Experiences of homeless women on maternity health service utilization and associated challenge in Aksum town, Northern Ethiopia
Background: Homeless women are a highly vulnerable group for risks of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. They may also face multiple challenges to access and utilize maternity healthcare services. This study was aimed to explore the experience of homeless women on maternity healthcare service utilization and associated challenges in Aksum Town, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: An exploratory […]
Breastfeeding practice and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in Horro District, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Background Breastfeeding is the process of feeding a newborn with the mother’s milk, and it is very important for enhancing child and maternal health. The proportion and duration of breastfeeding may vary by location, and is poorly practiced for cultural, economic, and societal reasons. Thus, this study was conducted to determine breastfeeding practices and determinants […]
Prevalence of stillbirth and associated factors among deliveries attended in health facilities in Southern Ethiopia
Background Stillbirth is an unfavorable outcome of pregnancy, which is still prevalent in many countries despite remarkable efforts made to improve the care of pregnant women. While producing estimates consistent with other national reports, all are hindered by limited data and important causes of death are likely to be missed. However; there is a scarcity […]
Trend and decomposition analysis of risk factors of childbirths with no one present in Nigeria, 1990-2018
Objectives To assess the trend and decompose the determinants of delivery with no one present (NOP) at birth with an in-depth subnational analysis in Nigeria. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Nigeria, with five waves of nationally representative data in 1990, 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018. Participants Women with at least one childbirth within 5 years preceding each […]
A mother’s choice: a qualitative study of mothers’ health seeking behaviour for their children with acute diarrhoea
Background: Diarrhoea presents a considerable health risk to young children and is one of the leading causes of infant mortality. Although proven cost-effective interventions exist, South Africa is yet to reach the Sustainable Development Goals set for the elimination of preventable under-five mortality and water-borne diseases. The rural study area in the Eastern Cape of […]
Viral load assay performs comparably to early infant diagnosis assay to diagnose infants with HIV in Mozambique: a prospective observational study
Introduction: Viral load testing is essential to manage HIV disease, especially in infants and children. Early infant diagnosis is performed using nucleic-acid testing in children under 18 months. Resource-limited health systems face severe challenges to scale-up both viral load and early infant diagnosis to unprecedented levels. Streamlining laboratory systems would be beneficial to improve access to […]
Barriers and facilitators in the provision of post-abortion care at district level in central Uganda – A qualitative study focusing on task sharing between physicians and midwives
Background: Abortion is restricted in Uganda, and poor access to contraceptive methods result in unwanted pregnancies. This leaves women no other choice than unsafe abortion, thus placing a great burden on the Ugandan health system and making unsafe abortion one of the major contributors to maternal mortality and morbidity in Uganda. The existing sexual and […]
Effect of HIV Infection and Antiretroviral Treatment on Pregnancy Rates in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
Background: Previous studies suggest that untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with a reduced incidence of pregnancy, but studies of the effect of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on pregnancy incidence have been inconsistent. Methods: Routine data from health services in the Western Cape province of South Africa were linked to identify pregnancies during 2007-2017 […]
Comprehensive review of the evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based primary health care in improving maternal, neonatal and child health: 3. neonatal health findings
Background As the number of deaths among children younger than 5 years of age continues to decline globally through programs to address the health of older infants, neonatal mortality is becoming an increasingly large proportion of under-5 deaths. Lack of access to safe delivery care, emergency obstetric care and postnatal care continue to be challenges […]
Non-malaria fevers in a high malaria endemic area of Ghana
Background: The importance of fevers not due to malaria [non-malaria fevers, NMFs] in children in sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly being recognised. We have investigated the influence of exposure-related factors and placental malaria on the risk of non-malaria fevers among children in Kintampo, an area of Ghana with high malaria transmission. Methods: Between 2008 and 2011, […]
