Family Inclusive Maternal Health Care: What it Is and Why it Matters

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

Not surprisingly, public health professionals, researchers and clinicians in the maternal and child health field have traditionally focused primarily on the mother and the child. Interventions aimed at encouraging antenatal care attendance, facility-based delivery and exclusive breastfeeding have generally targeted the pregnant woman or mother, often without much attention to her partner, surrounding family or social network…read more

Effective Antenatal Interventions to Prevent Maternal and Newborn Mortality

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

A recent study published in PLOS One reviews the current state of evidence on a number of antenatal interventions designed to reduce adverse maternal and newborn health outcomes. The authors analyze 21 types of interventions that fall into three categories: nutrition, infection and obstetrical/other…read more

Improving Quality of Care for Mothers and Newborns in Health Facilities: New Standards and Measures From the World Health Organization (WHO)

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

To combat preventable perinatal morbidity and mortality, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a framework for measuring and improving quality of maternal and newborn health care in facilities across the globe. The framework includes eight standards of high quality care and a comprehensive list of measures to identify quality gaps throughout the continuum of care for women and newborns…read more

Global Leaders in Maternal and Newborn Health: Patrick Mwesigye (Uganda)

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

SMNLW participant Patrick Mwesigye is from Kampala, Uganda. He is the Founder/CEO of the Uganda Youth and Adolescents Health Forum, a community-based organization that aims to empower young women and support youth engagement. He is also the Vice President of the Africa Youth and Adolescents Network on Population and Development and the Chair of the PMNCH advisory group for the adolescent health knowledge summary…read more

Strategies Toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM) Under the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

Between 1990 and 2015, the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) decreased by 44% under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), from 385 to 216 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Despite this progress, we fell short of the MDG target of reducing the global MMR by 70%, and perhaps more importantly, huge inequalities persist both within and among countries. For example, as an aggregate figure, sub-Saharan Africa has by far the highest MMR at 546 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births while the average MMR in developed regions is just 12 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The devastating consequences of maternal deaths extend not just to families but entire communities…read more

Global Leaders in Maternal and Newborn Health: Dr. Joannie Bewa (Benin)

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

Safe Mothers and Newborns Leadership Workshop participant Dr. Joannie Bewa is an obstetrician/gynecologist from Benin and Founder of the Young Beninese Leaders Association. She is also a fellow of the US Government International Visitor Leadership Program and Secretary Clinton’s Women in Public Service Project as well as a semi-finalist of the “UN Special Envoy Youth of Courage Award.” Dr. Bewa was recognized for championing the advancement of sexual and reproductive health at Women Deliver 2015 and was featured on Melinda Gates’ list of six influential women on the topic of global access to contraception…read more

Promoting Respectful Maternity Care in Tanzania

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

Disrespect and abuse during childbirth has been observed and recorded all around the world. In addition to being a human rights violation, disrespect and abuse during childbirth discourages women who experience it from seeking health care in the future and ultimately results in poor health outcomes. As a result, a number of organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have called for improved measurement, programs and advocacy addressing this global issue. With support from The John and Katie Hansen Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) established a research project to measure the prevalence of disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Tanzania and Ethiopia and to develop effective interventions…read more

Community Perceptions of Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia in Four Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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By: Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE, National Senior Manager of Maternal Newborn Health Programs, Steward Health Care

Reproductive Health recently published a series of research articles describing community perceptions of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia in four low- and middle-income countries: India, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Each study was conducted between 2011 and 2014 using qualitative methods. Participants in these communities used different terminology to describe symptoms of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, often separating hypertension during pregnancy from seizures during pregnancy. However, participants from each of these communities displayed a basic understanding of the dangers of these conditions, acknowledging that they can lead to death of the mother or newborn…read more