A descriptive summary of the WHO availability assessments of medical abortion medicines in eight African countries.

Background: The use of medical abortion using either a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, or misoprostol alone has contributed to increased safety and decreased mortality and morbidity. The availability of quality medical abortion medicines is an essential component in the provision of quality abortion care. Understanding the factors that influence the availability of medical abortion medicines is important to help in-country policymakers, program planners, and providers improve availability and use of medical abortion.

Antenatal corticosteroids reduce neonatal mortality in settings without assisted ventilatory support: a retrospective cohort study of early preterm births on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Background: Prematurity is the highest risk for under-five mortality globally. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of antenatal dexamethasone on neonatal mortality in early preterm in a resource-constrained setting without assisted ventilation.

Methods: This retrospective (2008-2013) cohort study in clinics for refugees/migrants on the Thai-Myanmar border included infants born <34 weeks gestation at home, in, or on the way to the clinic.

Implementation strategies, facilitators, and barriers to scaling up and sustaining task-sharing in family planning: a protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review.

Background: Ensuring access to quality family planning (FP) services is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets 3.1, 3.7, and 5.

Mistreatment of women during childbirth and postpartum depression: secondary analysis of WHO community survey across four countries.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a leading cause of disability globally with estimated prevalence of approximately 20% in low-income and middle-income countries. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with PPD following mistreatment during facility-based childbirth.

Method: This secondary analysis used data from the community survey of postpartum women in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar and Nigeria for the WHO study, 'How women are treated during facility-based childbirth'.

Medical device regulation and oversight in African countries: a scoping review of literature and development of a conceptual framework.

Regulatory and other governance arrangements influence the introduction of medical devices into health systems and are essential for ensuring their effective and safe use. Challenges with medical device safety, quality and use are documented globally, with evidence suggesting these are linked to poor governance. Yet, medical device regulation and oversight remain inadequately defined and described, particularly in low-income and middle-income settings.

Comparing observed occurrence of mistreatment during childbirth with women's self-report: a validation study in Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria.

Background: There has been substantial progress in developing approaches to measure mistreatment of women during childbirth. However, less is known about the differences in measurement approaches. In this study, we compare measures of mistreatment obtained from the same women using labour observations and community-based surveys in Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria.

Implementation strategies to scale up self-administered depot medroxyprogesterone acetate subcutaneous injectable contraception: a scoping review.

Background: Self-administered depot medroxyprogesterone acetate subcutaneous injectable contraception (DMPA-SC) is registered in many countries. It shows great potential for improving contraceptive access, continuation, and autonomy. However, there are challenges in rolling out this new efficacious intervention, and major implementation problems have been encountered during scale-up.

The impact of a universal late third-trimester scan for fetal growth restriction on perinatal outcomes in term singleton births: A prospective cohort study.

Objective: To investigate perinatal mortality, morbidity and obstetric intervention following the introduction of a universal late third-trimester ultrasound scan for growth restriction.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Oxfordshire (OUH), UK.

Antenatal and Postnatal Care.

Optimal care during the antenatal and postnatal phases of the life cycle is a potentially positive determinant of health elsewhere in the continuum. A successful transition from the antenatal to the postnatal period requires early detection, optimal management, and prevention of disease; health promotion; birth preparedness; and complication readiness. Women, their babies, and families need appropriate evidence-based care based on their dignity and human rights before, during, and after birth.

Late pregnancy ultrasound parameters identifying fetuses at risk of adverse perinatal outcomes: a protocol for a systematic review of systematic reviews.

Introduction: Stillbirths and neonatal deaths are leading contributors to the global burden of disease and pregnancy ultrasound has the potential to help decrease this burden. In the absence of high-Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence on universal obstetric ultrasound screening at or close to term, many different screening strategies have been proposed. Systematic reviews have rapidly increased over the past decade owing to the diverse nature of ultrasound parameters and the wide range of possible adverse perinatal outcomes.

Adolescent experiences of mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities: secondary analysis of a community-based survey in four countries.

Introduction: Pregnancy and childbearing among adolescents-especially younger adolescents-is associated with health complications and lost opportunities for education and personal development. In addition to established challenges adolescents and young women face in sexual and reproductive healthcare, evidence suggests that they also face mistreatment during childbirth.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the WHO study 'How women are treated during facility-based childbirth' cross-sectional community survey in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar and Nigeria.

Scoping review of maternal and newborn health interventions and programmes in Nigeria.

Objective: To systematically scope and map research regarding interventions, programmes or strategies to improve maternal and newborn health (MNH) in Nigeria.

Design: Scoping review.

