scholarly journals A Mobile Phone-based Multimedia Application Could Improve Maternal Health in Rural Southwestern Uganda: Mixed Methods Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angella Musiimenta ◽  
Wilson Tumuhimbise ◽  
Godfrey Mugyenyi ◽  
Jane Katusiime ◽  
Esther Atukunda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Multimedia Application ◽  
Transport Cost ◽  
Time Saving ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Video And Audio

Background: Reducing maternal and infant mortality rates remains challenging. Illiteracy, lack of reliable information, long distances to health centers continue to limit access to quality maternal healthcare in Uganda. Mobile health technologies could be promising affordable strategies for enhancing access to maternal health services. However, there is lack of studies assessing the experiences of illiterate rural pregnant women regarding these technologies. Objective: To explore how illiterate pregnant women perceive a maternal health mobile application composed of tailored video and audio messages, appointment reminders and calling function. Methods: We purposively sampled illiterate pregnant women initiating antenatal care at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. We carried out three focus group discussions with 14 women to elicit information on perceptions of the proposed mobile phone based multimedia application. We used STATA 13 to describe study participants and their preferences. Results: Pregnant women anticipated that intervention would enhance maternal health by reminding them to attend antenatal appointments, enabling transport cost and time saving, providing tailored information that is easy to understand, and recall. However, financial constraints and phone sharing would limit the functionality.Conclusion: Mhealth application may provide acceptable and affordable alternative approaches to providing maternal health services, especially in settings where face-to-face approaches are challenging.

Artificial Intelligence guided citizen-centric approach to enhance uptake of maternal health services among pregnant women living in urban slum settings in India. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Shrivastava ◽  
Manmohan Singhal ◽  
Mansi Gupta ◽  
Ashish Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Urban Slum ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Urban Slums

BACKGROUND Pregnant women are considered to be a “high risk” group with limited access to health facilities in urban slums. Barriers to utilization of health services may lead to maternal and child mortality, morbidity, low birth weight, and children with stunted growth. Application of artificial intelligence (AI) can provide substantial improvements in all areas of healthcare from diagnostics to treatment. There have been several technological advances within the field of AI, however, AI not merely driven by what is technically feasible, but by what is humanly desirable is the need of the hour. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study is to develop and evaluate the AI guided citizen centric platform to enhance the uptake of maternal health services (antenatal care) amongst the pregnant women living in urban slum settings. METHODS A cross-sectional mixed method approach employed to collect data among pregnant women, aged 18-44 years, living in urban slums of South Delhi. A convenience sampling used to recruit 225 participants at the Anganwadi centres (AWC) after obtaining consent from the eligible participants. Inclusion criteria includes pregnant individuals residing in urban slums for more than 3 months, having smartphones, visiting AWC for seeking antenatal care. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected electronically using Open Data Kit (ODK) based opensource tool from eligible participants. Data will be collected on clinical as well as socio-demographic parameters (based on existing literature). We aim to develop an innovative AI guided citizen centric decision support platform to effectively manage pregnancy and its outcomes among urban poor populations. The proposed research will help policymakers to prioritize resource planning, resource allocation and development of programs and policies to enhance maternal health outcomes. RESULTS The AI guided citizen centric decision support platform will be designed, developed, implemented and evaluated using principles of human centred design and findings of the study will be reported to diverse stakeholders. The tested and revised platform will be deployed for use across various stakeholders such as pregnant women, healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and policymakers. CONCLUSIONS With the understanding, use and adoption of emerging and innovative technologies such as AI, maternal health informatics can be at the forefront to help pregnant women in crisis. The proposed platform will potentially be scaled up to different geographic locations for adoption for similar and other health conditions.

scholarly journals Access to Maternal Health Services during COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smriti Pant ◽  
Saugat Koirala ◽  
Madhusudan Subedi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Health Care Delivery System ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Movement Restriction

