Utilization of Kenya’s free maternal health services among women living in Kibera slums: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: This study was aimed at determining factors affecting utilization of public health facilities by pregnant Kenyan women living in Kibera slums, Nairobi since the implementation of the Free Maternal Service (FMS) Program in 2013. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study done on 396 women who delivered between 2014 and 2015. Interview questions addressed socio-demographic […]

Preventing death following unsafe abortion: a case series from urban Uganda

BACKGROUND: Maternal deaths from unsafe abortion continue to occur globally, with particularly high rates in Sub-Saharan Africa where most abortions are classified as unsafe. Maternal death reviews are an effective part of cohesive strategies to prevent future deaths while abortion remains illegal. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to conduct maternal death reviews for all deaths occurring […]

Using survival analysis to determine association between maternal pelvis height and antenatal fetal head descent in Ugandan mothers

Introduction: Fetal head descent is used to demonstrate the maternal pelvis capacity to accommodate the fetal head. This is especially important in low resource settings that have high rates of childbirth related maternal deaths and morbidity. This study looked at maternal height and an additional measure, maternal pelvis height, from automotive engineering. The objective of […]

Examining barriers to healthcare access and utilization of antenatal care services: evidence from demographic health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Antenatal care utilization is one of the means for reducing the high maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the association between barriers to healthcare access and implementation of the 2016 WHO antenatal care services model among pregnant women seeking antenatal care in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: This study considered only […]

Evaluating continuum of maternal and newborn healthcare in Rwanda: evidence from the 2019–2020 Rwanda demographic health survey

Background: Access to a complete continuum of maternal and child health care has been recommended globally for better pregnancy outcomes. Hence this study determined the level (pooled prevalence) and predictors of successfully completing continuum of care (CoC) in Rwanda. Methods: We analyzed weighted secondary data from the 2019–2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) that […]

Men’s roles in care seeking for maternal and newborn health: A qualitative study applying the three delays model to male involvement in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

Background: Increasing the utilization of facility-based care for women and newborns in low-resource settings can reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. Men influence whether women and newborns receive care because they often control financial resources and household decisions. This influence can have negative effects if men misjudge or ignore danger signs or are unwilling […]

The development of children born to young mothers with no, first- or second-generation HIV acquisition in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa: a cross-sectional study

Background The intergenerational effects of HIV require long-term investigation. We compared developmental outcomes of different generations impacted by HIV – children of mothers not living with HIV, the ‘second generation’ (ie, with recently infected mothers) and the ‘third generation’ (ie, children of perinatally infected mothers). Methods A cross-sectional community sample of N=1015 young mothers (12-25 […]

“I am alive; my baby is alive”: Understanding reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction with maternal health care services in the context of user fee removal policy in Nigeria

Background The main policy thrust in many sub-Saharan Africa countries’ aim at addressing maternal mortality is the elimination of the user fee for maternal healthcare services. While several studies have documented the effect of the user fee removal policy on the use of maternal health care services, the experiences of women seeking care in facilities […]

Factors Associated With Uptake of Iron Supplement During Pregnancy Among Women of Reproductive Age in Tanzania: an Analysis of Data From the 2015 to 2016 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicators Survey

Background: Pregnant women are vulnerable to iron deficiency due to the fact that more iron is needed primarily to supply the growing fetus and placenta and to increase the maternal red cell mass. Little is known on the factors associated with uptake of iron supplement during pregnancy. Methods: The study used data from the 2015 […]

Predictors of delayed Antenatal Care (ANC) visits in Nigeria: secondary analysis of 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS)

INTRODUCTION: Antenatal Care (ANC) is an important component of maternal health and covers a wide range of activities with huge potential benefits for positive pregnancy out comes. However, large proportions of women do initiate ANC early resulting in adverse consequences. Data for this study came from NDHS 2013 which was a nationally representative sample of […]