Current state of preconception care in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic scoping review

Background: Preconception care (PCC) utilisation is essential to extend and complete the health continuum. However, these services are not yet incorporated into many low-income countries’ existing maternal health services. Aim: This study aims to review the current literature on the knowledge, utilisation and provision of PCC. Setting: This included women and healthcare workers (HCWs) in […]

Men care too: a qualitative study examining women’s perceptions of fathers’ engagement in early childhood development (ECD) during an ECD program for HIV-positive mothers in Malawi

Objectives Integrated early childhood development (ECD) and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions rarely target fathers, a missed opportunity given existing research demonstrating that father involvement improves maternal and child outcomes. We aimed to explore mother’s perceptions of fathers’ buy-in to an integrated PMTCT-ECD programme, any impact the programme had on couple dynamics, and perceived […]

Underreporting and missed opportunities for uptake of intermittent preventative treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Mali

Objectives: To identify factors contributing to low uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in rural Mali. Methods: We conducted secondary data analysis on Mali’s 2012-2013 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) to determine the proportion of women who failed to take IPTp-SP due to ineligibility or non-attendance at antenatal care […]

Towards a deeper understanding of male involvement in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV in the Bogodogo District of the Central Region of Burkina Faso

Introduction Men can play crucial roles at each stage of HIV mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) prevention. Low male involvement in preventative MTCT (PMTCT) in Burkina Faso is partially associated with increased MTCT rates in the country. Male involvement is at the intersection of individual experiences, social locations, organizational and systemic forces. It is crucial that PMTCT interventions […]

Monitoring child survival in ‘real time’ using routine health facility records: Results from Malawi

Objectives: Few developing countries have the accurate civil registration systems needed to track progress in child survival. However, the health information systems in most of these countries do record facility births and deaths, at least in principle. We used data from two districts of Malawi to test a method for monitoring child mortality based on […]

Determinants of practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Sodo Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia: Content analysis using Poisson’s regression

Objectives: Every pregnancy can face risk. One of the World Health Organization recommendations for health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health was to increase birth preparedness and complication readiness. The main objective of this recommendation was to increase the use of skilled care at birth and to increase the timely use of facility care […]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation of facility-based essential maternal and child health services from March to August 2020 compared with pre-pandemic March-August 2019: a mixed-methods study in North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Introduction Health systems are often weakened by public health emergencies that make it harder to access health services. We aimed to assess maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) service utilisation during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with prior to the pandemic. Methods We conducted a mixed study design in eight health […]

Help-seeking intention and associated factors towards mental illness among residents of Mertule Mariam town, East Gojam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A mixed-method study

Background: About 76% and 85% of people in low and middle-income countries with severe mental illness did not get management because of fear of expected discrimination. Studying the intention to seek help for mental illness will, therefore, help to know their intended plan for help that would have a vital role to access patients with […]

Management of abortion complications at a rural hospital in Uganda: A quality assessment by a partially completed criterion-based audit

Background: Complications of unsafe abortion are a major contributor to maternal deaths in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical assessment for life-threatening complications and the following management in women admitted with complications from abortions at a rural hospital in Uganda. Methods: A partially completed criterion-based audit was conducted comparing actual to optimal […]

Disrespect and abuse experienced by women during childbirth in midwife-led obstetric units in Tshwane district, South Africa: A qualitative study

The disrespect and abuse (D&A) of women during childbirth is common and a great concern in midwifery-led obstetric units (MOUs) in South Africa. This paper used the seven chapters of the Respectful Maternity Care Charter as a framework to explore women’s experiences of care during childbirth and examine the occurrence of D&A during childbirth in […]