The Association of Health Insurance with institutional delivery and access to skilled birth attendants: Evidence from the Kenya Demographic and health survey 2008-09
Background: Healthcare financing through health insurance is gaining traction as developing countries strive to achieve universal health coverage and address the limited access to critical health services for specific populations including pregnant women and their children. However, these reforms are taking place despite limited evaluation of impact of health insurance on maternal health in developing […]
Emergency transportation interventions for reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol
BACKGROUND: Transportation interventions seek to decrease delay in reaching a health facility for emergency obstetric care and are, thus, believed to contribute to reductions in such adverse pregnancy and childbirth outcomes as maternal deaths, stillbirths, and neonatal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is limited empirical evidence to support this hypothesis. The […]
Effect of health facility linkage with community using postnatal card on postnatal home visit coverage and newborn care practices in rural Ethiopia: A controlled quasi-experimental study design
Background Postnatal home visit has the potential to improve maternal and newborn health, but it remains as a missed opportunity in many low-and middle-income countries. This study examines the effect of health extension worker administered postnatal card combined with health facility strengthening intervention on postnatal home visit coverage, newborn care practices, and knowledge of newborn […]
Improving the quality of maternal and newborn health outcomes through a clinical mentorship program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Study protocol
Background: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) boasts one of the highest rates of institutional deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa (80%), with eight out of every ten births also assisted by a skilled provider. However, the maternal and neonatal mortality are still among the highest in the world, which demonstrates the poor in-facility quality of […]
If we build it, will they come? Results of a quasi-experimental study assessing the impact of maternity waiting homes on facility-based childbirth and maternity care in Zambia
Introduction Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) aim to increase access to maternity and emergency obstetric care by allowing women to stay near a health centre before delivery. An improved MWH model was developed with community input and included infrastructure, policies and linkages to health centres. We hypothesised this MWH model would increase health facility delivery among […]
Effectiveness of a multicomponent safe surgery intervention on improving surgical quality in Tanzania’s Lake Zone: Protocol for a quasi-experimental study
Introduction: Effective, scalable strategies for improving surgical quality are urgently needed in low-income and middle-income countries; however, there is a dearth of evidence about what strategies are most effective. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Safe Surgery 2020, a multicomponent intervention focused on strengthening five areas: leadership and teamwork, safe surgical and anaesthesia […]
Impact of free maternity policies in Kenya: An interrupted time-series analysis
Background User fees have been reported to limit access to services and increase inequities. As a result, Kenya introduced a free maternity policy in all public facilities in 2013. Subsequently in 2017, the policy was revised to the Linda Mama programme to expand access to private sector, expand the benefit package and change its management. […]
The effects of geographical accessibility to health facilities on antenatal care and delivery services utilization in Benin: a cross-sectional study
Background: The world is making progress toward achieving maternal and child health (MCH) related components of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, the progress of many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa is lagging. Geographical accessibility from residence to health facilities is considered a major obstacle hampering the use of appropriate MCH services. Benin, a country where the […]
Obstetric Facility Quality and Newborn Mortality in Malawi: A Cross-Sectional Study
Background: Ending preventable newborn deaths is a global health priority, but efforts to improve coverage of maternal and newborn care have not yielded expected gains in infant survival in many settings. One possible explanation is poor quality of clinical care. We assess facility quality and estimate the association of facility quality with neonatal mortality in […]
The effect of the community midwifery model on maternal and newborn health service utilization and outcomes in Busia County of Kenya: a quasi-experimental study
Background: Poor women in hard-to-reach areas are least likely to receive healthcare and thus carry the burden of maternal and perinatal mortality from complications of childbirth. This study evaluated the effect of an enhanced community midwifery model on skilled attendance during pregnancy/childbirth as well as on maternal and perinatal outcomes against the backdrop of protracted […]
