The economic burden of maternal mortality on households: Evidence from three sub-counties in rural western Kenya
Background: This study explores the consequences of a maternal death to households in rural Western Kenya focusing particularly on the immediate financial and economic impacts. Methods: Between September 2011 and March 2013 all households in the study area with a maternal death were surveyed. Data were collected on the demographic characteristics of the deceased woman; […]
The effects of completion of continuum of care in maternal health services on adverse birth outcomes in Northwestern Ethiopia: a prospective follow-up study
Background: Globally, around 4 million babies die within the first month of birth annually with more than 3 million stillbirths. Of them, 99% of newborn deaths and 98% of stillbirths occur in developing countries. Despite giving priority to maternal health services, adverse birth outcomes are still major public health problems in the study area. Hence, […]
Strengthening and monitoring health system’s capacity to improve availability, utilization and quality of emergency obstetric care in northern Nigeria
Background Quality improvement in emergency obstetric care (EmOC) is a critical and cost-effective suite of interventions for the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of quality improvement interventions following a baseline assessment in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Methods This was a prospective before and after study […]
Maternal health literacy, utilisation of maternal healthcare services and pregnancy outcomes among newly delivered mothers: A cross-sectional study in Nigeria
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess and determine associations between maternal health literacy (MHL) levels, utilisation of maternal healthcare services and pregnancy outcomes among newly delivered mothers. Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: In total, 185 newly delivered mothers were selected from two health facilities using a purposive sampling technique. Data were […]
Integrating reproductive and child health and HIV services in Tanzania: Implication to policy, systems and services
In Tanzania, reproductive health and HIV services are coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in two separate units namely Reproductive and Child Health Section and the National AIDS Control Programme. The importance of integrating the two services that are vertically run is expected to improve access to and uptake of key essential […]
Socio-economic differences in cost of pregnancy-related health services in the peri-urban Accra, Ghana
Background Financial and physical barriers are known to limit access to maternal health services in developing countries. These limitations are often compounded by the low socio-economic status of women. This study examined socio-economic differences in health services cost incurred by pregnant women. Methods A cross-sectional cost survey of 300 women who had delivered a live […]
Community-physician-based versus hospital-based antenatal care: A comparison of patient satisfaction
Background: Strategies to meet the healthcare needs of pregnant women are made available throughout antenatal, intra-partum and post-natal periods. These strategies are aimed at reducing perinatal and maternal mortality amongst women who access and utilize healthcare at an early stage. Late visits with irregular antenatal attendance result in failure to adequately use antenatal interventions. Objectives: […]
Where you live matters: Township neighborhood factors important to resilience among south African children from birth to 5 years of age
Objective: This is a secondary analysis examining neighborhood factors predicting high rates of child resilience in South African Township neighborhoods. Methods: A population cohort of South African pregnant women (98%; n = 1238), were recruited and assessed across five years with high follow-up rates (83–96%). Resilient children were identified based on consistently meeting global standards […]
Becoming a mother in Senegal: The experience of motherhood in a setting of social injustice and health service failures
We explain here the processes through which social injustice is created, the indicators that define social status, and the mechanism that express them in the field of health. Because we do not believe that they come out of any natural process, we seek to discover the extent to which they are socially produced. The data […]
Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection and Its Associated Factors among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Objective. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common bacterial infections during pregnancy. It is associated with different maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, still birth, preeclampsia, maternal anemia, sepsis, and amnionitis, even when the infection is asymptomatic. However, in Ethiopia, it is represented with fragmented and inconclusive pocket […]
