Impact of health education on knowledge and behaviours toward obstetric fistula among women of reproductive age in Uganda

Obstetric fistula is among the most severe maternal morbidities. It is caused directly by obstructed labour, and indirectly by social, political, and economic factors. Effects of obstetric fistula include chronic urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence often leads to isolation and death if left untreated. Death of women during childbirth is detrimental to both social economic transformation […]

Reduction in child mortality in Niger: A Countdown to 2015 country case study

Background The Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) is to reduce by two-thirds the mortality rate of children younger than 5 years, between 1990 and 2015. The 2012 Countdown profile shows that Niger has achieved far greater reductions in child mortality and gains in coverage for interventions in child survival than neighbouring countries in west […]

Cohort profile: The Hlabisa pregnancy cohort, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Purpose The Hlabisa pregnancy cohort was established to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) guideline revisions. The objectives of the Hlabisa pregnancy cohort are to: (1) provide cohort-level information on maternal health up to 6 weeks postpartum in a high HIV prevalence setting; and to (2) evaluate aspects of PMTCT care that […]

The effect of Ebola virus disease on maternal health service utilisation and perinatal outcomes in West Africa: a systematic review

Background: Ebola outbreaks pose a major threat to global public health, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. These outbreaks disrupt the already fragile maternal health services in West Africa. The aims of this study is to assess the effect of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on maternal health service utilisation and perinatal outcomes. Methods: This systematic review was […]

Determinants of use of supervised delivery care under Ghana’s fee exemption policy for maternal healthcare: The case of the Central Region

Background: Improving access to supervised and emergency obstetric care resources through fee reduction/exemption maternity care initiatives has been touted as one major strategy to avoiding preventable maternal deaths. Evaluations on the effect of Ghana’s fee exemption policy for maternal healthcare have largely focused on how it has influenced health outcomes and patterns of use of […]

Effects of combined decision-support and performance-based incentives on reported client satisfaction with maternal health services in primary facilities: A quasi-experimental study in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Background Computerized decision-support systems (CDSS) and performance-based incentives (PBIs) have potential to contribute to client satisfaction with health services. However, rigorous evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of these strategies in lower-income countries such as Ghana. This study aimed to determine the effect of a combined CDSS-PBI intervention on client satisfaction with maternal health services […]

Perceived causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes and remedies adopted by Kalenjin women in rural Kenya

Background: There have been few studies about the basis on which women in developing regions evaluate and choose traditional rather than western maternal care. This qualitative study explores the socio-cultural perceptions of complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth and how these perceptions influence maternal health and care-seeking behaviours in Kenya. Methods: Kalenjin women (n = […]

Where do the rural poor deliver when high coverage of health facility delivery is achieved? Findings from a community and hospital survey in Tanzania

Introduction: As part of maternal mortality reducing strategies, coverage of delivery care among sub-Saharan African rural poor will improve, with a range of facilities providing services. Whether high coverage will benefit all socio-economic groups is unknown. Iringa rural District, Southern Tanzania, with high facility delivery coverage, offers a paradigm to address this question. Delivery services […]

Fortified Balanced Energy-Protein Supplementation, Maternal Anemia, and Gestational Weight Gain: A Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial among Pregnant Women in Rural Burkina Faso

Background: Anemia and suboptimal gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with adverse maternal and birth outcomes. Limited research indicates that balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplements reduce the incidence of inadequate GWG. Objectives: We assessed the efficacy of a micronutrient-fortified BEP supplement on the secondary outcomes of anemia, GWG, GWG rate, and GWG in relation to the […]

Evaluation of multiple micronutrient supplementation and medium-quantity lipidbased nutrient supplementation in pregnancy on child development in rural Niger: A secondary analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background It is estimated that over 250 million children under 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not reach their full developmental potential. Poor maternal diet, anemia, and micronutrient deficiencies during pregnancy are associated with suboptimal neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. However, the effect of prenatal macronutrient and micronutrient supplementation on child […]