Abortion treatment by health professionals in south-eastern Nigeria
Studies assessing the various modes of treatment for abortion and its associated complications remain relevant in the generation of data that will aid policy formulation for abortion management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the common methods of, together with the complications associated with, abortion treatment among healthcare practitioners in south-eastern Nigeria. There […]
The influence of HIV status on prenatal genetic diagnosis choices
Background. At-risk women of advanced maternal age (AMA) can choose to have second-trimester invasive testing for a prenatal genetic diagnosis on the fetus. Being HIV-positive can complicate the decision-making process. Objective. To document HIV status and prenatal genetic diagnosis choices in women of AMA attending genetic clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa, for counselling on the […]
Does where mothers live matter? Regional variations in factors influencing place of child delivery in Nigeria
Utilization of health care facilities for child delivery is associated with improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, but less than half of mothers use these for child delivery in Nigeria. This study investigated the factors associated with facility delivery in Nigeria, and their variation between the Northern and Southern parts of the country – two regions […]
Determinants of perceived quality of health care among pregnant women in Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria
Nigeria’s health system is among the weakest globally, characterized by doctors’ and nurses’ concentration in a few tertiary facilities in the cities. Simultaneously, rural areas that constitute over 70% of the population suffer from acute health personnel and inadequate health facilities. Whether Nigeria can achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of access to […]
Severity and cost of unsafe abortion complications treated in Nigerian hospitals
Context: Each year, thousands of Nigerian women have unintended pregnancies that end in illegal abortion. Many such procedures occur under unsafe conditions, contributing to maternal morbidity and mortality. Methods: In a 2002-2003 survey of women and their providers in 33 hospitals in eight states across Nigeria,2,093 patients were identified as being treated for complications of […]
A risk score to identify hiv-infected women most likely to become lost to follow-up in the postpartum period
Access to lifelong combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is expanding among HIV-infected pregnant and breastfeeding women throughout sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). For this strategy to meaningfully improve maternal HIV outcomes, retention in HIV care is essential. We developed a risk score to identify women with high likelihood of loss to follow-up (LTFU) at 6 months postpartum from […]
Enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of community health volunteers to improve maternal, newborn and child health: Experience from Kenya
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a simple monitoring and tracking tool, Mwanzo Mwema Monitoring and Tracking Tool (MMATT), would enable community health volunteers (CHVs) in Kenya to 1) plan their workloads and activities, 2) identify the women, newborns and children most in need of accessing critical maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) interventions and 3) improve […]
Food restriction during pregnancy and female offspring fertility: Adverse effects of reprogrammed reproductive lifespan
Background: Food restriction during pregnancy can influence the health of the offspring during the adulthood. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of maternal food restriction (MFR) on the reproductive performance in female rat offspring from the first (FR1) and second (FR2) generations. Methods: Adult virgin Wistar female rats were given […]
The tipping point of antenatal engagement: A qualitative grounded theory in Tanzania and Zambia
Background: Effective antenatal care is fundamental to the promotion of positive maternal and new-born outcomes. International guidance recommends an initial visit in the first trimester of pregnancy, with a minimum of four antenatal visits in total: the optimum schedule being eight antenatal contacts. In low- and middle-income countries, many women do not access antenatal care […]
Protocol for the PLAY Study: A randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve infant development by encouraging maternal self-efficacy using behavioural feedback
Introduction The early infant caregiving environment is crucial in the formation of parent-child relationships, neurobehavioural development and thus child outcomes. This protocol describes the Play Love And You (PLAY) Study, a phase 1 trial of an intervention designed to promote infant development through encouraging maternal self-efficacy using behavioural feedback, and supportive interventions. Methods and analysis […]
