Examining attitudes and knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer risk among female clinic attendees in Johannesburg, South Africa
Developing countries account for 85% of the nearly 500,000 yearly cases of cervical cancer worldwide with approximately 250,000 deaths occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. In South Africa, cervical cancer is the 3rd leading cause of death among women. Although cervical cancer can be screened for with regular Pap tests, access to […]
A national review of cesarean delivery in Ethiopia
Objective: To describe Ethiopian national population-based and institutional cesarean delivery rates by sector, and to describe indications for cesarean delivery, fetal and maternal outcomes, and aspects of quality of care. Methods: The data source was the national baseline assessment of emergency obstetric and newborn care-a cross-sectional, facility-based survey of 797 facilities. Two instruments were used […]
Timely initiation of first antenatal care visit and associated factors among pregnant women in the Amhara Region, north-west Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study
Introduction: timely initiation of the first antenatal care visit is still a major public health problem in Ethiopia, especially in Amhara Region. This study assessed the prevalence of timely initiation of first ANC visit and its associated factors among pregnant women in transformed and non-transformed districts, Awi zone, Amhara Region, north-west Ethiopia. Methods: a community-based […]
Improving postpartum care delivery and uptake by implementing context-specific interventions in four countries in Africa: A realist evaluation of the missed opportunities in maternal and infant health (MOMI) project
Postpartum care (PPC) has remained relatively neglected in many interventions designed to improve maternal and neonatal health in sub-Saharan Africa. The Missed Opportunities in Maternal and Infant Health project developed and implemented a context-specific package of health system strengthening and demand generation in four African countries, aiming to improve access and quality of PPC. A […]
Maternal Perinatal HIV Infection Is Associated with Increased Infectious Morbidity in HIV-exposed Uninfected Infants
Background: The aging population of females with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) are having their own children. HIV-exposed uninfected infants (HEU-N) born to women living with non-perinatally-acquired HIV (NPHIV) experience higher infectious morbidity compared with HIV-unexposed infants (HUU). Little is known about the infectious morbidity risk of HIV-exposed uninfected infants (HEU-P) born to PHIV women. Methods: We […]
Local people’s views on the evidence-based skilled-maternal-care in Mfuwe, Zambia: A qualitative study
Background: There is growing demand for high quality evidence-based practice in the fight against negative maternal health outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Zambia is one of the countries that has transposed this evidence-based approach by outlawing Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and recommending exclusive skilled-care. There is division among scholars regarding the usefulness of this approach […]
A system approach to improving maternal and child health care delivery in Kenya: Innovations at the community and primary care facilities (a protocol)
Background: Maternal, fetal and neonatal mortality are higher in low-income compared to high-income countries due to weak health systems including poor access and utilization of health services. Despite enormous recent improvements in maternal, neonatal and under 5 health indicators, more rapid progress is needed to meet the targets including the Development Goal 3(SDG). In Kenya […]
A double-edged sword-telemedicine for maternal care during COVID-19: Findings from a global mixed-methods study of healthcare providers
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid implementation of telemedicine for the provision of maternal and newborn healthcare. The objective of this study was to document the experiences with providing telemedicine for maternal and newborn healthcare during the pandemic among healthcare professionals globally. Methods The second round of a global online survey of […]
Diet and food insecurity among mothers, infants, and young children in Peru before and during COVID-19: A panel survey
The COVID-19 pandemic may impact diet and nutrition through increased household food insecurity, lack of access to health services, and poorer quality diets. The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of the pandemic on dietary outcomes of mothers and their infants and young children (IYC) in low-income urban areas of Peru. […]
Maternal attitudes towards pre-natal substance abuse, medical care, and treatment in a historically disadvantaged South African community
This study explored maternal substance abuse and the access to pre-natal medical care and treatment for substance abuse during pregnancy. Respondent mothers (n = 102; mean age = 27.8 years, SD = 10.9 years) were from Mitchell’s Plain, a historically disadvantaged South African community. The mothers completed a mixed methods interview on the context and […]
