Fetal outcome in severe maternal morbidity: Too many stillbirths
Objective. We determined the stillbirth rates among singleton births in Gambian hospitals. Contribution of severe obstetric complications was given special attention. Design. A multi-center retrospective review. Setting. Three obstetric referral hospitals. Sample. Fetal outcomes in 826 women with severe maternal morbidity out of 3,280 singleton deliveries. Methods. All women with severe maternal morbidity reported in […]
Review of contributions from HDSSs to research in sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries
Objective: To evaluate the contributions of the INDEPTH Network of health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) members to research efforts and interventions on reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: Review of peer-reviewed published papers on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) that use the HDSS framework through (i) an online search for publications […]
Perfluorinated compounds in maternal serum and cord blood from selected areas of South Africa: Results of a pilot study
There is limited information about both environmental and human perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) concentrations in the southern hemisphere, and for the first time, concentrations of these compounds are reported in maternal serum and cord blood of South African women. The majority of the participants were of African Black ethnicity, with a similar socioeconomic status. In maternal […]
Quantifying pregnant women’s knowledge of educational components of antenatal care in Lesotho
Antenatal care (ANC) literacy is particularly important for pregnant women who need to make appropriate decisions for care during their pregnancy and childbirth. The link between inadequate health literacy on the educational components of ANC and maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is undisputable. Yet, little is known about the ANC literacy of pregnant women […]
The Effects of Antenatal Depression and Women’s Perception of Having Poor Health on Maternal Health Service Utilization in Northern Ghana
Objectives: To examine the effects of antenatal depression and women’s perceived health during the antenatal period on maternal health service utilization in rural northern Ghana; including how the effect of antenatal depression on service use might be modified by women’s perceived health. Methods: Probable antenatal depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Linear […]
Availability, utilisation and quality of basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care services in Malawi
Objective: To establish a baseline for the availability, utilisation and quality of maternal and neonatal health care services for monitoring and evaluation of a maternal and neonatal morbidity/mortality reduction programme in three districts in the Central Region of Malawi. Methods: Survey of all the 73 health facilities (13 hospitals and 60 health centres) that provide […]
Predicting the impact of COVID-19 and the potential impact of the public health response on disease burden in Uganda
The COVID-19 pandemic and public health “lockdown” responses in sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda, are now widely reported. Although the impact of COVID-19 on African populations has been relatively light, it is feared that redirecting focus and prioritization of health systems to fight COVID-19 may have an impact on access to non–COVID-19 diseases. We applied age-based […]
Maternal humoral immune responses do not predict postnatal HIV-1 transmission risk in antiretroviral-treated mothers from the IMPAACT PROMISE Study
To design immune interventions that can synergize with antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce the rate of HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), it is essential to characterize maternal immune responses in the setting of ART during pregnancy and breastfeeding and define their effect on MTCT. Prior studies reported an association between breast milk envelope (Env)-specific antibodies and […]
A qualitative study exploring the determinants of maternal health service uptake in post-conflict Burundi and Northern Uganda
Background: Armed conflict has been described as an important contributor to the social determinants of health and a driver of health inequity, including maternal health. These conflicts may severely reduce access to maternal health services and, as a consequence, lead to poor maternal health outcomes for a period extending beyond the conflict itself. As such, […]
Evaluating the impact of a maternal health voucher programme on service use before and after the introduction of free maternity services in Kenya: A quasi-experimental study
Introduction From 2006 to 2016, the Government of Kenya implemented a reproductive health voucher programme in select counties, providing poor women subsidised access to public and private sector care. In June 2013, the government introduced a policy calling for free maternity services to be provided in all public facilities. The concurrent implementation of these interventions […]
