Near-miss maternal morbidity from severe haemorrhage at caesarean section: A process and structure audit of system deficiencies in South Africa
Background. A rising caesarean section rate and substandard peri-operative care are believed to be the main reasons for recent increases in maternal deaths from bleeding during and after caesarean section (BDACS) in South Africa (SA). The Donabedian model assumes that clinical outcomes are influenced by healthcare workers and the healthcare system. Objectives. To evaluate near-miss […]
Complementary feeding practices and associated factors among children aged 6-23 months in rural Haramaya district, Eastern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Background: The age of children up to 59 months is a critical period for children’s growth and development and the age when optimal complementary feeding is crucial. Aim: To assess optimal complementary feeding practices and associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in rural Haramaya district, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. […]
The COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Maternal Mental Health Differently Depending on Pregnancy Status and Trimester of Gestation
Introduction: We aimed to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health, stratifying on pregnancy status, trimester of gestation, and pandemic period/wave. Methods: Pregnant persons and persons who delivered in Canada during the pandemic, >18 years, were recruited, and data were collected using a web-based strategy. The current analysis includes data on […]
Health facility-based counselling and community outreach are associated with maternal dietary practices in a cross-sectional study from Tanzania
Background: Anemia and underweight among women are major public health challenges. Access to health services can improve dietary behaviors and women’s nutritional status. We examined whether exposure to health services is associated with women’s dietary practices in Tanzania. Methods: Data come from a cross-sectional baseline survey among 5000 female primary caregivers who were randomly selected […]
Comment: silent burden no more: a global call to action to prioritize perinatal mental health
Common perinatal mental disorders are the most frequent complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and the prevalence among women in low- and middle-income countries is the highest at nearly 20%. Women are the cornerstone of a healthy and prosperous society and until their mental health is taken as seriously as their physical wellbeing, […]
The role of gender inequities in women’s access to reproductive health care: A population-level study of Namibia, Kenya, Nepal, and India
Background: The role of gender inequities in explaining women’s access to reproductive health care was examined in four countries (two sub-Saharan African and two South Asian countries). The extent of gender inequities varies across and within countries, and is rooted in the different cultural practices and gender norms within these different countries, and differences in […]
Delays in receiving obstetric care and poor maternal outcomes: Results from a national multicentre cross-sectional study
Background: The vast majority of maternal deaths in low-and middle-income countries are preventable. Delay in obtaining access to appropriate health care is a fairly common problem which can be improved. The objective of this study was to explore the association between delay in providing obstetric health care and severe maternal morbidity/death.Methods: This was a multicentre […]
Malaria during pregnancy and foetal haematological status in Blantyre, Malawi
Background: Although maternal anaemia often stems from malaria infection during pregnancy, its effects on foetal haemoglobin levels are not straightforward. Lower-than-expected cord haemoglobin values in malarious versus non-malarious regions were noted by one review, which hypothesized they resulted from foetal immune activation to maternal malaria. This study addressed this idea by examining cord haemoglobin levels […]
Implementation and maintenance of infant dietary diversity in Zimbabwe: contribution of food and water insecurity
Background: Inadequate food and water resources negatively affect child health and the efficiency of nutrition interventions. Methods: We used data from the SHINE trial to investigate the associations of food insecurity (FI) and water insecurity (WI) on mothers’ implementation and maintenance of minimum infant dietary diversity (MIDD). We conducted factor analysis to identify and score […]
The joint effect of maternal marital status and type of household cooking fuel on child nutritional status in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of cross-sectional surveys on children from 31 countries
The current study sought to investigate the joint effect of maternal marital status and type of household cooking fuel on child nutritional status in sub-Saharan Africa. Data in the children’s files of 31 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled from the Demographic and Health Surveys collected between 2010 and 2019. The outcome variables were three child […]
