The impact of interactive text communication on neonatal mortality in Kenya: a randomized controlled trial.

Text communication between newborns' caregivers and healthcare workers allows for real-time decisional guidance; however, its impact on neonatal health outcomes is unknown. Mobile WACh NEO (MWACh NEO) was a parallel, unblinded and individually randomized controlled trial at six health facilities across Kenya. Pregnant women at 28-36 weeks gestation were randomized (1:1) to the MWACh NEO intervention or standard of care.

Evaluating the performance of a risk assessment score tool to predict HIV acquisition among pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya.

Background: Clinical risk score tools require validation in diverse settings and populations before they are widely implemented. We aimed to externally validate an HIV risk assessment tool for predicting HIV acquisition among pregnant and postpartum women. In the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs, risk score tools could be used to prioritize retesting efforts and delivery of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to pregnant and postpartum women most at risk for HIV acquisition while minimizing unnecessary perinatal exposure.

Implementation of HIV Retesting During Pregnancy and Postpartum in Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: HIV retesting during pregnancy/postpartum can identify incident maternal HIV infection and prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT). Guidelines recommend retesting HIV-negative peripartum women, but data on implementation are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Kenya to measure the prevalence of maternal HIV retesting in programs and HIV incidence.

Evaluation of a two-way SMS messaging strategy to reduce neonatal mortality: rationale, design and methods of the Mobile WACh NEO randomised controlled trial in Kenya.

Introduction: Globally, approximately half of the estimated 6.3 million under-5 deaths occur in the neonatal period (within the first 28 days of life). Kenya ranks among countries with the highest number of neonatal deaths, at 20 per 1000 live births.

"Spoiled" girls: Understanding social influences on adolescent contraceptive decision-making in Kenya.

Objectives: Despite significant public health emphasis on unintended pregnancy prevention among adolescent girls and young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a gap in understanding how adolescents' own reproductive priorities and the social influences on their decision-making align and compete. We examined the social context of contraceptive decision-making among Kenyan female adolescents.

Methods: Using community-based sampling, we conducted 40 in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions among sexually-active or partnered adolescent girls and young women aged 15-19 in the Nyanza region of Kenya.

A risk scoring tool for predicting Kenyan women at high risk of contraceptive discontinuation.

Objective: We developed and validated a pragmatic risk assessment tool for identifying contraceptive discontinuation among Kenyan women who do not desire pregnancy.

Study Design: Within a prospective cohort of contraceptive users, participants were randomly allocated to derivation ( = 558) and validation ( = 186) cohorts. Risk scores were developed by selecting the Cox proportional hazards model with the minimum Akaike information criterion.