The impact of universal home visits with pregnant women and their spouses on maternal outcomes: A cluster randomised controlled trial in Bauchi State, Nigeria
Introduction Maternal mortality in Nigeria is extremely high. Access to quality antenatal and obstetric care is limited. In Bauchi State, we found maternal morbidity was associated with domestic violence, heavy work in pregnancy, ignorance of danger signs, and lack of spousal communication. This cluster randomized controlled trial tested the impact of universal home visits that […]
Can governments promote homestead gardening at scale? Evidence from Ethiopia
Low intake of fruits and vegetables is a major cause of micronutrient deficiencies in the developing world. Since the 1980s, various non-governmental organizations have promoted homestead gardening (HG) programs, first in Asia, but now increasingly in Africa. Longstanding concerns with HG programs are: (1) they lack scalability, particularly for governments; (2) they only work in […]
Determinants of use of skilled birth attendant at delivery in Makueni, Kenya: A cross sectional study
Background: Kenya has a maternal mortality ratio of 488 per 100,000 live births. Preventing maternal deaths depends significantly on the presence of a skilled birth attendant at delivery. Kenyan national statistics estimate that the proportion of births attended by a skilled health professional have remained below 50% for over a decade; currently at 44%, according […]
Greater household food insecurity is associated with lower breast milk intake among infants in western Kenya
Household food insecurity has been hypothesized to negatively impact breastfeeding practices and breast milk intake, but this relationship has not been rigorously assessed. To generate an evidence base for breastfeeding recommendations among food-insecure mothers in settings where HIV is highly prevalent, we explored infant feeding practices among 119 mother–infant dyads in western Kenya at 6 […]
Predisposing, enabling and need factors associated with skilled delivery care utilization among reproductive-aged women in Kersa district, eastern Ethiopia
Background: Skilled delivery care utilization in Ethiopia is still very low compared with the goal set by the global community for countries with the highest maternal mortality. As a result, the country is overburdened with high maternal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to explore the predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with skilled delivery care […]
Institutionalization of limited obstetric ultrasound leading to increased antenatal, skilled delivery, and postnatal service utilization in three regions of Ethiopia: A pre-post study
Background A minimum of one ultrasound scan is recommended for all pregnant women before the 24th week of gestation. In Ethiopia, there is a shortage of skilled manpower to provide these services. Currently, trained mid-level providers are providing the services at the primary healthcare level. The aims of this study were to compare antenatal care […]
Does education offset the effect of maternal disadvantage on childhood anaemia in Tanzania? Evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional study
Background: Despite being preventable, anaemia is a major public health problem that affects a sizable number of children under-five years globally and in Tanzania. This study examined the maternal factors associated with the risk of anaemia among under-five children in Tanzania. We also assessed whether higher maternal education could reduce the risks of anaemia among […]
Wealth and Education Inequities in Maternal and Child Health Services Utilization in Rural Ethiopia
As part of the 2030 maternal and child health targets, Ethiopia strives for universal and equitable use of health services. We aimed to examine the association between household wealth, maternal education, and the interplay between these in utilization of maternal and child health services. Data emanating from the evaluation of the Optimizing of Health Extension […]
Poor Obstetric and Infant Outcomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Pregnant Women with Tuberculosis in South Africa: The Tshepiso Study
Background. Before the wide availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), tuberculosis and human immunodefciency virus (HIV) disease among pregnant women resulted in poor maternal and neonatal outcomes, including high rates of mother-to-child transmission of both HIV and tuberculosis. We aimed to describe the impact of tuberculosis among HIV-infected mothers on obstetric and infant outcomes in a […]
Global health inequalities and the need for solidarity: A view from the global south
Although the world has experienced remarkable progress in health care since the last half of the 20th century, global health inequalities still persist. In some poor countries life expectancy is between 37-40 years lower than in rich countries; furthermore, maternal and infant mortality is high and there is lack of access to basic preventive and […]
