Availability, prices and affordability of UN Commission’s lifesaving medicines for reproductive and maternal health in Uganda
Background: Uganda was one of seven countries in which the United Nations Commission on Life Saving Commodities (UNCoLSC) initiative was implemented starting from 2013. A nationwide survey was conducted in 2015 to determine availability, prices and affordability of essential UNCoLSC maternal and reproductive health (MRH) commodities. Methods: The survey at health facilities in Uganda was […]
Using the unmet obstetric needs indicator to map inequities in life-saving obstetric interventions at the local health care system in Kenya
Background: Developing countries with high maternal mortality need to invest in indicators that not only provide information about how many women are dying, but also where, and what can be done to prevent these deaths. The unmet Obstetric Needs (UONs) concept provides this information. This concept was applied at district level in Kenya to assess […]
Cooking fuel choices and garbage burning practices as determinants of birth weight: A cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana
Background: Effect of indoor air pollution (IAP) on birth weight remains largely unexplored but yet purported as the most important environmental exposure for pregnant women in developing countries due to the effects of second-hand smoke. We investigated the associations between the determinants of indoor air quality in households and birth weight. Methods. A cross-sectional study […]
Individual and contextual factors associated with maternal healthcare utilisation in Mali: A cross-sectional study using Demographic and Health Survey data
Objective We examined the national prevalence as well as the individual and contextual factors associated with maternal healthcare utilisation in Mali. Setting The study was conducted in Mali. Participants We analysed data on 6335 women aged 15-49 years from Mali’s 2018 Demographic and Health Survey. Outcome variable Maternal healthcare utilisation comprising antenatal care (ANC) attendant, […]
Implementation of maternal and perinatal death reviews: A scoping review protocol
Introduction Maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR), or any related form of audit, is a systematic process used to prevent future maternal and perinatal deaths. While the existence of MPDSR policies is routinely measured, measurement and understanding of policy implementation has lagged behind. In this paper, we present a theory-based conceptual framework for […]
Barriers and enablers for iron folic acid (IFA) supplementation in pregnant women
In order to inform large scale supplementation programme design, we review and summarize the barriers and enablers for improved coverage and utilization of iron and folic acid (IFA) supplements by pregnant women in 7 countries in Africa and Asia. Mixed methods were used to analyse IFA supplementation programmes in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, […]
Adverse perinatal outcomes and its associated factors among adult and advanced maternal age pregnancy in Northwest Ethiopia
Even though reduction of neonatal mortality is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2030, advanced maternal age is still an independent and a substantial risk factor for different adverse perinatal outcomes, in turn causes neonatal morbidity and mortality. In Ethiopia, research has validated that advanced maternal age is a significant factor in adverse perinatal outcomes, […]
Maternal HIV infection associated with small-for-gestational age infants but not preterm births: Evidence from rural South Africa
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is prevalent in many countries where small-for-gestational age (SGA) and premature delivery are also common. However, the associations between maternal HIV, preterm delivery and SGA infants remain unclear. We estimate the prevalence of SGA and preterm (
Impact of the saving mothers, giving life approach on decreasing maternal and perinatal deaths in Uganda and Zambia
Background: Maternal and perinatal mortality is a global development priority that continues to present major challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) was a multipartner initiative implemented from 2012 to 2017 with the goal of improving maternal and perinatal health in high-mortality settings. The initiative accomplished this by reducing delays to timely and […]
Determinants of maternal near miss among women admitted to maternity wards of tertiary hospitals in Southern Ethiopia, 2020: A hospital-based case-control study
A maternal near-miss (MNM) refers to when a gravely ill woman survives a complication as a result of the standard of care she receives or by chance during gestation, childbirth, or within 42 days of the termination of pregnancy. Rescuers of near-miss events share several features with mothers who have died and identifying MNM determinants […]
