Early initiation of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and experiencing feeding challenges are associated with malnutrition.

Malnutrition remains a public health concern amidst low proportions of the core infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, yet, data on specific child feeding practices that are associated with undernutrition are rare. Hence, this study sought to assess child feeding practices and their association with undernutrition among young children. An analytical cross-sectional design was used among mothers/caregivers with children aged 6-23 months, attending child welfare clinics in Techiman municipality, Ghana.

Co-Occurrence of G6PD Deficiency and SCT among Pregnant Women Exposed to Infectious Diseases.

During pregnancy, women have an increased relative risk of exposure to infectious diseases. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of the co-occurrence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd) and sickle cell trait (SCT) and the impact on anemia outcomes among pregnant women exposed to frequent infectious diseases. Over a six-year period (March 2013 to October 2019), 8473 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANCs) at major referral hospitals in Northern Ghana were recruited and diagnosed for common infectious diseases (malaria, syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV), G6PDd, and SCT.

Moderate-to-severe household food insecurity is associated with depression among adolescent girls in northern Ghana: a cross-sectional analysis.

Objective: Household food insecurity is positively associated with depression; however, the association among adolescents is not well known. We examined the association between household food insecurity and depression among adolescent girls in Northern Ghana.

Methods: We analysed data from the Ten2Twenty-Ghana randomised controlled trial end-line for adolescent girls aged 10-17 years (n=582).

Nutritional, health and socio-demographic determinants of anaemia in adolescent girls in Kumbungu District, Ghana.

Background: Anaemia is a serious health problem among adolescent girls in Ghana. The aims of this study were to measure the prevalence and identify the nutritional, health, and socio-demographic determinants of anaemia in adolescent girls in Kumbungu District, Northern Region, Ghana.

Method: An analytical cross-sectional study involving 370 adolescent girls residing in Kumbungu district, selected using multi-stage sampling procedure, was conducted.

Household food insecurity, low maternal social support and maternal common mental disorders in East Mamprusi Municipality, Ghana.

Introduction: Both household food insecurity and maternal common mental disorders are public health concerns in Ghana but studies on them, and their interrelatedness are scarce. Social support is an independent determinant of mental health but can also moderate the link between risk factors and mental illness. Identifying the risk factors of mental illness may provide opportunities for intervention and help reduce disease burden and impact.

Correlates of haemoglobin level in mothers of children under two years in Nanton district: A cross-sectional study from Ghana.

Objectives: Anaemia, defined using haemoglobin level, is one of the most prevalent nutritional deficiency diseases among women of childbearing age. Whilst most studies of anaemia were conducted on pregnant women, data are lacking on the haemoglobin level and its correlates of mothers in Ghana. In this paper, we report data on the correlates of haemoglobin level among mothers in Nanton district, Northern Region, Ghana.

Maternal autonomy but not social support is a predictor of child feeding indicators in the Northern Region, Ghana.

Background: Child malnutrition may be mediated by poor infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. This study sought to explore if maternal social support or autonomy was related to IYCF indicators in Northern Region, Ghana.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 395 randomly sampled mother-child pairs from 8 health facilities.

Risk factors of anaemia among postpartum women in Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana.

Introduction: Anaemia is a major public health problem affecting women of reproductive age globally. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and determinants of anaemia among postpartum women in Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana.

Methods: The study employed an analytical cross-sectional study design to recruit 405 women who delivered in the last 6 weeks from 9 health facilities in the Municipality.

Prevalence and determinants of unmet need for contraception in North Gonja District, Ghana.

Background: Unmet need for contraception contributes to the burden of unwanted pregnancies, which are correlated with a host of adverse maternal and child outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify the determinants of unmet need for contraception in North Gonja District, Ghana.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 386 randomly selected women of childbearing age was conducted in North Gonja district, Ghana, with the use of a questionnaire in household interviews.

Effect of maternal growth monitoring knowledge on stunting, wasting and underweight among children 0-18 months in Tamale metropolis of Ghana.

