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Background Having a health worker with midwifery skills present at delivery is one of the key interventions to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. We sought to estimate the frequencies of (a) skilled birth attendant coverage, (b) institutional delivery, and (c) the combination of place of delivery and type of attendant, in LMICs. Methods National surveys (DHS and MICS) performed in 80 LMICs since 2005 were analyzed to estimate these four categories of delivery care. Results were stratified by wealth quintile based on asset indices, and by urban/rural residence. The combination of place of delivery and type of attendant were also calculated for seven world regions. Results The proportion of institutional SBA deliveries was above 90 % in 25 of the 80 countries, and below 40 % in 11 countries. A strong positive correlation between SBA and institutional delivery coverage (rho: 0.97, p <0,001) was observed. Eight countries had over 10 % of home SBA deliveries, and two countries had over 10 % of institutional non-SBA deliveries. Except for South Asia, all regions had over 80 % of urban deliveries in the institutional SBA category, but in rural areas, only two regions (CEE & CIS, Middle East & North Africa) presented average coverage above 80 %. In all regions, institutional SBA deliveries were over 80 % in the richest quintile. Home SBA deliveries were more common in rural than in urban areas, and in the poorest quintiles in all regions. Facility non-SBA deliveries also tended to be more common in rural areas and among the poorest. Conclusion Four different categories of delivery assistance were identified worldwide. Pro-urban and pro-rich inequalities were observed for coverage of institutional SBA deliveries.

Background Maternal mortality has declined by 43 % globally between 1990 and 2013, a reduction that was insufficient to achieve the 75 % reduction target by millennium development goal (MDG) five. Kenya recorded a decline of 18 % from 490 deaths in 1990 to 400 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2013. Delivering at home, is associated with higher risk of maternal deaths, therefore reducing number of home deliveries is important to improve maternal health. In this study, we aimed at establishing the proportion of home deliveries and evaluating factors associated with home deliveries in Kilifi County. Methods The study was conducted among mothers seeking immunization services in selected health facilities within Kilifi County using Semi-structured questionnaires administered through face to face oral interviews to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Six Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and ten in-depth interviews (IDIs) were used to collect qualitative data. A random sample of 379 mothers was sufficient to answer the study question. Log-binomial regression model was used to identify factors associated with childbirth at home. Results A total of 103 (26 %) mothers delivered at home. From the univariate analysis, both mother and the partners old age, being in a polygamy marriage, being a mother of at least two children and staying ≥5 Kms radius from the nearest health facility were associated with higher risk of delivering at home (crude P <  0.05). Both mother and partner’s higher education level were associated with a protective effect on the risk of delivering at home (RR < 1.0 and P <  0.05). In multivariate regression model, only long distance (≥10Kms) from the nearest health facility was associated with higher risk of delivering at home (adjusted RR 3.86, 95 % CI 2.13 to 7.02). Conclusion From this population, the major reason why mothers still deliver at home is the long distance from nearest health facility. To reduce maternal mortality, access to health facility by pregnant mothers need to be improved.

Background Data from a statewide survey in India and clinic-based studies in developed settings have previously suggested an association between maternal physical intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences and the low use of antenatal care (ANC). This study aimed to explore the association between maternal experiences of physical and sexual IPV and the use of reproductive health care services, using a large nationally representative data set from Bangladesh. Methods This paper used data from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. The analyses were based on the responses of 2001currently married women living with at least one child younger than 5 years. Exposure was determined from maternal reports of physical and sexual IPV. The utilization of ANC according to amount and type of provider and utilization of delivery assistance according to provider type were used as proxy outcome variables for reproductive health care utilization. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis used in the study. Results Approximately two out of four (48.2%) respondents had experienced physical IPV. Maternal experience of physical IPV was associated with low use of receiving sufficient ANC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49–0.96), lower likelihood of receiving ANC (AOR 0.69; 95% CI 0.53–0.89), and assisted deliveries from skilled provider (AOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.37–0.78). Women who had been sexually abused were significantly less likely to have visited a skilled ANC and delivery care provider. Furthermore, severity of physical IPV appeared to have more profound consequences on the outcome measured. Conclusions The association between exposure to IPV and use of reproductive health care services suggests that partner violence plays a significant role in lower utilization of reproductive health services among women in Bangladesh. Our findings suggest that, in addition to a wide range of socio-demographic factors, preventing maternal physical and sexual IPV need to be considered as an important psychosocial determinates for the higher utilization of reproductive health care services in Bangladesh.

This article analyzes the environment of birth places, considering the presence of PCP room (Prepartum, Childbirth, and Postpartum) in 575 hospitals that deliver in Sistema Único de Saúde (Unified Health System) within the scope of Rede Cegonha. The data were extracted from a survey called Avaliação da atenção ao parto e nascimento nas maternidades da Rede Cegonha (Assessment of childbirth and birth care in the Rede Cegonha maternity units), carried out in 2017 by UFMA and ENSP, in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The PCP room model combines care for parturient women in a single space, favoring the role of women and the exercise of good practices in childbirth and birth care. The information was obtained by direct observation in the services, and assessment considered the presence and adequacy of PCP rooms and their distribution according to the pre-childbirth environment, which were compared with specific characteristics of these hospitals. Collective rooms for childbirths prevail and only 16.8% of beds are PCP rooms. This picture suggests difficulties in resource management, resistance to changes and insufficiencies in institutional support, which have hampered the transition from the childbirth environment model in Brazilian hospitals. The Brazilian obstetric and neonatal field has lived a fertile period, but it is necessary to build and sustain political-institutional disposition to advance the changes.

