Child undernutrition and its association with household environmental conditions in Bangladesh.

Objectives: Child undernutrition among under 5 aged children is a prevalent global issue, especially in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore relationships of household environmental conditions (HECs) with child under-nutrition in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on rural-urban differences.

Design: We analysed children's data from the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS).

Identifying the zero-dose and under-immunized children in Bangladesh: Approaches and experiences.

This paper presents and elaborates on empirical methods and approaches used to identify Zero-Dose (ZD) and Under-immunized (UI) children as well as the communities that these children reside in within Bangladesh. This paper also describes demand- and supply side-barriers that lead to children being ZD and UI in the country. Time period for the study was December 2022-May 2023.

Caesarean delivery and neonatal mortality: evidence from selected slums in and around Dhaka city, Bangladesh- A prospective cohort study.

Background: This study examined the neonatal mortality for newborn of women who delivered by caesarean section or vaginally using a prospective cohort.

Methods: A total of 6,989 live births registered from 2016 to 2018, were followed for neonatal survival from the selected slums of Dhaka (North and South) and Gazipur city corporations, where icddr,b maintained the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). Neonatal mortality was compared by maternal and newborn characteristics and mode of delivery using z-test.

Preterm birth and neonatal mortality in selected slums in and around Dhaka City of Bangladesh: A cohort study.

Background: Although under-five mortality has declined appreciably in Bangladesh over the last few decades, neonatal mortality still remains high. The objective of the study is to assess the level and determinants of preterm birth and the contribution of preterm birth to neonatal mortality.

Methods: Data for this study came from selected slums in and around Dhaka city, where; since 2015, icddr,b has been maintaining the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS).

A novel approach to frontline health worker support: a case study in increasing social power among private, fee-for-service birthing attendants in rural Bangladesh.

Background: Expanding the health workforce to increase the availability of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) presents an opportunity to expand the power and well-being of frontline health workers. The role of the SBA holds enormous potential to transform the relationship between women, birthing caregivers, and the broader health care delivery system. This paper will present a novel approach to the community-based skilled birth attendant (SBA) role, the Skilled Health Entrepreneur (SHE) program implemented in rural Sylhet District, Bangladesh.

Mental healthcare-seeking behavior during the perinatal period among women in rural Bangladesh.

Introduction: Mental health conditions are of rising concern due to their increased contribution to the global burden of disease. Mental health issues are inextricably linked with other socio-cultural and health dimensions, especially in the rural areas in developing countries. The complex relationship between mental health issues and socio-cultural settings may largely toll upon healthcare-seeking behavior.

Factors associated with the timely initiation of antenatal care: findings from a cross-sectional study in Northern Bangladesh.

Objective: This paper explored the factors that influence the timely initiation of antenatal care (ANC) in Bangladesh.

Design: This was a cross-sectional survey.

Setting: This study conducted in two rural subdistricts and one urban area from three Northern districts of Bangladesh from August to November 2016.

An Electronic Registry for Improving the Quality of Antenatal Care in Rural Bangladesh (eRegMat): Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Digital health interventions (DHIs) can alleviate several barriers to achieving better maternal and child health. The World Health Organization's guideline recommendations for DHIs emphasize the need to integrate multiple DHIs for maximizing impact. The complex health system of Bangladesh provides a unique setting for evaluating and understanding the role of an electronic registry (eRegistry) for antenatal care, with multiple integrated DHIs for strengthening the health system as well as improving the quality and utilization of the public health care system.

Developing targeted client communication messages to pregnant women in Bangladesh: a qualitative study.

Background: Timely and appropriate evidence-based practices during antenatal care improve maternal and neonatal health. There is a lack of information on how pregnant women and families perceive antenatal care in Bangladesh. The aim of our study was to develop targeted client communication via text messages for increasing antenatal care utilization, as part of an implementation of an electronic registry for maternal and child health.

Factors associated with calendar literacy and last menstrual period (LMP) recall: a prospective programmatic implication to maternal health in Bangladesh.