Objective: This study sought to assess maternal growth monitoring knowledge and its effect on stunting, wasting and underweight among children 0-18 months in the Tamale Metropolis. An analytical cross-sectional study design, involving 340 mother-child pairs randomly selected from 4 health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis was used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics and maternal growth monitoring knowledge.

Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in pregnant women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Ghana.

Background: Anaemia during pregnancy is a major public health problem in developing countries. It is important to regularly monitor haemoglobin level in pregnancy and factors associated with it to inform clinical and preventive services. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic (ANC) of a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Ghana.

Prevalence and determinants of uptake of folic acid in peri-conceptional period in a rural lower-middle-income country, Ghana.

Folate is a vitamin B-related substance needed by expectant mothers during the period right before and after conception (peri-conceptional period) to help protect foetuses against neural tube defects (NTDs). Despite efforts to promote the peri-conceptional uptake of folic acid (FA), adherence remains low. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of peri-conceptional FA uptake among childbearing women in northern Ghana.

Prevalence and determinants of depression in mothers of children under 5 years in Bole District, Ghana.

Objective: Depression in mothers is a risk factor for poor health, and pregnancy and child outcomes. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of depression and identify its determinants in mothers of children under 5 years in Bole District, Ghana.

Results: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study consisting of 244 mothers (mean age 28.

Young maternal age is a risk factor for child undernutrition in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.

Objective: Malnutrition is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status of children under 5 years of teenage and adult mothers in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. A case-control study involving 300 (150 cases, 150 controls) mother-child pairs was carried out.

Prevalence and factors associated with incomplete immunization of children (12-23 months) in Kwabre East District, Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Background: Childhood immunization is one of the most cost effective health interventions but its rate has been declining recently in Ghana. Information on immunization coverage and determinants is needed to improve immunization programmes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with incomplete immunization of children (12-23 months) in Kwabre East District, Ghana.

Seroprevalence of Malaria and Hepatitis B Coinfection among Pregnant Women in Tamale Metropolis of Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Coinfections are becoming common risk factors that may contribute to the increased burden of morbidity in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of coinfections of malaria, hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANC) in the Tamale Metropolis.

Methods: By means of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), pregnant women attending the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) were screened for malaria, HBV infection, HIV infection, and syphilis from March 2013 to February 2015.

Maternal depression does not affect complementary feeding indicators or stunting status of young children (6-23 months) in Northern Ghana.

Objective: Maternal depression may affect child feeding practice which is an important determinant of child nutritional status. The objective of this study was to explore the association between maternal depression and WHO complementary feeding indicators [minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum acceptable diet (MAD)] or stunting status of children (6-23 months) in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out involving 200 mother-child pairs randomly sampled from three communities in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana.

Association between maternal depression and child stunting in Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Stunting indicates failure to attain genetic potential for height and is a well-documented indicator for poor growth. Depression is common in women of reproductive age and women's mental health problems may affect the growth of young children. We examined the association between maternal depression and stunting in mother-child pairs attending Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) in Northern Ghana.

How well do WHO complementary feeding indicators relate to nutritional status of children aged 6-23 months in rural Northern Ghana?

Background: Though the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators have been in use, little is known about their association with child nutritional status. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between IYCF indicators (timing of complementary feeding, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet) and child growth indicators.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out in November 2013.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant use in first trimester pregnancy and risk of specific congenital anomalies: a European register-based study.

Evidence of an association between early pregnancy exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and congenital heart defects (CHD) has contributed to recommendations to weigh benefits and risks carefully. The objective of this study was to determine the specificity of association between first trimester exposure to SSRIs and specific CHD and other congenital anomalies (CA) associated with SSRI exposure in the literature (signals). A population-based case-malformed control study was conducted in 12 EUROCAT CA registries covering 2.

Prevalence and sociodemographic patterns of antidepressant use among women of reproductive age: a prescription database study.

Background: There has been a steady increase in the prescription of antidepressants in developed countries in recent decades. Antidepressant treatment prevalence and sociodemographic pattern data can inform the review of clinical guidelines for depression treatment. We determined the one-year prevalence and sociodemographic pattern of antidepressant dispensing among women of childbearing age (15-45 years) in Northern Ireland (NI).