Women’s mass media exposure and maternal health awareness in Ota, Nigeria
Maternal health has been an issue of priority to nations across the globe for years now. This study sought to: identify the sources of maternal health awareness; examine means of obtaining maternal health information; determine the frequency of mass media exposure; and analyse the influence of mass media exposure on maternal health awareness among the […]
Repetition of a sisterhood survey at district level in Malawi: The challenge to achieve MDG 5
Objective: To evaluate progress made at district level in Malawi towards reaching the 5th Millennium Development Goal, the reduction of maternal mortality. Methods: In 2006, community-based maternal mortality in Thyolo, Malawi was calculated by applying the ‘sisterhood method’, a survey that relies on participants responding to basic questions about maternal mortality in their families. Results […]
Inequities in accessibility to and utilisation of maternal health services in Ghana after user-fee exemption: A descriptive study
Introduction: Inequities in accessibility to, and utilisation of maternal healthcare services impede progress towards attainment of the maternal health-related Millennium Development Goals. The objective of this study is to examine the extent to which maternal health services are utilised in Ghana, and whether inequities in accessibility to and utilization of services have been eliminated following […]
“I cannot say no when a pregnant woman needs my support to get to the health centre”: Involvement of community health workers in Rwanda’s maternal health
Background: In Rwanda, maternal community health workers (M-CHWs) are involved in the country’s overall health system. In maternal health, their role includes the provision of preventive and promotional health services at the community level. They provide services such as health education on maternal health wellbeing, advice and information on access and timely utilization of health […]
Determining factors associated with the prevalence of knowledge, attitude, and practice in seeking skilled maternal healthcare services among women in a remote area of Gesha district
Background: Skilled health care is essential for the mother’s and newborn’s health and well-being during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. This study aimed to analyze women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices while requesting competent assistance for maternity healthcare in Gesha District, Southwest Region of Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from September […]
‘The one with the purse makes policy’: Power, problem definition, framing and maternal health policies and programmes evolution in national level institutionalised policy making processes in Ghana
This paper seeks to advance our understanding of health policy agenda setting and formulation processes in a lower middle income country, Ghana, by exploring how and why maternal health policies and programmes appeared and evolved on the health sector programme of work agenda between 2002 and 2012. We theorized that the appearance of a policy […]
Measures adopted by indigent mothers in Kilifi County to tackle maternal health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study
Many sub-Saharan African countries have experienced various challenges that threaten the quality of health services offered to the population. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to healthcare services in many countries as they grappled with implementing measures to curb its spread. The consequences of COVID-19 have been catastrophic for maternal and newborn health. There is a […]
Perceived quality of and access to care among poor urban women in Kenya and their utilization of delivery care: Harnessing the potential of private clinics?
This paper uses data from a maternal health study carried out in 2006 in two slums of Nairobi, Kenya, to: describe perceptions of access to and quality of care among women living in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya; quantify the effects of women’s perceived quality of, and access to, care on the utilization of delivery […]
Effect of women’s literacy on maternal and child health: Evidence from demographic Health Survey data in Senegal
Background: Senegal has certainly made significant efforts in adult literacy and in the fight against maternal and infant mortality. However, a large proportion of the female population is illiterate, and the country’s maternal and infant mortality rates are still higher than WHO recommendations. This article examined the effect of women’s literacy on maternal and child […]
Family planning: Choices and challenges for developing countries
While slow and uneven progress has been made on maternal health, attaining the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goal for achieving universal access to reproductive health remains elusive for many developing countries. Assuring access to sexual and reproductive health services, including integrated family planning services, remains a critical strategy for improving […]
