In October 2015, researchers, programmers and policymakers gathered in Bellagio, Italy to discuss strategies for improving, standardizing and simplifying the measurement of quality in family planning. The resulting papers, along with commentaries from Dominic Montagu and Kim Longfield, were published by Metrics for Management in late 2016. The papers in this series provide an opportunity to review and learn from what has already been done and work towards consensus on a more effective measurement strategy moving forward…read more
Advocacy is essential to supporting women with pre-eclampsia
Posted onThe evolution of socioeconomic status-related inequalities in maternal health care utilization: Evidence from Zimbabwe, 1994–2011
Posted onMisoprostol for Postpartum Hemorrhage: Empowering Health Workers to Save Lives
Posted onIn Senegal, approximately 1,800 women lose their lives every year while giving birth. The major cause of these deaths is uncontrolled bleeding after childbirth, or postpartum hemorrhage. Many women give birth, attended by matrones or volunteer birth attendants, in maternity huts. Senegal’s National Health Plan now officially recognizes matrones as a cadre of health provider in the country’s health system and the critical role they play in providing care at the community level…read more
Making People-Centered Health Services a Reality in Zambia
Posted onLike many countries, Zambia struggled for years to improve skilled birth attendance; Recently, however, some rural districts have performed much better. Zambia has moved to make people-centered health services a reality by using maternal health as an entry point for creating a more responsive health system…read more
“If You Are Alive Today, Thank a Midwife”: How Mobile Phones Can Increase Skilled Birth Attendance
Posted onWithout proper training and practice, midwives cannot provide high quality maternal and newborn care. Maternity Foundation’s Safe Delivery App aims to enhance midwives’ skills and knowledge in order to improve the quality of care women receive. The Safe Delivery App is a mobile health training tool that provides midwives working in remote, low-resource settings with access to evidence-based clinical guidelines and animated instructions, helping them to prevent and manage obstetric emergencies…read more
Year in Review: Top 10 Highlights in Global Maternal Health From 2016
Posted onSystematic Reviews of Financing Mechanisms for Family Planning
Posted onWhile substantial progress has been made over the last few decades in family planning access and utilization, additional efforts are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of ensuring “universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.” Studies in Family Planning recently published a series of open access systematic reviews assessing these different financing mechanisms for family planning in low- and middle-income countries…read more
The Role of Measurement in Tracking Progress When Scaling Up Maternal Health Interventions
Posted onAs attention in maternal health shifts to a new emphasis on ending preventable maternal mortality (EPMM) and addressing inequities, the tracking of progress will remain important. A key aspect of these future efforts will require the valid measurement of not only contact with maternal and newborn health services but also coverage of key interventions that reflect the quality of services received…read more