Quality of maternal obstetric and neonatal care in low-income countries: Development of a composite index
Background: In low-income countries, studies demonstrate greater access and utilization of maternal and neonatal health services, yet mortality rates remain high with poor quality increasingly scrutinized as a potential point of failure in achieving expected goals. Comprehensive measures reflecting the multi-dimensional nature of quality of care could prove useful to quality improvement. However, existing tools […]
Effects of antenatal care and institutional delivery on exclusive breastfeeding practice in northwest Ethiopia: A nested case-control study
Background: For the first six months of life, breast milk is the ideal food to provide adequate quality and quantity of nutrients. Exclusive breastfeeding has a profound effect to reduce the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal related morbidities as well as all-cause and infection-related neonatal mortalities. Despite the immense benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, the practice […]
“Every method seems to have its problems”- Perspectives on side effects of hormonal contraceptives in Morogoro Region, Tanzania
Background: Family planning has been shown to be an effective intervention for promoting maternal, newborn and child health. Despite family planning’s multiple benefits, women’s experiences of – or concerns related to – side effects present a formidable barrier to the sustained use of contraceptives, particularly in the postpartum period. This paper presents perspectives of postpartum, […]
Unsafe child feces disposal status in Ethiopia: What factors matter? Analysis of pooled data from four demographic and health surveys
Background: The only safest way to dispose of a child’s feces is to help the child use a toilet or, for very young children, to put or rinse their feces into a toilet, whereas other methods are considered unsafe. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and factors associated with unsafe child feces disposal in […]
A qualitative study on barriers to utilisation of institutional delivery services in Moroto and Napak districts, Uganda: Implications for programming
Background: Skilled attendance at delivery is critical in prevention of maternal deaths. However, many women in low- and middle-income countries still deliver without skilled assistance. This study was carried out to identify perceived barriers to utilisation of institutional delivery in two districts in Karamoja, Uganda.Methods: Data were collected through participatory rural appraisal (PRA) with 887 […]
The uptake of key Essential Nutrition Action (ENA) messages and its predictors among mothers of children aged 6–24 months in Southern Ethiopia, 2021: A community-based crossectional study
Background Essential nutrition action(ENA) is a framework for managing advocacy, establishing a foundation, and implementing a comprehensive package of preventive nutritional activities. Essential Nutrition Actions study studies provide current information on each nutrition action, allowing health systems to focus more on nutrition, which is critical in tackling the “double burden” of malnutrition: underweight and overweight. […]
Determinants to late antenatal clinic start among pregnant women: The case of Saint Elizabeth general hospital, Shisong, Cameroon
Introduction: to improve maternal health, barriers that limit access to quality maternal health services must be identified and addressed at all levels of the health system. The World Health Organisation (WHO) cites distance to health facility and inadequate health institutions as factors that prevent women from receiving or seeking care during pregnancy and childbirth. Specifically, […]
Factors affecting birth preparedness and complication readiness in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis
Introduction: birth preparedness and complication readiness have been considered as comprehensive strategy aimed at promoting the timely utilization of skilled maternal health care. However, its status and affecting factors have not been well studied at different levels in the study area. Thus, this study was aimed to fill this gap by conducting community based study. […]
Management of post abortion complications in Botswana -The need for a standardized approach
Background Post abortion complications are the third leading cause of maternal death after hemorrhage and hypertension in Botswana where abortion is not legalized. This study aimed at assessing the management of post abortion complications in Botswana. Methods A retrospective study was conducted at four hospitals in Botswana in 2014. Socio-demo-graphic, patient management and outcomes data […]
The NSPCC UK Minding the Baby® (MTB) home-visiting programme, supporting young mothers (aged 14-25) in the first 2 years of their baby’s life: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Background: Young mothers living in low-income urban settings often are exposed to significant and chronic environmental difficulties including poverty, social isolation and poor education and typically also have to cope with personal histories of abuse and depression. Minding the Baby® (MTB) is an interdisciplinary home-visiting programme developed to support first-time young mothers, which integrates primary […]
