Abortion treatment by health professionals in south-eastern Nigeria
Studies assessing the various modes of treatment for abortion and its associated complications remain relevant in the generation of data that will aid policy formulation for abortion management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the common methods of, together with the complications associated with, abortion treatment among healthcare practitioners in south-eastern Nigeria. There […]
Does knowledge about antiretroviral therapy and mother-to-child transmission affect the relationships between HIV status and fertility preferences and contraceptive use? New evidence from Nigeria and Zambia
Summary The increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and drug regimens to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) has probably changed the context of childbearing for people living with HIV. Using data from 2009-2010 community-based surveys in Nigeria and Zambia, this study explores whether women’s knowledge about ART and PMTCT influences the relationship between HIV status and […]
Does where mothers live matter? Regional variations in factors influencing place of child delivery in Nigeria
Utilization of health care facilities for child delivery is associated with improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, but less than half of mothers use these for child delivery in Nigeria. This study investigated the factors associated with facility delivery in Nigeria, and their variation between the Northern and Southern parts of the country – two regions […]
Determinants of perceived quality of health care among pregnant women in Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria
Nigeria’s health system is among the weakest globally, characterized by doctors’ and nurses’ concentration in a few tertiary facilities in the cities. Simultaneously, rural areas that constitute over 70% of the population suffer from acute health personnel and inadequate health facilities. Whether Nigeria can achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of access to […]
Severity and cost of unsafe abortion complications treated in Nigerian hospitals
Context: Each year, thousands of Nigerian women have unintended pregnancies that end in illegal abortion. Many such procedures occur under unsafe conditions, contributing to maternal morbidity and mortality. Methods: In a 2002-2003 survey of women and their providers in 33 hospitals in eight states across Nigeria,2,093 patients were identified as being treated for complications of […]
Enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of community health volunteers to improve maternal, newborn and child health: Experience from Kenya
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a simple monitoring and tracking tool, Mwanzo Mwema Monitoring and Tracking Tool (MMATT), would enable community health volunteers (CHVs) in Kenya to 1) plan their workloads and activities, 2) identify the women, newborns and children most in need of accessing critical maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) interventions and 3) improve […]
What is the relationship between contraceptive services and knowledge of abortion availability and legality? Evidence from a national sample of women and facilities in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, abortions are legal for minors and for rape, incest, foetal impairment or maternal disability. Knowledge of abortion legality and availability is low, and little effort has been made to disseminate this information for fear of invoking anti-abortion sentiment; instead, systems rely on health providers as information gatekeepers. This study explores how exposure to […]
Understanding the determinants of postnatal care uptake for babies: A mixed effects multilevel modelling of 2016–18 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey
Background: Papua New Guinea (PNG) recorded 22 neonatal deaths out of every 1,000 livebirths in 2019. Some of these deaths are related to complications that arise shortly after childbirth; hence, postnatal care (PNC) utilisation could serve as a surviving strategy for neonates as recommended by the World Health Organisation. National level study on determinants of […]
Geographical accessibility in assessing bypassing behaviour for inpatient neonatal care, Bungoma County-Kenya
Background: Neonatal mortality rate in Kenya continues to be unacceptably high. In reducing newborn deaths, inequality in access to care and quality care have been identified as current barriers. Contributing to these barriers are the bypassing behaviour and geographical access which leads to delay in seeking newborn care. This study (i) measured geographical accessibility of […]
Signal functions for emergency obstetric care as an intervention for reducing maternal mortality: A survey of public and private health facilities in Lusaka District, Zambia
Background: Zambia’s maternal mortality ratio was estimated at 398/100,000 live births in 2014. Successful aversion of deaths is dependent on availability and usability of signal functions for emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Evidence of availability, usability and quality of signal functions in urban settings in Zambia is minimal as previous research has evaluated their distribution […]
