Caesarean section in Benin and Mali: increased recourse to technology due to suffering and under-resourced facilities: Increased recourse to caesarean sections in Mali and Benin

In line with policies to combat maternal mortality, the medicalization of childbirth is increasing in low-income countries, while access to healthcare services remains difficult for many women. High caesarean section rates have been documented recently in hospitals in Mali and Benin, illustrating an a-priori paradoxical situation, compared with low caesarean section rates in the population. […]

Access to Maternal Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Indigent Mothers and Health Care Providers in Kilifi County, Kenya

COVID-19 has spread rapidly in Kenya and has not spared pregnant women. Evidence from Kenya shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, health systems have been either stressed to their maximum capacity or are becoming overwhelmed. However, the population is advised not to attend hospital unless strictly necessary, and this advice seems to apply to all, […]

Examining the Implementation of the Performance-Based Financing Equity Strategy in Improving Access and Utilization of Maternal Health Services in Cameroon: A Qualitative Study

Performance-based financing (PBF)—a supply-side strategy that incentivizes health providers based on predefined quality and quantity criteria—introduced an innovative approach to reaching the poor by means of using PBF equity instruments. These PBF equity instruments include paying providers more to reach out to poor women, selecting services used by the poor, subsidizing user fees to reduce […]

Stakeholders’ perspectives on facilitators of and barriers to the utilisation of and access to maternal health services in Eritrea: A qualitative study

Background: Wars affect maternal health services by destroying health systems. Eritrea experienced two wars with neighbouring Ethiopia. Despite this, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Eritrea fell by 69% from 1590 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 501 in 2015. This study aimed to examine facilitators of and barriers to the utilisation of and […]