Although the maternal and child health (MCH) Handbook is widely used in many countries, its development and implementation process has not been sufficiently documented in scientific publications. This is a report of how the Angola MCH Handbook was developed, what challenges we encountered during its implementation and how they were solved. Leading the process was the MCH Handbook Committee set up to develop the MCH Handbook and implement the programme in liaison with various stakeholders. We developed the MCH Handbook through participatory workshops with the objective of producing user-responsive content and designs, foster healthy interaction and build common understanding among stakeholders. After pilot use in select health facilities, the MCH Handbook programme, which included training, monitoring and supervision, mothers’ class and community awareness raising activities, was gradually implemented in three model provinces. Core members of the committee closely observed each step of the programme to identify challenges in each field, and revised the tool and programme throughout the process. As nationwide implementation of the MCH Handbook Programme progresses, it is important to continually identify challenges specific to different localities while taking measures to address them. In our experience, stakeholder involvement from the early planning and preparation stages was critical to ensure their continued commitment at later stages and for programme continuity. Our approach of tool development involving various stakeholders and flexible implementation strategies were key elements for user acceptance and programme sustainability that may be applicable for introduction of similar interventions in other settings.

Background The maternal and child health (MCH) handbook is promoted as a tool for strengthening continuum of care. We assessed the effect of a MCH handbook intervention package on continuum of maternal and child health care and health outcomes for mother and child. Methods We conducted an open-label, parallel two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in Angola. We randomly assigned municipalities in Benguela province through block randomization to a group using a package of enhanced maternity care service (which included the MCH handbook distribution and its supplementary intervention) and another using usual care (two stand-alone home-based records). We included women who were pregnant at the beginning of the trial period and attended a public health care facility for maternity care services. Neither health care providers, study participants nor data assessors were masked, but the statistician was. The primary outcome was a measure of service utilization assessed via achievement of maternal behavior-based continuum of care at three months postpartum. We conducted an intention-to-treat analysis in women with available data. Results We randomized 10 municipalities to either the intervention (five clusters) or control (five clusters) group. Of the 11 530 women approached between June 8, 2019, and September 30, 2020, 11 006 were recruited and 9039 included in the final analysis (82%; 3774 in the intervention group and 5265 in the control group). The odds for achievement of maternal behavior-based continuum of care in the intervention group was not significantly different from that in the control group (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.46-2.93) at three months postpartum. However, the odds of initiating antenatal care clinic use were significantly higher in the intervention group (odds ratio (OR) = 5.16, 95% CI = 2.50-10.67). No harms associated with the intervention were reported. Conclusions Distribution of the MCH handbook and its supplementary interventions promoted initiation of antenatal care service use, but did not increase service utilization sufficiently enough for attainment of study defined maternal behavior-based continuum of care. Registration ISRCTN20510127.

Phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) is a useful tool for evaluating valvular pathology. In addition, PC-MRI can provide a noninvasive assessment of blood flow in an arbitrary cross section. However, the blood flow measurement with breath-hold or free breath PC-MRI may be different from each other because of intrathoracic pressure changing and variable image position. The aim of this study was to find both the optimal breath-hold technique and the image position. Quantitative flow images were acquired in four planes (ascending aorta: Ao, sino-tubular junction: STJ, valsalva sinus: valsalva, left ventricular outflow tract: LVOT), in healthy subjects (n=10). The study protocol was divided into two parts: (1) stroke volume (SV) measured in each slice positions by using inspiration, expiration, and navigation method during normal breathing and (2) SV measured at each breath-hold techniques in the Ao, STJ, valsalva, and LVOT. As a result, (1) SV of the respective measurement positions were not significant by using inspiration, expiration, and navigation method and (2) LVOT SV was significantly lower than Ao, STJ, and valsalva.