Objective: To explore the prevalence and determinants of calendar literacy and last menstrual period (LMP) recall among women in Bangladesh.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Settings: Two rural subdistricts and one urban area from three Northern districts of Bangladesh.

Status of the WHO recommended timing and frequency of antenatal care visits in Northern Bangladesh.

Objective: There is dearth of information on the timeliness of antenatal care (ANC) uptake. This study aimed to determine the timely ANC uptake by a medically trained provider (MTP) as per the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations and the country guideline.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey was done with 2,731 women having livebirth outcome in last one year in Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Rajshahi districts, Bangladesh from August-November,2016.

Understanding individual, family and community perspectives on delaying early birth among adolescent girls: findings from a formative evaluation in rural Bangladesh.

Background: Pregnancy among adolescent girls in Bangladesh is high, with 66% of women under the age of 18 reporting a first birth; this issue is particularly acute in the northern region of Bangladesh, an area that is especially impoverished and where girls are at heightened risk. Using formative research, CARE USA examined the underlying social, individual and structural factors influencing married girls' early first birth and participation in alternative opportunities (such as education or economic pursuits) in Bangladesh.

Methods: In July of 2017, researchers conducted in-depth interviews of community members in two sub-districts of northern Bangladesh (Kurigram Sadar and Rajarhat).

Filling the human resource gap through public-private partnership: Can private, community-based skilled birth attendants improve maternal health service utilization and health outcomes in a remote region of Bangladesh?

Background: In Sunamganj there are fewer than four skilled providers per 10,000 population and just 27% of births are assisted by a skilled attendant. We evaluate a private community skilled birth attendant (P-CSBA) model, developed through the GSK-CARE Frontline Health Worker Programme, designed to address this gap and report on changes in service utilization and health outcomes from baseline to three years post-baseline.

Methods: This analysis presents the results of a pre-post cross sectional design.

Provision of menstrual regulation with medication among pharmacies in three municipal districts of Bangladesh: a situation analysis.

Objective: The objective was to assess the provision of the combination of mifepristone-misoprostol for menstrual regulation (MR) in randomly selected urban pharmacies in Bangladesh.

Study Design: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 553 pharmacy workers followed by 548 mystery client visits to the same pharmacies in 3 municipal districts during July 2014-December 2015.

Results: The survey found that 99% of pharmacy workers visited had knowledge of MR procedures but only two-thirds (67%) could state the legal time limit correctly; they mentioned misoprostol (86%) over mifepristone-misoprostol combination (78%) as a procedure of MR with medication (MRM); 36% reported knowing the recommended dosage of mifepristone-misoprostol combination; 70% reported providing information on effectiveness of the medicines; 50% reported recommending at least one follow-up visit to them; 63% reported explaining possible complications of using the medications; and 47% reported offering any post-MR contraception to their clients.

Contraceptive practices among married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh: a review of the evidence.

Background: Bangladesh has experienced a sevenfold increase in its contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in less than forty years from 8% in 1975 to 62% in 2014. However, despite this progress, almost one-third of pregnancies are still unintended which may be attributed to unmet need for family planning and discontinuation and switching of methods after initiation of their use.

Methods: We conducted an extensive literature review on contraceptive use among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) in Bangladesh.

Reasons for Preference of Home Delivery with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Rural Bangladesh: A Qualitative Exploration.

Background And Objectives: Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality in the last decade, childbirth assisted by skilled attendants has not increased as much as expected. An objective of the Bangladesh National Strategy for Maternal Health 2014-2024 is to reduce maternal mortality to 50/100,000 live births. It also aims to increase deliveries with skilled birth attendants to more than 80% which remains a great challenge, especially in rural areas.

Cost of behavior change communication channels of Manoshi -a maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) program in urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background: The cost of behavior change communication (BCC) interventions has not been rigorously studied in Bangladesh. This study was conducted to assess the implementation costs of a BCC intervention in a maternal, neonatal and child health program (Manoshi) run by BRAC, which has been operating in the urban slums of Dhaka since 2007. The study estimates the costs of BCC tools per exposure among the different types of BCC channels: face-to-face, group counseling, and mass media.