Consumer knowledge and availability of maternal and child health services: A challenge for achieving MDG 4 and 5 in Southeast Nigeria

Background: Reducing child mortality and improving maternal health occupies a prominent space in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and it has been noted that some reductions have taken place, but not enough. If consumers know what and where services are available, they may be motivated to use them. This study therefore evaluated consumers’ knowledge about […]

Effect of the CRADLE vital signs alert device intervention on referrals for obstetric haemorrhage in low-middle income countries: a secondary analysis of a stepped- wedge cluster-randomised control trial

Background: Obstetric haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide, 99% of which occur in low and middle income countries. The majority of deaths and adverse events are associated with delays in identifying compromise and escalating care. Management of severely compromised pregnant women may require transfer to tertiary centres for specialised treatment, therefore early […]

Determinants of postnatal care non-utilization among women in Nigeria

Background: Although, there are several programs in place in Nigeria to ensure maternal and child health, maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high with maternal mortality rates being 576/100,000 and neonatal mortality rates at 37/1000 live births (NDHS, 2013). While there are many studies on the utilization of maternal health services such as antenatal care […]

Perceptions and decision-making with regard to pregnancy among HIV positive women in rural Maputo Province, Mozambique – A qualitative study

Background: In preventing the transfer of HIV to their children, the Ministry of Health in Mozambique recommends all couples follow medical advice prior to a pregnancy. However, little is known about how such women experience pregnancy, nor the values they adhere to when making childbearing decisions. This qualitative study explores perceptions and decision-making processes regarding […]

What the percentage of births in facilities does not measure: Readiness for emergency obstetric care and referral in Senegal

Introduction Increases in facility deliveries in sub-Saharan Africa have not yielded expected declines in maternal mortality, raising concerns about the quality of care provided in facilities. The readiness of facilities at different health system levels to provide both emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) as well as referral is unknown. We describe this combined readiness […]

Health-seeking behaviour among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

Background: The novel coronavirus pandemic has killed millions of people globally while significantly destroying the social, economic, and political wellbeing of people. The global pandemic has negatively impacted pregnant women’s access to prenatal care. The current study sought to understand the health-seeking behaviour of women who were pregnant during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic […]

Does a voucher program improve reproductive health service delivery and access in Kenya? Health policies, systems and management

Background: Current assessments on Output-Based Aid (OBA) programs have paid limited attention to the experiences and perceptions of the healthcare providers and facility managers. This study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of healthcare providers and facility managers in the Kenya reproductive health output-based approach voucher program. Methods: A total of 69 in-depth interviews with […]

Patient and provider perspectives on how trust influences maternal vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Kenya

Background: Pregnant women and newborns are at high risk for infectious diseases. Altered immunity status during pregnancy and challenges fully vaccinating newborns contribute to this medical reality. Maternal immunization is a strategy to protect pregnant women and their newborns. This study aimed to find out how patient-provider relationships affect maternal vaccine uptake, particularly in the […]

Effects of social health insurance on access and utilization of obstetric health services: Results from HIV+ pregnant women in Kenya

Background: Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality remains a top global health agenda especially in high HIV/AIDS endemic locations where there is increased likelihood of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Social health insurance (SHI) has emerged as a viable option to improve population access to health services, while improving outcomes for disenfranchised populations, particularly […]

Women’s views and experiences of accessing pertussis vaccination in pregnancy and infant vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-methods study in the UK

Background: COVID-19 changed access to healthcare, including vaccinations, in the United Kingdom (UK). This study explored UK women’s experiences of accessing pertussis vaccination during pregnancy and infant vaccinations during COVID-19. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was completed, between 3rd August-11th October 2020, by 1404 women aged 16+ years who were pregnant at some point after […]