As part of the 2030 maternal and child health targets, Ethiopia strives for universal and equitable use of health services. We aimed to examine the association between household wealth, maternal education, and the interplay between these in utilization of maternal and child health services. Data emanating from the evaluation of the Optimizing of Health Extension Program intervention. Women in the reproductive age of 15 to 49 years and children aged 12–23 months were included in the study. We used logistic regression with marginal effects to examine the association between household wealth, women’s educational level, four or more antenatal care visits, skilled assistance at delivery, and full immunization of children. Further, we analyzed the interactions between household wealth and education on these outcomes. Household wealth was positively associated with skilled assistance at delivery and full child immunization. Women’s education had a positive association only with skilled assistance at delivery. Educated women had skilled attendance at delivery, especially in the better-off households. Our results show the importance of poverty alleviation and girls’ education for universal health coverage.

Resumo Partindo de uma pesquisa mais ampla sobre as vivências de mulheres negras na assistência ao período gestacional e parto, este artigo aborda alguns aspectos do racismo na rotina de atenção à mulher negra durante este ciclo. Trata-se de uma pesquisa empírica de abordagem qualitativa com mulheres e mães que se autodeclaram negras e antirracistas. Nas narrativas, os pontos apresentados envolviam, na sua maioria, estereótipos associados ao corpo negro construídos sob um imaginário social racista. Nas relações interpessoais, discursos permeados por estereótipos racistas desumanizam a mulher negra, gerando barreiras na sua saúde reprodutiva. Abstract Starting from a broader research on the experiences of black women in assisting the gestational period and childbirth, this article addresses some aspects of racism in the routine of care for black women during this cycle. This is an empirical research with a qualitative approach with women and mothers who declare themselves black and anti-racist. In the narratives, the points presented involved, for the most part, stereotypes associated with the black body constructed under a racist social imaginary. In interpersonal relationships, speeches permeated by racist stereotypes dehumanize black women, creating barriers in their reproductive health.

Funders will likely continue to use technical assistance (TA) to expand organizations' capacity, identify solutions to problems, and develop strategies for long-term change. As the demand for TA grows, so does the importance of understanding what works well, for whom, and in what circumstances. In this article, the authors documented some considerations funders can keep in mind to develop strong TA programs, as well as some lessons based on their evaluations of two state-based TA programs. Thoughtful program development, implementation, and evaluation will be essential to better understand how to deliver successful TA that is a worthwhile investment for funders. The recommendations offered in this article aim to promote conversation among funders about effective ways to invest their resources in TA programming. Keywords: Technical-assistance program design and implementation, evaluation, technical-assistance best practices, foundation technical assistance, technical-assistance development, technical-assistance delivery mechanisms DOI: 10.9707/1944-5660.1342

Background This study investigates factors determining the timing of antenatal care (ANC) visit and the type of delivery assistant present during delivery among a national representative sample of Ghanaian women. Method Data for the study was drawn from the women questionnaire (N=4,916) of the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey among 15–49-years-old women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors determining the type of delivery assistance and timing of ANC visit for live births within five years prior to the survey. Results Majority of Ghanaian women attended ANC visit (96.5%) but many (42.7%) did so late (after the first trimester), while 36.5% had delivery without the assistance of a trained personnel (30.6%) or anyone (5.9%). Age (OR=1.5, CI=1.1-1.9, OR for 25-34-year-olds compared to 15-24-year-olds), religion (OR=1.8, CI=1.2-2.8, OR for Christians versus Traditional believers) wealth index (OR=2.6, CI=1.7-3.8, OR for the richest compared to the poorest) were independently associated with early ANC visit. Likewise, age, place of residence, education and partner’s education were associated with having a delivery assisted by a trained assistant. Also, Christians (OR=1.8, CI=1.1-3.0) and Moslems (OR=1.9, CI=1.1-3.3) were more likely to have trained delivery assistants compared to their counterparts who practised traditional belief. Furthermore, the richer a woman the more likely that she would have delivery assisted by a trained personnel (OR=8.2, CI= 4.2-16.0, OR for the richest in comparison to the poorest). Conclusions Despite the relatively high antenatal care utilisation among Ghanaian women, significant variations exist across the socio-demographic spectrum. Furthermore, a large number of women failed to meet the WHO recommendation to attend antenatal care within the first trimester of pregnancy. These findings have important implications for reducing maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters by the year 2015.

Objective: This study focused on the factors affecting the institutional delivery and delivery assisted by health professionals in urban slums. Materials and methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was developed to collect information from women aged 15-49 who had at least one birth. Totally 540 eligible women were interviewed. Results: The results showed that around 20% of women delivered at an institute while 32.8% were assisted by health professionals. Logistic regression showed that respondent's education, number of ANC received by women, receiving TT, male participation, autonomy, attitude towards maternal health care services and distance from home to clinic had significant impact on both institutional delivery and delivery assisted by health professionals whereas birth order of the last child and respondent's knowledge on maternal health care services had a significant effect only on institutional delivery. Conclusion: It might be concluded that in order to further increase the institutional delivery and delivery assisted by health professionals consideration should be given on the above-mentioned socio-economic and demographic factors.

This study examines the inequality of the use of skilled delivery assistance by the rural women of Bangladesh using the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data. Simple cross-tabulation and univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed in the study. Overall, 56.1% of the women received at least one antenatal care visit, whereas only 13.2% births were assisted by skilled personnel. Findings revealed apparent inequality in using skilled delivery assistance by socioeconomic strata. Birth order, women’s education, religion, wealth index, region and antenatal care are important determinants of seeking skilled assistance. To ensure safe motherhood initiative, government should pay special attention to reduce inequality in seeking skilled delivery assistance. A strong focus on community-based and regional interventions is important in order to increase the utilization of safe maternal health care services in rural Bangladesh.