Traditional herbal remedies used by women in a rural community in northern Maputaland (South Africa) for the treatment of gynaecology and obstetric complaints
According to the World Health Organization, there are annually 350,000 maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, with obstetric haemorrhage the most common cause of death. Although maternal mortality can be reduced by health-care interventions such as the provision of family planning, maternity care and access to safe abortion practice, it is not happening in rural areas. […]
Covid-19 and health sector development plans in africa: The impact on maternal and child health outcomes in uganda
Introduction: Health Sector Development Plans (HSDPs) aim to accelerate movement towards achieving sustainable development goals for health, reducing inequalities, and end-ing poverty. Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services are vulnerable to economic imbalances, including health insecurity, unmet need for healthcare, and low health expenditure. The same vulnerability influences the potential of a country […]
Intentions on contraception use and its associated factors among postpartum women in Aksum town, Tigray region, northern Ethiopia: A community-based cross- sectional study
Background: Increased access to contraceptive methods has been established as a cost-effective strategy for developing countries to reduce maternal and child mortality. Intentions to contraceptive uptake appear to be best predictors of actual contraceptive practice than the unmet need. However, intention to contraceptive use in Ethiopia particularly among postpartum women is not well assessed. Therefore, […]
Magnitude and trends in socio-economic and geographic inequality in access to birth by cesarean section in Tanzania: evidence from five rounds of Tanzania demographic and health surveys (1996-2015)
Background: Majority of maternal deaths are avoidable through quality obstetric care such as Cesarean Section (CS). However, in low-and middle-income countries, many women are still dying due to lack of obstetric services. Tanzania is one of the African countries where maternal mortality is high. However, there is paucity of evidence related to the magnitude and […]
Pregnant women’s access to PMTCT and ART services in South Africa and implications for universal antiretroviral treatment
Objectives: We describe pregnant womens’ access to PMTCT and HAART services and associated birth outcomes in South Africa. Methods: Women recuperating in postnatal wards of a referral hospital participated in an evaluation during February-May 2010 during which their maternity records were examined to describe their access to VCT, CD4 Counts, dual ART or HAART during […]
Examining access to sexual and reproductive health services and information for young women with disabilities in Senegal: a qualitative study
This qualitative research aimed to examine Senegalese disabled women’s access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and information. Poor access to SRH services and information can lead to a range of negative consequences, including poor sexual, reproductive, and maternal health outcomes; rights violations; and impacts on mental health and livelihoods. Disabled women, who are […]
Maternal employment status and minimum meal frequency in children 6-23 months in Tanzania
As women in developing world settings gain access to formal work sectors, it is important to understand how such changes might influence child nutrition. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between maternal employment status and minimum meal frequency (MMF) among children in Tanzania. Interviews were conducted with 5000 mothers of children […]
Availability and quality of emergency obstetric care in Gambia’s main referral hospital: Women-users’ testimonies
Background. Reduction of maternal mortality ratio by two-thirds by 2015 is an international development goal with unrestricted access to high quality emergency obstetric care services promoted towards the attainment of that goal. The objective of this qualitative study was to assess the availability and quality of emergency obstetric care services in Gambia’s main referral hospital. […]
Impact of placental Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection on the Cameroonian maternal and neonate’s plasma levels of some cytokines known to regulate T cells differentiation and function
Background: The impact of placental malaria (PM) infection on the expression profile of some cytokines known to regulate T cell differentiation and function and their influence on birth weight remain unclear. Moreover, there are no reports showing the relationship between PM and IL-27 or IL-28A. This study therefore sought to investigate whether placental P. falciparum […]
Cross-sectional trends in HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Botswana: an opportunity for PrEP?
Introduction: Young women in sub-Saharan Africa are at particularly high risk of HIV acquisition. Recent shifts towards “test and treat” strategies have potential to reduce transmission in this age group but have not been widely studied outside of clinical trials. Using data from nationwide surveillance among pregnant women in Botswana, where a “test and treat” […]
