Access to safe abortion: Building choices for women living with HIV and AIDS
In many areas of the world where HIV prevalence is high, rates of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion have also been shown to be high. Of all pregnancies worldwide in 2008, 41% were reported as unintended or unplanned, and approximately 50% of these ended in abortion. Of the estimated 21.6 million unsafe abortions occurring worldwide […]
Factors determining the place of delivery in women who attended at least one antenatal consultation in a health facility (Senegal)
Backgroud: Home birth remains a major cause of maternal and neonatal deaths in Senegal. The objective of this study was to identify the determinants of home birth in women who attended at least one antenatal consultation during their last pregnancy. Method: The study was cross-sectional and analytical. It covered a sample of 380 women selected […]
Examining inequalities in access to delivery by caesarean section in Nigeria
Background Maternal deaths are far too common in Nigeria, and this is in part due to lack of access to lifesaving emergency obstetric care, especially among women in the poorest strata in Nigeria. Data on the extent of inequality in access to such lifesaving intervention could convince policymakers in developing an appropriate intervention. This study […]
Evolution in caesarean section practices in North Kivu: Impact of caregiver training
Introduction A caesarean section is a major obstetric procedure that can save the life of mother and child. Its purpose is to protect the mother’s health from the complications of childbirth and to protect the baby’s health. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there are major inequalities in access to caesarean sections and significant variations in practices […]
Impact of HIV and antiretroviral drug exposure on lung growth and function over 2 years in an African Birth Cohort
Objective:To assess the impact of HIV and antiretroviral exposure without infection on lung growth and function over the first 2 years of life.Design:Prospective observational study of an African birth cohort, Drakenstein Child Health Study.Method:Infants enrolled antenatally had lung function measured at 6 weeks, 1 and 2 years. HIV-infected women received antiretroviral therapy (ART) as per […]
Instructive roles and supportive relationships: client perspectives of their engagement with community health workers in a rural south African home visiting program
Background: Community health worker (CHW) programs have been positioned as a way to meet the needs of those who experience marginalization and inequitable access to health care, and current global health narratives also emphasize their adaptable nature to meet growing health burdens in low-income settings. However, as CHW programs adopt more technical roles, the value […]
Prevalence and associated factors of delayed first antenatal care booking among reproductive age women in Ethiopia; a multilevel analysis of EDHS 2016 data
Background Early or timely initiation of antenatal care and regular visits based on the schedule have a tremendous effect on both maternal and fetal health. Despite the paramount benefits of early initiation of ANC within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, women still do not have adequate and equal access to high-quality early antenatal care. […]
Impact of COVID-19 on immunization services for maternal and infant vaccines: Results of a survey conducted by imprint—the immunising pregnant women and infants network
The COVID-19 pandemic response has caused disruption to healthcare services globally, including to routine immunizations. To understand immunization service interruptions specifically for maternal, neonatal and infant vaccines, we captured the local experiences of members of the Immunising Pregnant Women and Infants Network (IMPRINT) by conducting an online survey over 2-weeks in April 2020. IMPRINT is […]
Do in-service training materials for midwifery care providers in sub-Saharan Africa meet international competency standards? A scoping review 2000–2020
Background: Levels of maternal and neonatal mortality remain high in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 66% of global maternal deaths occurring in this region. Many deaths are linked to poor quality of care, which in turn has been linked to gaps in pre-service training programmes for midwifery care providers. In-service training packages have been developed […]
National-level effectiveness of ART to prevent early mother to child transmission of HIV in Namibia
Background Namibia introduced the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission (MTCT) program in 2002 and lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant women (option B-plus) in 2013. We sought to quantify MTCT measured at 4-12 weeks post-delivery. Methods During Aug 2014-Feb 2015, we recruited a nationally representative sample of 1040 pairs of mother and infant […]