Determinants of early initiation of breast feeding among mothers of children aged less than 24 months in Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Objective This study aims to assess the prevalence of early initiation of breast feeding (EIBF) and associated factors among mothers having children less than 2 years of age in Ethiopia. Design Community-based cross-sectional study. Setting In this analysis, data from 2019 Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) was used. The survey included all the […]
Exploring the reasons why women prefer to give birth at home in rural northern Ghana: A qualitative study
Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants, women in rural areas of northern Ghana still give birth utilising the birth services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants. The aim of this […]
Utilization of maternal waiting home and associated factors among women who gave birth in the last one year, Dabat district, Northwest Ethiopia
Background Maternal mortality and adverse pregnancy outcomes are still challenges in developing countries. In Ethiopia, long distances and lack of transportation are the main geographic barriers for pregnant women to utilize a skilled birth attendant. To alleviate this problem, maternity waiting homes are a gateway for women to deliver at the health facilities, thereby helping […]
Malaria in pregnancy is a predictor of infant haemoglobin concentrations during the first year of life in Benin, West Africa
Background Anaemia is an increasingly recognized health problem in Africa, particularly in infants and pregnant women. Although malaria is known to be the main risk factor of anaemia in both groups, the consequences of maternal factors, particularly malaria in pregnancy (MiP), on infant haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations during the first months of life are still unclear. […]
The MONARCH intervention to enhance the quality of antenatal and postnatal primary health services in rural South Africa: Protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial
Background: Gaps in maternal and child health services can slow progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Management and Optimization of Nutrition, Antenatal, Reproductive, Child Health & HIV Care (MONARCH) study will evaluate a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) intervention targeted at improving antenatal and postnatal health service outcomes in rural South Africa where HIV […]
The effect of health insurance and health facility-upgrades on hospital deliveries in rural Nigeria: A controlled interrupted time-series study
Background:â € Access to quality obstetric care is considered essential to reducing maternal and new-born mortality. We evaluated the effect of the introduction of a multifaceted voluntary health insurance programme on hospital deliveries in rural Nigeria. Methods:â € We used an interrupted time-series design, including a control group. The intervention consisted of providing voluntary health […]
Predictors of the risk of malnutrition among children under the age of 5 years in Somalia
Objective To investigate the predictors of wasting, stunting and low mid-upper arm circumference among children aged 6-59 months in Somalia using data from household cross-sectional surveys from 2007 to 2010 in order to help inform better targeting of nutritional interventions. Design Cross-sectional nutritional assessment surveys using structured interviews were conducted among communities in Somalia each […]
Implementation of evidence-based antenatal care in Mozambique: A cluster randomized controlled trial: Study protocol
Background: Antenatal care (ANC) reduces maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality directly through the detection and treatment of pregnancy-related illnesses, and indirectly through the detection of women at increased risk of delivery complications. The potential benefits of quality antenatal care services are most significant in low-resource countries where morbidity and mortality levels among women of […]
Investigating health impacts of natural resource extraction projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania: Protocol for a mixed methods study
Background: Natural resource extraction projects offer both opportunities and risks for sustainable development and health in host communities. Often, however, the health of the community suffers. Health impact assessment (HIA) can mitigate the risks and promote the benefits of development but is not routinely done in the developing regions that could benefit the most. Objective: […]
An effectiveness study of an integrated, community-based package for maternal, newborn, child and HIV care in South Africa: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background: Progress towards MDG4 in South Africa will depend largely on scaling up effective prevention against mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and also addressing neonatal mortality. This imperative drives increasing focus on the neonatal period and particularly on the development and testing of appropriate models of sustainable, community-based care in South Africa in […]
