Providers adherence to essential contents of antenatal care services increases birth weight in Bahir Dar City Administration, north West Ethiopia: A prospective follow up study
Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the most important factors affecting child morbidity and mortality worldwide. Antenatal care (ANC) is an opportunity for reaching pregnant women with a number of interventions that may be vital to their health and well-being of their infants. However, data on the link between ANC quality and LBW […]
Immunization status of children aged 12-23 months in Jonglei State, South Sudan: a cross-sectional epidemiologic study
Introduction: the immunization program focuses on reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with vaccine-preventable diseases. The purpose of the study was to determine the state of immunization coverage of children aged 12-23 months in Jonglei State, South Sudan, and to identify the factors that contribute to the low immunization coverage. Methods: a cross-sectional epidemiologic study […]
Placental malaria is rare among zanzibari pregnant women who did not receive intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy
Zanzibar has transitioned from malaria control to the pre-elimination phase, and the continued need for intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) has been questioned. We conducted a prospective observational study to estimate placental malaria positivity rate among women who did not receive IPTp with sulfadoxinepyrimethamine. A convenience sample of pregnant women was enrolled from six […]
Social circumstances that drive early introduction of formula milk: An exploratory qualitative study in a peri-urban South African community
Breastfeeding is widely endorsed as the optimal strategy for feeding newborns and young infants, as well as improving child survival and achieving Millennium Development Goal 4. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life is rarely practised in South Africa. Following the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) infant feeding recommendations (EBF for HIV-positive […]
A multilevel analysis of determinants of PMTCT service utilisation among women during the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum period in Ethiopia
Background: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the largest source of HIV infection in children below the age of 15 years, and more than 90% of pediatric HIV are infected through mother to child transmission. Without treatment, one-half of those infected children will die before the age of 2 years. Despite this, there is limited evidence on […]
Prevalence and determinants of unintended childbirth in Ethiopia
Background: Ethiopia’s population policy specifically aims to reduce TFR from 7.7 to 4.0 and to increasecontraceptive use from 4.0% to 44.0% between 1990 and 2015. In 2011, the use of contraceptive methodsincreased seven-fold from 4.0% to 27%; and the TFR declined by 38% to 4.8. The use of modern contraceptives is,however, much higher in the […]
Predictors of pregnancy termination among young women in ghana: Empirical evidence from the 2014 demographic and health survey data
Pregnancy termination remains a delicate and contentious reproductive health issue because of a variety of political, economic, religious, and social reasons. The present study examined the associations between demographic and socio-economic factors and pregnancy termination among young Ghanaian women. This study used data from the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey of Ghana. A sample size […]
Barriers to Contraceptive Uptake among Women of Reproductive Age in a Semi-Urban Community of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria
BACKGROUND: Globally, unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) persist as a significant threat to women’s reproductive health. In Nigeria, despite huge resources committed to family planning programs by stakeholders, contraceptive use has been very low. This study aimed at unraveling the barriers to the use of modern contraceptives among women of reproductive age (15-49 […]
Diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria at delivery: Comparison of blood film preparation methods and of blood films with histology
We compared peripheral and placental blood films (made by different techniques) with placental histology for diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnancy. Samples from 464 women were examined, of whom 124 (26.7%) had active P. falciparum infection and 148 (31.9%) had past infection. Placental histology was more sensitive (91%) than peripheral blood film (47%) or […]
Protocol of an open, three-arm, individually randomized trial assessing the effect of delivering sexual and reproductive health information to young people (aged 13-24) in Kenya and Peru via mobile phones: Adolescent/youth reproductive mobile access and delivery initiative for love and life outcomes (ARMADILLO) study stage 2
Background: Young people face special challenges to accessing needed sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and support. With high penetration and access, mobile phones provide a new channel for reaching young people, but there is little evidence around the impact of digital interventions on improving health outcomes. The Adolescent/Youth Reproductive Mobile Access and Delivery Initiative […]
