Factors associated with choice of antenatal, delivery and postnatal services between HIV positive and HIV negative women in Zambia
Background: Previous research has shown that developing countries account for the majority of maternal deaths around the world. Relatively high maternal mortality in developing countries has been linked to high HIV prevalence rates in these countries. Several studies have shown that women living with HIV are more vulnerable and are thus more likely to die […]
Maternal healthcare services use in Mwanza Region, Tanzania: A cross-sectional baseline survey
Background: Improving maternal health by reducing maternal mortality/morbidity relates to Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving this goal is supported by antenatal care (ANC), health facility delivery, and postpartum care. This study aimed to understand levels of use and correlates of uptake of maternal healthcare services among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) […]
The first 2 h after birth: prevalence and factors associated with neonatal care practices from a multicountry, facility-based, observational study
Background: Amid efforts to improve the quality of care for women and neonates during childbirth, there is growing interest in the experience of care, including respectful care practices. However, there is little research on the prevalence of practices that might constitute mistreatment of neonates. This study aims to describe the care received by neonates up […]
‘The development sector is a graveyard of pilot projects!’ Six critical actions for externally funded implementers to foster scale-up of maternal and newborn health innovations in low and middle-income countries
Background: Donors often fund projects that develop innovative practices in low and middle-income countries, hoping recipient governments will adopt and scale them within existing systems and programmes. Such innovations frequently end when project funding ends, limiting longer term potential in countries with weak health systems and pressing health needs. This paper aims to identify critical […]
Effects of public financing of essential maternal and child health interventions across wealth quintiles in Nigeria: an extended cost-effectiveness analysis
Background: Maternal and newborn mortality rates in Nigeria are among the highest globally, and large socioeconomic inequalities exist in access to maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services in the country. Inequalities also exist in catastrophic health expenditure among households in Nigeria. We aimed to estimate the health and financial risk protection benefits across different […]
The prevalence of stunting is high in HIV-1-exposed uninfected infants in Kenya
As prevention of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission (PMTCT) programs decrease the numbers of HIV-1-infected infants, it remains important to improve growth in HIV-1-exposed, uninfected (EU) infants. To determine the growth rate and predictors of growth faltering in breast-fed and formula-fed EU infants, growth analyses [weight-for-age (WAZ), weight-forlength (WLZ), and length-for-age (LAZ) Z-scores] were conducted by using […]
Determinants of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis
Objective: To determine individual- and country-level determinants of utilization of key maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Study Setting: We used the most recent standard demographic and health survey data from the period of 2005 to 2015 for 34 SSA countries. Predictors of key maternal health service indicators were determined using a sample of […]
Effectiveness of Integrated Maternal Nutrition Intervention Package on Birth Weight in Rwanda
Inadequate maternal nutrition before and during pregnancy is a principal risk factor for poor fetal development, resulting in low birth weight (LBW) and subsequently, poor child growth. Most studies focus on the impact of nutritional interventions after birth while only a few interventions consider integrated nutrition service packages. Therefore, there is limited evidence on whether […]
Actions on social determinants and interventions in primary health to improve mother and child health and health equity in Morocco
Background: Over the last two decades, Moroccan authorities launched a number of actions and strategies to enhance access to health services and improve health outcomes for the whole population in general and for mother and child in particular. The Ministry of Health launched the action plans 2008-2012 and 2012-2016 and created the maternal mortality surveillance […]
Integration of postpartum care into child health and immunization services in Burkina Faso: Findings from a cross-sectional study
Background: The Missed Opportunities for Maternal and Infant Health (MOMI) project, which aimed at upgrading maternal and infant postpartum care (PPC), implemented a package of interventions including the integration of maternal PPC in infant immunization services in 12 health facilities in Kaya Health district in Burkina Faso from 2013 to 2015. This paper assesses the […]
