Objective: To examine the association between type of birth attendant and place of delivery, and infant mortality (IM). Methods: This cross-sectional study used self-reported data from the Demographic Health Surveys for women in Ghana, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and95% confidence intervals. Results: In Ghana and Sierra Leone, odds of IM were higher for women who delivered at a health facility versus women who delivered at a household residence (OR=3.18, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.29-7.83, p=0.01 and OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.15-2.28, p=0.01, respectively). Compared to the use of health professionals, the use of birth attendants for assistance with delivery was not significantly associated with IM for women in Ghana or Sierra Leone (OR=2.17, 95% CI: 0.83-5.69, p=0.12 and OR=1.25, 95% CI: 0.92-1.70, p=0.15, respectively). In Kenya, odds of IM, though nonsignificant, were lower for women who used birth attendants than those who used health professionals to assist with delivery (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.51-1.41, p=0.46), and higher with delivery at a health facility versus a household residence (OR=1.29, 95% CI: 0.81-2.03, p=0.28). Conclusions: Women in Ghana and Sierra Leone who delivered at a health facility had statistically significant increased odds of IM. Birth attendant type-IM associations were not statistically significant.Future research should consider culturally-sensitive interventions to improve maternal health and help reduce IM.

Purpose This study aimed to describe frequency of sexual intercourse and whether body size was associated with weekly sexual intercourse among a diverse group of women using oral contraceptives. Methods This longitudinal, prospective cohort study recruited participants (n=185) from several clinics in Charlotte, NC. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were used as measures of body size and sexual intercourse frequency was determined from self-reported information provided on daily diaries. Mean monthly frequencies of sexual intercourse were calculated and linear mixed models were used to assess if means remained constant over time. Generalized estimating equations were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Mean monthly frequency of sexual intercourse was similar for women classified as normal/underweight or obese by BMI during each month of data collection, but was highest for women classified as overweight. After adjustment, obesity-sexual intercourse associations were attenuated (BMI ≥30 vs. <25.0: OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.43, 1.42 and WHR ≥0.85 vs. <0.85: OR=1.11; 95% CI: 0.62, 2.01). Conclusions This study found no association between BMI or WHR and weekly sexual intercourse. However, more research is warranted given the importance of this possible relationship for future studies of fertility, contraceptive effectiveness, and sexual health.