Reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality in rural and peri-urban settings: what works?

Determinants of utilisation of maternal care services after the reduction of user fees: A case study from rural Burkina Faso

“…With an annual decline in maternal mortality of 0.1% [3] and a 5% increase in the proportion of neonatal deaths which occur in the continent [2], SSA is of potential obstetric risks and, through counselling and education, motivate women to seek skilled attendance at birth [10][11][12][13]. Thus, access to and use of adequate maternal care services, including both ANC and skilled attendance at birth, is essential to reduce both maternal and neonatal mortality [6][7][8]. Most current deaths in fact, could be avoided if only known medical interventions were available and accessible to the population in need [2][3][4].…”

Referral of high-risk pregnant mothers by trained traditional birth attendants in Buikwe County, Mukono District, Uganda

“…For a variety of reasons, in most settings of rural Africa, the traditional birth attendant (TBA) is the first level of care for pregnant women (Kwast 1996). Numerous studies have focused on the imbibed skills of the TBA as an essential tool for a safe childbirth process.…”

The Determinants of Job Satisfaction among Nurses, Midwives, and Auxiliary Nurses in Health Clinics: The Case of Bénin, West Africa

“…According to the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) of 2011, health clinic accessibility in Bénin has improved to the point that 70-80% of the population now live within a 5km radius of a health center. The same data show that 90% of pregnant women attended health facilities to deliver with qualified providers such as nurses, midwives or skilled birth attendants, a practice that has been shown to decrease adverse health effects [11][12][13][14]. These statistics suggest that the issue of access to both clinics and skilled workers, although not yet completely resolved, may no longer be as pressing an issue as it was in earlier years.…”