Most causes of maternal morbidity and mortality can be prevented by giving prompt, suitable treatment to the women by qualified health practitioners. Maternal health services (MHS), which include antenatal care, delivery care, and postnatal care, can play a crucial role in preventing maternal health problems. The recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a disastrous effect on the health care delivery system of people of all ages, on a global scale but pregnant women face particular challenges. The aim of this review is to assess the effect of COVID-19 on access to MHS. For writing this narrative review, national and international reports on maternal health services during COVID-19, along with journal articles on the related topic were reviewed. Due to this pandemic, women worldwide are facing more barriers to accessing maternal health care, including restrictions, transport challenges, and anxiety over possibly being exposed to coronavirus. Many women preferred not to seek healthcare due to the fear of themselves being infected with the virus or transmitting it to their unborn babies. Additionally, movement restriction has made it difficult for many pregnant women to reach health care facilities. Even those who managed to reach health facilities have reported not receiving timely care. As a result, a considerable rise in maternal mortality globally has been estimated over the next six months. Despite the circumstances, efforts have been made to boost maternal health in both developed and developing countries. This pandemic has highlighted the importance of health preparedness with special attention given to vulnerable people like pregnant women and newborns while planning for such events. Keywords: Childbirth, COVID19, Maternal Health, Pandemic, Pregnancy, Women’s health

scholarly journals “He lets me go although he does not go with me.”: Rwandan women’s perceptions of men’s roles in maternal health

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Germaine Tuyisenge ◽  
Valorie A. Crooks ◽  
Nicole S. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Birth Preparedness ◽  
Complication Readiness ◽  
Maternal Health Outcomes ◽  
Men’S Involvement

Abstract Background Increasing men’s involvement in their pregnant partners’ wellness has been reported as one of the ways to improve access to and utilization of maternal health services, including birth preparedness and complication readiness. Men can play meaningful roles in the support systems that pregnant women need to achieve better maternal health outcomes. In Rwanda, the roles that men take vary, resulting in diverse expectations and responsibilities to support the health of women during this critical time. In this study, we aimed to examine the views, perspectives, and experiences of women on men’s involvement in maternal health and how this impacts access and utilization of maternal health services. Methods We conducted 21 interviews with pregnant and recently-pregnant women to gain an understanding of their views on men’s involvement in facilitating their partners’ health during pregnancy. Interviews were conducted across five Rwandan districts in both rural and urban settings of the country. Data analysis was guided by a thematic analysis approach. This started with independent transcript review by the investigators, after which a meeting was held to discuss emergent themes and to identify potential codes. A coding scheme was created and transcripts were coded in NVIVO™ software according to conceptual and practical topics that formed an understanding of men’s involvement in maternal care. Results Three key themes emerged during the analytic process that categorize the specific roles that men play in maternal health: 1) facilitating access to maternal health services, which involves assisting women with getting and or attending appointments jointly with men; 2) supporting women’s decisions, wherein men can support the decisions women make with regard to their maternal healthcare in a number of ways; and 3) evaluating information, including gathering information from multiple sources, especially from community health workers, to assist women with making informed decisions. Conclusion Rwandan men take on three types of roles in supporting women’s maternal health, and their responsibilities are experienced differently by women. Interventions involving men are encouraged to increase their understanding of the implications of their involvement in maternal health without compromising women’s autonomy in decision-making and to promote positive maternal health outcomes.

scholarly journals How Costly is the First Prenatal Clinic Visit? Analysis of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure in Rural Sri Lanka - A Country With Free Maternal Health Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajaan Praveena Gunarathne ◽  
Nuwan Darshana Wickramasinghe ◽  
Thilini Chanchala Agampodi ◽  
Indika Ruwan Prasanna ◽  
Suneth Buddhika Agampodi
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Clinic Visit ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Study Setting

Abstract Background: This study aimed to determine the magnitude of and factors associated with out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) during the first prenatal clinic visit among pregnant women in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka, which provides free maternal healthcare. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional study, and the study setting was 22 Medical Officers of Health areas in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. Data of 1,389 pregnant women were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Results: The mean OOPE of the first prenatal clinic visit was USD 8.12, which accounted for 2.9% and 4.5% of the household income and expenditure, respectively. Pregnant women who used only government-free health services had an OOPE of USD 3.49. A significant correlation was recorded between household expenditure (rs=0.095, p=0.002) and the number of pregnancies (rs=-0.155, p<0.001) with OOPE. Conclusion: Despite having free maternal services, the OOPE of the first prenatal clinic visit is high in rural Sri Lanka. One-fifth of pregnant women utilize private health services, and pregnant women who used only government-free maternal health services also spend a direct medical cost.

