invested in child survival, previous studies have exclusively focused on aid targeting reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH). […]
Prompt access to effective malaria treatment among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa: A multi-country analysis of national household survey data
Background: Scaling up diagnostic testing and treatment is a key strategy to reduce the burden of malaria. Delays in accessing treatment can have fatal consequences; however, few studies have systematically assessed these delays among children under five years of age in malaria-endemic countries of sub-Saharan Africa. This study identifies predictors of prompt treatment with first-line […]
Risk Factors for and Clinical Outcome of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in a Peri-Urban West-African Birth Cohort
Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most prevalent congenital infection worldwide. Epidemiology and clinical outcomes are known to vary with socio-economic background, but few data are available from developing countries, where the overall burden of infectious diseases is frequently high. Methodology/Principal Findings: As part of an ongoing birth cohort study in The Gambia among […]
Evidence on respectful maternity care for adolescents: a systematic review protocol
Background: Intrapartum mistreatment of women is an ubiquitous public health and human rights challenge. The issue reportedly has severe maternal and neonatal outcomes including mortality, and generally leads to a decreased satisfaction with maternity care. Intrapartum mistreatment, despite being ubiquitous, indicates higher incidence amongst adolescent parturients who are simultaneously at a higher risk of maternal […]
Socioeconomic factors associated with the number of children ever born by married Ghanaian females: A cross-sectional analysis
Objective Most studies in Ghana on determinants of children ever born (CEB) are often conducted among all females of reproductive age and do not adequately report patterns among married females. Considering the importance of marriage to fertility in the Ghanaian context, this study seeks to explore the association of socioeconomic characteristics of married Ghanaian women […]
Promoting and delivering antenatal care in rural Jimma Zone, Ethiopia: A qualitative analysis of midwives’ perceptions
Background: Despite improvements in recent years, Ethiopia faces a high burden of maternal morbidity and mortality. Antenatal care (ANC) may reduce maternal morbidity and mortality through the detection of pregnancy-related complications, and increased health facility-based deliveries. Midwives and community-based Health Extension Workers (HEWs) collaborate to promote and deliver ANC to women in these communities, but […]
Maternal and neonatal mortality in south-west ethiopia: Estimates and socio-economic inequality
Introduction: Ethiopia has achieved the fourth Millennium Development Goal by reducing under 5 mortality. Nevertheless, there are challenges in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate maternal and neonatal mortality and the socio-economic inequalities of these mortalities in rural south-west Ethiopia. Methods: We visited and enumerated all households but […]
Intimate partner violence and growth outcomes through infancy: A longitudinal investigation of multiple mediators in a South African birth cohort
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to poor fetal and infant growth. However, factors underlying this relationship are not well understood, particularly in the postnatal time period. In a South African cohort, we investigated (1) associations between IPV in pregnancy and growth at birth as well as postnatal IPV and child growth at 12 […]
Maternal nutritional status, decision-making autonomy and the nutritional status of adolescent girls: a cross-sectional analysis in the Mion District of Ghana
A mother’s nutritional status and participation in household decision-making, a proxy for empowerment, are known determinants of improved nutrition and health outcomes for infants and young children; however, little is known about the association among adolescents. We examined the association between maternal nutritional status, decision-making autonomy and adolescent girls’ nutritional status. We analysed data of […]
Cost-effectiveness of dual maternal HIV and syphilis testing strategies in high and low HIV prevalence countries: a modelling study
Background: Dual HIV and syphilis testing might help to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and syphilis through increased case detection and treatment. We aimed to model and assess the cost-effectiveness of dual testing during antenatal care in four countries with varying HIV and syphilis prevalence. Methods: In this modelling study, we developed Markov models […]
