Objectives Decreasing neonatal morbidity and mortality remains a challenge in low resource settings. Maternity waiting homes (MWHs) may offer a way to better provide perinatal obstetric care and improve newborn outcomes. The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the impact of MWHs on newborn outcomes and to inform the development of targeted interventions and services to decrease neonatal mortality. Methods A literature search of four databases in the fields of nursing, medicine and global health was conducted yielding a total of 11 articles included for the review. Results Results indicate studies with extremely limited qualitative or quantitative measures of the impact of MWHs on neonatal health. Conclusions An exceptionally wide gap in knowledge on the outcomes of neonates born at MWHs was identified through this scoping review of the scientific literature. The review illustrates the need for more research to understand the effectiveness of MWHs on newborn morbidity and mortality. An increased focus on the study of MWHs for improving newborn outcomes in low resource settings merits immediate attention.

No abstract

Objective To analyze the cost‐effectiveness of maternity waiting homes (MWHs) in rural Liberia by examining the cost per life saved and economic effect of MWHs on maternal mortality. Methods A cost‐effectiveness analysis was used to evaluate costs and economic effect of MWHs on maternal mortality in rural Liberia to guide future resource allocation. A secondary data analysis was performed based on a prior quasi‐experimental cohort study of 10 rural primary healthcare facilities, five with a MWH and five without a MWH, that took place from October 30, 2010 to February 28, 2015. Results Calculations signified a low cost per year of life saved at MWHs in a rural district in Liberia. Total population‐adjusted number of women's lives saved over 3 years was 6.25. Conclusion While initial costs were considerable, over a period of 10 or more years MWHs could be a cost‐effective and affordable strategy to reduce maternal mortality rates in Liberia. Discussion of the scaling up of MWH interventions for improving maternal outcomes in Liberia and other low‐ and middle‐income countries is justified. Findings can be used to advocate for policy changes to increase the apportionment of resources for building more MWHs in low resource settings.

As highlighted in the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, access to quality nursing and midwifery care is essential to promote maternal-newborn health and improve survival. One intervention aimed at improving maternal-newborn health and reducing underutilization of pregnancy services is the construction of maternity waiting homes (MWHs). The purpose of this study was to assess whether there was a significant change in antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) attendance, family planning use, and vaccination rates before and after implementation of the Core MWH Model in rural Zambia. A quasi-experimental controlled before-and-after design was used to evaluate the impact of the Core MWH Model by assessing associations between ANC and PNC attendance, family planning use, and vaccination rates for mothers who gave birth to a child in the past 13 months. Twenty health care facilities received the Core MWH Model and 20 were identified as comparison facilities. Before-and-after community surveys were carried out. Multivariable logistic regression were used to assess the association between Core MWH Model use and ANC and PNC attendance. The total sample includes 4711 mothers. Mothers who used the Core MWH Model had better ANC and PNC attendance, family planning use, and vaccination rates than mothers who did not use a MWH. All mothers appeared to fare better across these outcomes at endline. We found an association between Core MWH Model use and better ANC and PNC attendance, family planning use, and newborn vaccination outcomes. Maternity waiting homes may serve as a catalyst to improve use of facility services for vulnerable mothers.