The complex association of health insurance and maternal health services in the context of a premium exemption for pregnant women: a case study in Northern Ghana

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1043-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemima A Frimpong ◽  
Stéphane Helleringer ◽  
John Koku Awoonor-Williams ◽  
Thomas Aguilar ◽  
James F Phillips ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Northern Ghana

scholarly journals Reproductive and Maternal Health Challenges of Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: An Anthropological Appraisal

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-37
Author(s):  
R. N. Pati
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
The Government

A very Poor attention is given to reproductive health issues of pregnant women in rural regions of African countries. Ethiopia is one of the countries in horn of Africa representing highest maternal mortality rate in the continent. The Government of Ethiopia has reformed health policy and program to promote community involvement in maternal health, promotion of emergency obstetric health care, health seeking behavior for optimal utilization of maternal health services by women during pregnancies. The women living in pastoralist and small land holders’ communities are exposed to high risks of reproductive health hazards. Material delays comprising of delay in making the decision for referral, delay in arriving at hospital and delay in receiving appropriate maternal health services are major contributing factors for growing maternal deaths in Ethiopia. The illiteracy of woman, exposure to frequent pregnancies at adolescent age, poor decision making power of women in patriarchal society, poor employment status of women are main predicators of low utilization of maternal services and high ,maternal death in rural regions of the country. This article is based on synthesis of research projects completed by different authors on multiple dimensions of maternal mortality in Ethiopia. The promotion of referral support service and bridging up the referral gaps would address issues of maternal mortality and growing unsafe abortions among young mothers in rural regions of the country. This paper examines critically different socio – cultural barriers that prevent women living in rural area for accessing appropriate utilization of maternal and health services and infrastructure available. Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 4, Issue-1: 32-37

scholarly journals How costly is the first prenatal clinic visit? Analysis of out-of-pocket expenditure in rural Sri Lanka - a country with free maternal health care

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajaan Praveena Gunarathne ◽  
Nuwan Darshana Wickramasinghe ◽  
Thilini Chanchala Agampodi ◽  
Indika Ruwan Prasanna ◽  
Suneth Buddhika Agampodi
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Clinic Visit ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Study Setting

Abstract Background This study aimed to determine the magnitude of and factors associated with out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) during the first prenatal clinic visit among pregnant women in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka, which provides free maternal healthcare. Methods The study design was a cross-sectional study, and the study setting was 22 Medical Officers of Health (MOOH) areas in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. Data of 1389 pregnant women were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests. Results The mean OOPE of the first prenatal clinic visit was USD 8.12, which accounted for 2.9 and 4.5% of the household income and expenditure, respectively. Pregnant women who used only government-free health services (which are free of charge at the point of service delivery) had an OOPE of USD 3.49. A significant correlation was recorded between household expenditure (rs = 0.095, p = 0.002) and the number of pregnancies (rs = − 0.155, p < 0.001) with OOPE. Education level less than primary education is positively contributed to OOPE (p < 0.05), and utilizing government-free maternal health services lead to a decrease in the OOPE for the first prenatal clinic visit (p < 0.05). Conclusion Despite having free maternal services, the OOPE of the first prenatal clinic visit is high in rural Sri Lanka. One-fifth of pregnant women utilize private health services, and pregnant women who used only government-free maternal health services also spend a direct medical cost for medicines/micronutrient supplements.

scholarly journals Assessment of Tribal Healthcare Infrastructure for Delivery of Maternal Health Program in Balasore District, Odisha, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-173
Author(s):  
Ranjit Kumar Dehury
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Health Program ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Clinical Practices ◽  
District Hospitals

Introduction: There are still large number of maternal deaths in India nearing up to 50,000 deaths in a year which is one sixth of the world in recent years. Odisha (India) is also not performing well in maternal health care management despite its commitment in MDG and SDG. Odisha constitute 23% of tribal population, where the maternal mortality is very high and difficult to provide health services, particularly maternal health services. The study aims to assess provision of necessary health services for pregnant women in an inaccessible tribal pockets. Methods: The study was conducted in Balasore district, Odisha (India) where a sizable population is consisting of various indigenous tribes, particularly in some blocks. The Parijata tool was used to assess various health care facilities which was developed by UNICEF and ARTH, Rajasthan. By this, availability of basic things like manpower, drugs and consumables are assessed along with laid down clinical practices and procedures. Results: The study found that there is lack of provisioning of health services in healthcare facilities. Both District hospital at Balasore and Sub-district hospitals lack basic services recommended by WHO for taking care of women. Further, the effort of government to implement a uniform program across the state hinder the tailoring of services for tribal pockets. Conclusion: The study provides remedial measures for improving the role and functioning of grass roots workers, integrating indigenous medicine with biomedicine, and revamping health information system to incorporate cultural features, thereby improving its utilization in the study area. The study raised critical issues about potential of maternal health program to deliver effective care of pregnant women in tribal dominated areas.

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