Data Sources And Eligibility Criteria: Systematic searches were conducted from 1 June to 22 July 2020 in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, together with a search of the grey literature.

A multicenter prospective study of early gestational diabetes mellitus: Rates, severity, and risk factors based on IADPSG-defined fasting glycemia.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of early gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) defined fasting glycemia.

Methods: A prospective multicenter study testing fasting venous plasma glucose (FPG) in women aged 18-45 years between 6 and 23 weeks of pregnancy in secondary health facilities in Ondo State, Nigeria. Early GDM was defined using the IADPSG threshold for fasting hyperglycemia, and its severity was examined.

Vaginal examinations and mistreatment of women during facility-based childbirth in health facilities: secondary analysis of labour observations in Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria.

Background: Previous research on mistreatment of women during childbirth has focused on physical and verbal abuse, neglect and stigmatisation. However, other manifestations of mistreatment, such as during vaginal examinations, are relatively underexplored. This study explores four types of mistreatment of women during vaginal examinations: (1) non-consented care, (2) sharing of private information, (3) exposure of genitalia and (4) exposure of breasts.

Neonatal and postneonatal tetanus at a referral hospital in Kamsar, Guinea: a retrospective audit of paediatric records (2014-2018).

Background: Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. In 2018, all of Guinea was considered to be at risk of the disease and the country is currently in the elimination phase.

Methods: A 5-y audit (1 January 2014-31 December 2018) of all admissions to the neonatal and general paediatric units of Kamsar Hospital (Western Guinea) was undertaken to identify cases of neonatal tetanus (NNT) and postneonatal tetanus (PNNT).

Women's experiences of mistreatment during childbirth and their satisfaction with care: findings from a multicountry community-based study in four countries.

Introduction: Experiences of care and satisfaction are intrinsically linked, as user's experiences of care may directly impact satisfaction, or indirectly impact user's expectations and values. Both experiences of care and satisfaction are important to measure so that quality can be monitored and improved. Globally, women experience mistreatment during childbirth at facilities; however, there is limited evidence exploring the mistreatment and women's satisfaction with care during childbirth.

Labour companionship and women's experiences of mistreatment during childbirth: results from a multi-country community-based survey.

Background: Evidence has shown the benefits of labour companions during childbirth. Few studies have documented the relationship between the absence of labour companions and mistreatment of women during childbirth in low-income and middle-income countries using a standardised tool.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the WHO multi-country study on how women are treated during childbirth, where a cross-sectional community survey was conducted with women up to 8 weeks after childbirth in Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria and Myanmar.

The first 2 h after birth: prevalence and factors associated with neonatal care practices from a multicountry, facility-based, observational study.

Background: Amid efforts to improve the quality of care for women and neonates during childbirth, there is growing interest in the experience of care, including respectful care practices. However, there is little research on the prevalence of practices that might constitute mistreatment of neonates. This study aims to describe the care received by neonates up to 2 h after birth in a sample of three countries in west Africa.

How women are treated during facility-based childbirth in four countries: a cross-sectional study with labour observations and community-based surveys.

Background: Women across the world are mistreated during childbirth. We aimed to develop and implement evidence-informed, validated tools to measure mistreatment during childbirth, and report results from a cross-sectional study in four low-income and middle-income countries.

Methods: We prospectively recruited women aged at least 15 years in twelve health facilities (three per country) in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar, and Nigeria between Sept 19, 2016, and Jan 18, 2018.

Accuracy of 50-g glucose challenge test to detect International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria-defined hyperglycemia.

Objectives: To determine the accuracy of the 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT) in detecting hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HIP) across a range of glucose thresholds relative to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups diagnostic criteria, and to determine the accuracy of the 50-g GCT among patients with different risk status.

Methods: The present prospective cohort study included women aged 18-45 years at 24-31  weeks of pregnancy who presented at the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Nigeria, between September 1, 2015, and February 29, 2016. Patients underwent the 50-g GCT followed by the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Determinants and outcome of fetal macrosomia in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

Background: To determine the incidence and risk factors of fetal macrosomia and maternal and perinatal outcome.

Patients And Methods: This was a 1-year prospective case-control study of singleton pregnancies in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. Only women who gave consent were recruited for the study.

Prevalence of helminth infestation during pregnancy and its association with maternal anemia and low birth weight.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of helminth infestation during pregnancy and the associated risks of adverse maternal and infant outcomes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of women with a singleton pregnancy of at least 34 weeks was conducted at a teaching hospital in Benin City, Nigeria, between April 1 and September 30, 2010. Socioeconomic and clinical data were obtained.