Making pragmatic choices: Women’s experiences of delivery care in Northern Ethiopia

Background: In 2003, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health launched the Health Extension Programme (HEP), which was intended to increase access to reproductive health care. Despite enormous effort, utilization of maternal health services remains limited, and the reasons for the low utilization of the services offered through the HEP previously have not been explored in depth.This […]

HIV-Infected Adolescent Mothers and Their Infants: Low Coverage of HIV Services and High Risk of HIV Transmission in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Objectives:Rates of pregnancy and HIV infection are high among South African adolescents, yet little is known about rates of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) in this group. We report a comparison of the characteristics of adolescent mothers and adult mothers, including HIV prevalence and MTCT rates.Methods:We examined patterns of health service utilization during the antenatal […]

Utilization of Health Facility–Based Delivery Service Among Mothers in Gindhir District, Southeast Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Facility-based delivery service is recognized as intermediation to reduce complications during delivery. Current struggles to reduce maternal mortality in low-and-middle income countries, including Ethiopia, primarily focus on deploying skilled birth attendants and upgrading emergency obstetric care services. This study was designed to assess utilization of health facility–based delivery service and associated factors among mothers who […]

Men’s and women’s knowledge of danger signs relevant to postnatal and neonatal careseeking: A cross sectional study from Bungoma County, Kenya

Background Neonatal and maternal mortality rates remain high in Kenya. Knowledge of neonatal danger signs may reduce delay in deciding to seek care. Evidence is emerging on the influential role of male partners in improving maternal and newborn health. This study analysed the factors that determine men’s and women’s knowledge and practices in postnatal and […]

Factors associated with mortality and length of stay in hospitalised neonates in Eritrea, Africa: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To determine the factors associated with mortality in a hospitalised cohort of infants in Asmara, Eritrea. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional review of all 2006 admissions to a specialised neonatal intensive care unit. Data on gestational age (prematurity), age at presentation, birth weight, gender, mode of delivery, Apgar score, maternal age, birth location, admission diagnosis, admission […]

Lack of clear national policy guidance on COVID-19 vaccines influences behaviors in pregnant and lactating women in Kenya

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy is associated with a greater risk of maternal and newborn morbidity and maternal death. In Kenya, pregnant and lactating women (PLW) were ineligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines until August 2021. How shifts in policy influence vaccine behaviors, such as health worker recommendations and vaccine uptake, is not well documented. We conducted […]

Maternal HIV disclosure to HIV-uninfected children in rural South Africa: A pilot study of a family-based intervention

Background: As access to treatment increases, large numbers of HIV-positive parents are raising HIV-negative children. Maternal HIV disclosure has been shown to have benefits for mothers and children, however, disclosure rates remain low with between 30-45% of mothers reporting HIV disclosure to their children in both observational and intervention studies. Disclosure of HIV status by […]

National data system on near miss and maternal death: Shifting from maternal risk to public health impact in Nigeria

Abstract. Background. The lack of reliable and up-to-date statistics on maternal deaths and disabilities remains a major challenge to the implementation of Nigeria’s Road Map to Accelerate the Millennium Development Goal related to Maternal Health (MDG-5). There are currently no functioning national data sources on maternal deaths and disabilities that could serve as reference points […]

Village health worker motivation for better performance in a maternal and child health programme in Nigeria: A realist evaluation

Background: Community health workers play an important role in linking communities with formal health service providers, thereby improving access to and utilization of health care. A novel cadre of community health workers known as village health workers (VHWs) were recruited to create demand for maternal health services in the Nigerian Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P/MCH). In […]

Meeting demand-Obstetric hemorrhage and blood availability in Malawi, a qualitative study

Background Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in Malawi. Despite the presence of a centralized institution supplying blood and blood products for hospitals across the country, a lack of timely blood transfusion has been identified as a critical barrier to successful PPH management. This study aims to understand the factors that […]