“Is the health system ready?” A qualitative exploration of stakeholders’ opinions about the feasibility of preconception care services in the Nigerian health system
Background: Preconception care (PCC) services aim to improve reproductive health outcomes through the provision of biomedical, behavioural and social health interventions to women and couples before conception occurs. Countries that have deployed PCC services have policies that guide the services provided. In Nigeria, PCC is poorly developed and is often provided in an opportunistic manner […]
Determinants of malnutrition among pregnant and lactating women under humanitarian setting in Ethiopia
Background: Despite significant gains and progress in the last decade, malnutrition remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Pregnant and lactating women (PLW), along with children, are among the most vulnerable groups of population during emergencies and droughts. Identifying and targeting of PLW with malnutrition is among the priorities in humanitarian emergencies. However, there […]
Health workers’ perceptions of facilitators of and barriers to institutional delivery in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Background: Evidence shows that the three delays, delay in 1) deciding to seek medical care, 2) reaching health facilities and 3) receiving adequate obstetric care, are still contributing to maternal deaths in low-income countries. Ethiopia is a major contributor to the worldwide death toll of mothers with a maternal mortality ratio of 676 per 100,000 […]
Client satisfaction with existing labor and delivery care and associated factors among mothers who gave birth in university of Gondar teaching hospital; Northwest Ethiopia: Institution based cross-sectional study
Background There are many reasons for mothers not receiving modern obstetric care, being dissatisfied by health care deliveries is one of the major factors. There are limited studies about maternal satisfaction with labor and delivery care services in Ethiopia and particularly in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to better understand […]
The associations between intimate partner violence and maternal health care service utilization: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Intimate partner violence exposes women to a wide range of health problems that can either directly or indirectly lead to maternal death. Although in a number of studies intimate partner violence has been associated with inadequate utilization of antenatal care and skilled delivery care, in other studies no association has been found. Therefore, we […]
Hepatotoxicity and Liver-Related Mortality in Women of Childbearing Potential Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and High CD4 Cell Counts Initiating Efavirenz-Containing Regimens
Background: Severe hepatotoxicity in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) receiving efavirenz (EFV) has been reported. We assessed the incidence and risk factors of hepatotoxicity in women of childbearing age initiating EFV-containing regimens. Methods: In the Promoting Maternal and Infant Survival Everywhere (PROMISE) trial, ART-naive pregnant women with HIV and CD4 count ≥ 350 cells/μL […]
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Maternal Group B Streptococcus Colonization in Madagascar and Senegal
Maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization is a major risk factor for neonatal GBS infection. However, data on GBS are scarce in low- and middle-income countries. Using sociodemographic data and vaginal swabs collected from an international cohort of mothers and newborns, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GBS colonization among pregnant women in […]
Effects of improved complementary feeding and improved water, sanitation and hygiene on early child development among HIV-exposed children: Substudy of a cluster randomised trial in rural Zimbabwe
Introduction HIV-exposed uninfected children may be at risk of poor neurodevelopment. We aimed to test the impact of improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) on early child development (ECD) outcomes. Methods Sanitation Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy was a cluster randomised 2×2 factorial trial in rural Zimbabwe ClinicalTrials.gov […]
Dietary diversity and anthropometric status of mother–child pairs from enset (False banana) staple areas: A panel evidence from southern Ethiopia
Background: A sizable cross-sectional studies demonstrated a low dietary diversity in Southern Ethiopia. However, its seasonal trend has not been well studied in areas where nutrient-poor enset (false banana (Ensete ventricosum)) foods are major staple. Moreover, there is scarcity of information on seasonal nature of anthropometric status of mother–child pairs (MCP) from the same areas […]
Magnitude of home delivery and associated factors among child bearing age mothers in Sherkole District, Benishangul Gumuz regional state-Western-Ethiopia
Background: The World Health Organization estimates that globally only 43% of women have access to skilled care during deliveries and the rest are exposed to unskilled delivery service. A recent Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey report stated that maternal death was 412 per 100,000 in 2016.This still indicates that maternal health remains a major public […]