Maternal and newborn health needs for women with walking disabilities; “the twists and turns”: A case study in Kibuku District Uganda
Background: In Uganda 13% of persons have at least one form of disability. The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities guarantees persons with disabilities the same level of right to access quality and affordable healthcare as persons without disability. Understanding the needs of women with walking disabilities is key in formulating […]
Community’s experience and perceptions of maternal health services across the continuum of care in Ethiopia: A qualitative study
Background Continuum of care is an effective strategy to ensure that every woman receives a series of maternal health services continuously from early pregnancy to postpartum stages. The community perceptions regarding the use of maternal services across the continuum of care are essential for utilization of care in low-income settings but information in that regard […]
The Tanzania Connect Project: A cluster-randomized trial of the child survival impact of adding paid community health workers to an existing facility-focused health system
Background: Tanzania has been a pioneer in establishing community-level services, yet challenges remain in sustaining these systems and ensuring adequate human resource strategies. In particular, the added value of a cadre of professional community health workers is under debate. While Tanzania has the highest density of primary health care facilities in Africa, equitable access and […]
The socio-cultural challenges to maternal and neonatal care: The views of women with disabilities receiving maternity care in the Chereponi district of the Northern Ghana
Persons with disabilities form a significant proportion of the global population, majority of which are women. The United Nations Convention guarantees persons with disabilities equal rights to reproduction and healthcare access. Similarly, the Sustainable Development Goal 3 targets improvement of the health and well-being of individuals including persons with disabilities. However, women with disabilities have […]
Determinants of mother to child transmission of HIV in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background: According to the 2019 UNAIDS reports, globally 38 million people were living with HIV (36.2 million adult and 1.8 million Children). About 25.4 million were accessing antiretroviral therapy. Only 81% knew their HIV status. About 85% pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines. Objective: The purpose of this study was to […]
Interpretation of national policy regarding community-based use of misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage prevention in Ethiopia: A tale of two regions
Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is responsible for a significant proportion of maternal mortality in developing countries. The uterotonic drug misoprostol (Cytotec) is a safe and effective means of preventing PPH. However, ministries of health in some countries are still grappling with policy that addresses the implementation of this targeted intervention in community settings and with […]
Near-miss maternal morbidity from severe haemorrhage at caesarean section: A process and structure audit of system deficiencies in South Africa
Background. A rising caesarean section rate and substandard peri-operative care are believed to be the main reasons for recent increases in maternal deaths from bleeding during and after caesarean section (BDACS) in South Africa (SA). The Donabedian model assumes that clinical outcomes are influenced by healthcare workers and the healthcare system. Objectives. To evaluate near-miss […]
How seasonality and weather affect perinatal health: Comparing the experiences of indigenous and non-indigenous mothers in Kanungu District, Uganda
Maternal and newborn health disparities and the health impacts of climate change present grand challenges for global health equity, and there remain knowledge gaps in our understanding of how these challenges intersect. This study examines the pathways through which mothers are affected by seasonal and meteorological factors in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and Kanungu District […]
The COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Maternal Mental Health Differently Depending on Pregnancy Status and Trimester of Gestation
Introduction: We aimed to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal mental health, stratifying on pregnancy status, trimester of gestation, and pandemic period/wave. Methods: Pregnant persons and persons who delivered in Canada during the pandemic, >18 years, were recruited, and data were collected using a web-based strategy. The current analysis includes data on […]
Health facility-based counselling and community outreach are associated with maternal dietary practices in a cross-sectional study from Tanzania
Background: Anemia and underweight among women are major public health challenges. Access to health services can improve dietary behaviors and women’s nutritional status. We examined whether exposure to health services is associated with women’s dietary practices in Tanzania. Methods: Data come from a cross-sectional baseline survey among 5000 female primary caregivers who were randomly selected […]
