Clinical and epidemiological aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection among pregnant and postpartum women in Mozambique: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Although there is a significant increase of evidence regarding the prevalence and impact of COVID-19 on maternal and perinatal outcomes, data on the effects of the pandemic on the obstetric population in sub-Saharan African countries are still scarce. Therefore, the study aims were to assess the prevalence and impact of COVID-19 on maternal and neonatal outcomes in the obstetric population at Central Hospital of Maputo (HCM), Mozambique.

Methods: Prospective cohort study conducted at teaching and referral maternity, HCM, from 20 October 2020 to 22 July 2021.

"There Are Things We Can Do and There Are Things We Cannot Do." A Qualitative Study About Women's Perceptions on Empowerment in Relation to Fertility Intentions and Family Planning Practices in Mozambique.

Introduction: The restrictive socio-cultural norms in Mozambique limit the power of women to decide, voice, and act on their reproductive choices. This study aimed to explore women's perceptions and experiences of empowerment relating to fertility intentions and family planning practices in Mozambique, focusing on facilitators and barriers toward reproductive empowerment.

Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were undertaken with women of reproductive age (18-49 years) in Nampula and Maputo provinces and Maputo city, Mozambique.

Socio-economic, demographic, and behavioural determinants of women's empowerment in Mozambique.

Introduction: Empowerment is considered pivotal for how women access and use health care services and experience their sexual and reproductive rights. In Mozambique, women's empowerment requires a better understanding and contextualization, including looking at factors that could drive empowerment in that context. This study aims to identify socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioural determinants of different domains of women's empowerment in Mozambique.

Systematic review of the concept 'male involvement in maternal health' by natural language processing and descriptive analysis.

Introduction: Experts agree that male involvement in maternal health is a multifaceted concept, but a robust assessment is lacking, hampering interpretation of the literature. This systematic review aims to examine the conceptualisation of male involvement in maternal health globally and review commonly used indicators.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL databases were searched for quantitative literature (between the years 2000 and 2020) containing indicators representing male involvement in maternal health, which was defined as the involvement, participation, engagement or support of men in all activities related to maternal health.

Early evaluation of the 'STOP SEPSIS!' WHO Global Maternal Sepsis Awareness Campaign implemented for healthcare providers in 46 low, middle and high-income countries.

Objective: To evaluate changes in awareness of maternal sepsis among healthcare providers resulting from the WHO Global Maternal Sepsis Study (GLOSS) awareness campaign.

Design: Independent sample precampaign/postcampaign through online and paper-based surveys available for over 30 days before campaign roll-out (pre) and after study data collection (post). Descriptive statistics were used for campaign recognition and exposure, and odds ratio (OR) and percentage change were calculated for differences in awareness, adjusting for confounders using multivariate logistic regression.

Male partners' involvement in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), male partners are rarely present during prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services. This systematic review aims to synthesize, from a male perspective, male partners' perceived roles, barriers and enablers of their involvement in PMTCT, and highlights persisting gaps. We carried out a systematic search of papers published between 2002 and 2013 in English on Google Scholar and PubMed using the following terms: men, male partners, husbands, couples, involvement, participation, Antenatal Care (ANC), PMTCT, SSA countries, HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing and disclosure.

Challenges and opportunities for implementing evidence-based antenatal care in Mozambique: a qualitative study.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a daunting problem in Mozambique and many other low-resource countries. High quality antenatal care (ANC) services can improve maternal and newborn health outcomes and increase the likelihood that women will seek skilled delivery care. This study explores the factors influencing provider uptake of the recommended package of ANC interventions in Mozambique.

Opportunities to improve postpartum care for mothers and infants: design of context-specific packages of postpartum interventions in rural districts in four sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: Postpartum maternal and infant mortality is high in sub-Saharan Africa and improving postpartum care as a strategy to enhance maternal and infant health has been neglected. We describe the design and selection of suitable, context-specific interventions that have the potential to improve postpartum care.

Methods: The study is implemented in rural districts in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique.

Implementation of evidence-based antenatal care in Mozambique: a cluster randomized controlled trial: study protocol.

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) reduces maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality directly through the detection and treatment of pregnancy-related illnesses, and indirectly through the detection of women at increased risk of delivery complications. The potential benefits of quality antenatal care services are most significant in low-resource countries where morbidity and mortality levels among women of reproductive age and neonates are higher.WHO developed an ANC model that recommended the delivery of services scientifically proven to improve maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes.

Choice of antibiotics for infection prophylaxis in emergency cesarean sections in low-income countries: a cost-benefit study in Mozambique.

Background: There is a need to assess the cost-benefit of different models of antibiotic administration for the prevention of post cesarean infection, particularly in resource-scarce settings.

Design: Randomized, nonblinded comparative study of a single combined preoperative dose of gentamicin and metronidazole vs. a post cesarean scheme for infection prophylaxis.

The impact of adjustment for parity and mid-upper-arm circumference on sensitivity of symphysis-fundus height measurements to predict SGA foetuses in Mozambique.

Background: With a new symphysis-fundus height (SFH) growth chart, based on Mozambican women with ultrasound-dated singleton pregnancies, the aim was to examine the possibility to enhance sensitivity of predicting small for gestational age (SGA) newborns by attempts to adjust the chart for parity and for mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC).

Methods: Two antenatal clinics were chosen in the suburban area of Maputo City. A cohort of 904 consecutively recruited antenatal clients was followed until birth.

Symphysis-fundal height growth chart of an obstetric cohort of 817 Mozambican women with ultrasound-dated singleton pregnancies.

Our aim was to construct a new symphysis-fundus height (SFH) growth chart, based on Mozambican women with ultrasound-dated singleton pregnancy, who represent the largest obstetric cohort in a developing country followed for this purpose. Two antenatal clinics were chosen in the suburban area of Maputo City. A cohort of 904 consecutively recruited antenatal clients was followed until delivery.