Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for Malaria in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study from Tororo, Uganda
Background:Intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is widely recommended in sub-Saharan Africa to reduce the risk of malaria and improve birth outcomes. However, there are reports that the efficacy of IPTp with SP is waning, especially in parts of Africa where antimalarial resistance to this drug has become widespread.Methodology/Principal Findings:We conducted a […]
Development of a new model for estimating maternal mortality ratio at national and subnational levels and its application for describing sub-national variations of maternal death in Ethiopia
Background In developing countries lacking functional vital registration system, statistical models are being increasingly used for estimating maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Yet, most of the models have limited applicability at sub-country level. This paper introduces a new model for estimating MMR at national and sub-national levels based on maternal health-related indicators. Further, it applies the […]
Determinants of timing, adequacy and quality of antenatal care in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study using demographic and health surveys data
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is a recommended intervention to lessen maternal and neonatal mortality. The increased rate in ANC coverage in most Sub-Saharan African countries is not considerably reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality. This disconnection has raised concerns to study further the trend and determinants of the ANC timing and quality. We aimed to […]
Working lives of maternity healthcare workers in Malawi: an ethnography to identify ways to improve care
BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality in East Africa is high with a maternal mortality rate of 428 per 100,000 live births. Malawi, whilst comparing favourably to East Africa as a whole, continues to have a high maternal mortality rate (349 per 100,000 live births) despite it being reduced by 53% since 2000. To make further improvements in […]
Household food insecurity is associated with both body mass index and middle upper-arm circumference of mothers in northwest Ethiopia: A comparative study
Background: Food insecurity and associated malnutrition result in serious health problems in developing countries. This study determined levels of maternal undernutrition and its association with food insecurity in northwest Ethiopia. Materials and methods: This was a community-based comparative cross-sectional study conducted May 24–July 20, 2013. Multistage random sampling was used to select 4,110 samples. Availability […]
Women’s perceptions of homebirths in two rural medical districts in Burkina Faso: A qualitative study
Background: In developing countries, most childbirth occurs at home and is not assisted by skilled attendants. The situation increases the risk of death for both mother and child and has severe maternal complications. The purpose of this study was to describe women’s perceptions of homebirths in the medical districts of Ouargaye and Diapaga. Methods. A […]
Stillbirth 2010–2018: a prospective, population-based, multi-country study from the Global Network
Background: Stillbirth rates are high and represent a substantial proportion of the under-5 mortality in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). In LMIC, where nearly 98% of stillbirths worldwide occur, few population-based studies have documented cause of stillbirths or the trends in rate of stillbirth over time. Methods: We undertook a prospective, population-based multi-country research study […]
Determinants of completing recommended antenatal care utilization in sub-Saharan from 2006 to 2018: evidence from 36 countries using Demographic and Health Surveys
Background: Every day in 2017, approximately 810 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with 99% of these maternal deaths occurring in low and lower-middle-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) alone accounts for roughly 66%. If pregnant women gained recommended ANC (Antenatal Care), these maternal deaths could be prevented. Still, many women lack […]
Distribution of maternity waiting homes and their correlation with perinatal mortality and direct obstetric complication rates in Ethiopia
Background: Ethiopia has been expanding maternity waiting homes to bridge geographical gaps between health facilities and communities in order to improve access to skilled care. In 2015, the Ministry of Health revised its national guidelines to standardize the rapid expansion of waiting homes. Little has been done to document their distribution, service availability and readiness. […]
Incidence and determinants of adverse outcomes among women who were managed for eclampsia in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Background: The incidence of eclampsia and its adverse maternal outcomes are very high in developing countries, particularly in Subsaharan African Countries. Identifying predictors for adverse maternal outcomes of eclampsia has paramount importance for helping health care providers to optimize their management outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence of adverse maternal outcomes of […]
