Utilisation of antenatal care and skilled delivery services among mothers in Nanton District of Northern Ghana: a mixed-method study protocol
INTRODUCTION: Maternal morbidity and mortality are a global phenomenon with devastating effects on low-income and middle-income countries among which sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the hardest hit. Low utilisation of maternal health services has been recorded in recent times in the Nanton District of Ghana. This has raised concerns about the utilisation of antenatal care (ANC) […]
Action leveraging evidence to reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity (ALERT): study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial in Benin, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda
Background: Insufficient reductions in maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths in the past decade are a deterrence to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3. The majority of deaths occur during the intrapartum and immediate postnatal period. Overcoming the knowledge-do-gap to ensure implementation of known evidence-based interventions during this period has the potential to avert at […]
Community pharmacy professionals’ practice in responding to minor symptoms experienced by pregnant women in Ethiopia: results from sequential mixed methods
Background: In countries with limited access to healthcare services, community pharmacists’ management of minor symptoms experienced by pregnant women could be beneficial in terms of alleviating the burden of other health professionals and cost of services. However, evidence is limited regarding the practice of community pharmacy professionals in responding to minor pregnancy-related symptoms more generally, […]
How COVID-19 affected food systems, health service delivery and maternal and infant nutrition practices: Implications for moving forward in Kenya
This implementation research study sought to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and infant nutrition practices, and related aspects of health and food systems in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya. The study triangulated in-depth interviews with 16 pregnant women, 31 lactating women (including COVID-19 positive), 10 facility health workers, 10 community health […]
Institutional delivery and postnatal care services utilizations in Abuna Gindeberet District, West Shewa, Oromiya Region, Central Ethiopia: A Community-based cross sectional study
Background: Delivery at health institutions under the care of trained health-care providers and utilization of postnatal cares services plays vital roles in promoting child survival and reducing the risk of maternal mortality. More than 80 % of maternal deaths can be prevented if pregnant women access to essential maternity cares like antenatal care, institutional delivery […]
Factors associated with malaria care seeking among children under 5 years of age in Mozambique: a secondary analysis of the 2018 Malaria Indicator Survey
Background: Mozambique is ranked fourth in a list of the 29 countries that accounted for 95% of all malaria cases globally in 2019. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with care seeking for fever, to determine the association between knowledge about malaria and care seeking and to describe the main reasons […]
Global research priorities for COVID-19 in maternal, reproductive and child health: Results of an international survey
Background The World Health Organization’s “Coordinated Global Research Roadmap: 2019 Novel Coronavirus”outlined the need for research that focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and children. More than one year after the first reported case significant knowledge gaps remain, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach. To address this need, the Maternal, Newborn […]
eRegistries: Electronic registries for maternal and child health
Background: The Global Roadmap for Health Measurement and Accountability sees integrated systems for health information as key to obtaining seamless, sustainable, and secure information exchanges at all levels of health systems. The Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent’s Health aims to achieve a continuum of quality of care with effective coverage of interventions. The […]
Determinants of antenatal healthcare utilisation by pregnant women in third trimester in peri-urban Ghana
Access to quality healthcare still remains a major challenge in the efforts at reversing maternal morbidity andmortality. Despite the availability of establishedmaternal health interventions, the health of the expectantmother and the unborn child remains poor due to low utilisation of interventions. The study examined the socioeconomic determinants of antenatal care utilisation in peri-urban Ghana using […]
Between pain and pleasure: Pregnant women’s knowledge and preferences for pain relief in labor, a pilot study from Zaria, Northern Nigeria
Background: Pain relief in labor remains a hot topic and these debates get louder by the day as more women become aware of their rights to better quality of care in labor. This study was conceived in a background where the practice of pain relief in labor is evolving and where women are seeking to […]
