Challenges and facilitators to evidence-based decision-making for maternal and child health in Mozambique: District, municipal and national case studies
Background: The need for evidence-based decision-making in the health sector is well understood in the global health community. Yet, gaps persist between the availability of evidence and the use of that evidence. Most research on evidence-based decision-making has been carried out in higher-income countries, and most studies look at policy-making rather than decision-making more broadly. […]
Factors associated with early childhood stunted growth in a 2012-2015 birth cohort monitored in the rural Msambweni area of coastal Kenya: A cross-sectional study
Background: Chronic malnutrition, often measured as stunted growth, is an understudied global health problem. Though poor nutritional intake has been linked to stunted growth, there is evidence suggesting environmental exposures may have a significant role in its occurrence. Here, we characterize the non-nutritional prenatal and postnatal factors that contribute to early childhood stunted growth in […]
A qualitative study assessing the acceptability and adoption of implementing a results based financing intervention to improve maternal and neonatal health in Malawi
Background: Results Based Financing (RBF) interventions have recently gained significant momentum, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. However, most of the research has focused on the evaluation of the impacts of this approach, providing little insight into how the contextual circumstances surrounding the implementation have contributed to its success or failure. This study aims to fill a […]
Maternal and perinatal outcome after previous caesarean section in rural Rwanda
Background: Offering a trial of labor (ToL) after previous caesarean section (CS) is an important strategy to reduce short- and long-term morbidity associated with repeated CS. We compared maternal and perinatal outcomes between ToL and elective repeat caesarean section (ERCS) at a district hospital in rural Rwanda. Methods: Audit of women’s records with one prior […]
Factors associated with low birthweight among newborns delivered at public health facilities of Nekemte town, West Ethiopia: A case control study
Background: Low birthweight (LBW) remains the most important risk factor which attributed to mortality of 15-20% of newborns across the globe. An infant with low birthweight is more likely to have stunting in childhood and develop markers of metabolic risk factors at his later age. Furthermore, LBW is a risk for inter-generational assaults of malnutrition […]
Consumer knowledge and availability of maternal and child health services: A challenge for achieving MDG 4 and 5 in Southeast Nigeria
Background: Reducing child mortality and improving maternal health occupies a prominent space in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and it has been noted that some reductions have taken place, but not enough. If consumers know what and where services are available, they may be motivated to use them. This study therefore evaluated consumers’ knowledge about […]
Factor associated with experience of modern contraceptive use before pregnancy among women who gave birth in Kersa HDSS, Ethiopia
Background: Worldwide, every year 289,000 women die related to pregnancy and its complications. Nearly, all of these deaths occur in developing countries and more than half of this deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Report suggested that using contraceptives can reduce this maternal mortality by 44 %. Even if, Ethiopia is one of the countries with […]
Determinants of postnatal care non-utilization among women in Nigeria
Background: Although, there are several programs in place in Nigeria to ensure maternal and child health, maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high with maternal mortality rates being 576/100,000 and neonatal mortality rates at 37/1000 live births (NDHS, 2013). While there are many studies on the utilization of maternal health services such as antenatal care […]
Perceptions and decision-making with regard to pregnancy among HIV positive women in rural Maputo Province, Mozambique – A qualitative study
Background: In preventing the transfer of HIV to their children, the Ministry of Health in Mozambique recommends all couples follow medical advice prior to a pregnancy. However, little is known about how such women experience pregnancy, nor the values they adhere to when making childbearing decisions. This qualitative study explores perceptions and decision-making processes regarding […]
What the percentage of births in facilities does not measure: Readiness for emergency obstetric care and referral in Senegal
Introduction Increases in facility deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa have not yielded expected declines in maternal mortality, raising concerns about the quality of care provided in facilities. The readiness of facilities at different health system levels to provide both emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) as well as referral is unknown. We describe this combined readiness […]
