A qualitative study of health system barriers to accessibility and utilization of maternal and newborn healthcare services in Ghana after user-fee abolition
Background: To reduce financial barriers to access, and improve access to and use of skilled maternal and newborn healthcare services, the government of Ghana, in 2003, implemented a new maternal healthcare policy that provided free maternity care services in all public and mission healthcare facilities. Although supervised delivery in Ghana has increased from 47% in […]
National and subnational variations in gender relations and the utilization of maternal healthcare services in Nigeria
Introduction: poor maternal health outcomes remain a major public health issue in Nigeria. These have been shown to be affected by the low level of utilization of maternal healthcare services. This study investigates the levels of gender relations (GR) among Nigerian women and how these influence their utilization of maternal healthcare services. The relations are […]
Association between maternal mortality and caesarean section in Ethiopia: A national cross-sectional study
Background: Several studies concluded that there is a reduction of maternal deaths with improved access to caesarean section, while other studies showed the existence of a direct association between the two variables. In Ethiopia, literature about the association between maternal mortality and caesarean section is scarce. This study was aimed to assess the association between […]
The impact of geographic access on institutional delivery care use in low and middle-income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Geographic access to obstetric care facilities has a significant influence on women’s uptake of institutional delivery care. However, this effect was not consistent across studies. Some studies reported that geographic access to obstetric care facilities had no influence on the use of facility delivery. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized and pooled the […]
Determinants of Maternal Near Miss in Western Ethiopia
Background: Analysis of maternal near miss events and identification of factors resulting in maternal death are vital to improve the quality of obstetric care in any given setting. This study is aimed to determine the magnitude of maternal miss and identify its determinants. Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case-control study design was used. Sixty one maternal […]
Socio-economic inequalities in child stunting reduction in sub-Saharan Africa
Stunting in children less than five years of age is widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to: (i) evaluate how the prevalence of stunting has changed by socio-economic status and rural/urban residence, and (ii) assess inequalities in children’s diet quality and access to maternal and child health care. We used data from nationally representative demographic […]
Predictors of anemia in pregnant women residing in rural areas of the Oromiya region of Ethiopia
Background: Anemia in pregnancy is associated with higher risk of low birth weight and both maternal and perinatal mortality. While previous studies in Ethiopia have examined factors associated with anemia, which factors are the most important determinants of anemia in this population remain unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the association between […]
Final HIV status outcome for HIV-exposed infants at 18 months of age in nine states and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Introduction While antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage for pregnant women has undergone steady scale-up, Nigeria’s final mother- to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) rate remains unacceptably high at 10%. This study aimed to determine final outcomes (MTCT rates) and thei≥r correlates among HIV-exposed infants (HEI) in nine states and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Methods This retrospective, […]
Slow Acceptance of Universal Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Among Mothers Enrolled in IMPAACT PROMISE Studies Across the Globe
The PROMISE trial enrolled asymptomatic HIV-infected pregnant and postpartum women not eligible for antiretroviral treatment (ART) per local guidelines and randomly assigned proven antiretroviral strategies to assess relative efficacy for perinatal prevention plus maternal/infant safety and maternal health. The START study subsequently demonstrated clear benefit in initiating ART regardless of CD4 count. Active PROMISE participants […]
Delineating natural catchment health districts with routinely collected health data from women’s travel to give birth in Ghana
Background: Health service areas are essential for planning, policy and managing public health interventions. In this study, we delineate health service areas from routinely collected health data as a robust geographic basis for presenting access to maternal care indicators. Methods: A zone design algorithm was adapted to delineate health service areas through a cross-sectional, ecological […]
