Capacities of women and men to improve maternal and newborn health: Effect of a community-based intervention package in rural Bangladesh

Background

Despite improvement in recent decades, maternal and newborn mortality in Bangladesh remain high. A community-based intervention package was initiated in 2009 in Netrokona, a rural district in Bangladesh, to engage individuals, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health. In this article, we present the effect of the intervention package on improvement of women’s capacities with regard to maternal and newborn health, their husbands’ capacities to effectively support them and use of skilled services during pregnancy, childbirth and after childbirth.

Methods

We adopted a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effect of the intervention package. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in the intervention and comparison sites at baseline in 2014 and at endline in 2016. A total of 725 women were interviewed at baseline (intervention n = 444; comparison n = 281) and 737 at end-line (intervention n = 442; comparison n = 295). A total of 317 of their husbands were interviewed at baseline (intervention n = 178; comparison n = 139) and 731 at endline (intervention n = 440; comparison n = 291). Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed and the subsequent analysis was restricted among 235 matched women at baseline and 217 matched women at endline. Descriptive analyses were performed for the covariates for matching. Bivariate analyses between baseline and endline were done for reporting women and their husbands’ knowledge regarding pregnancy and childbirth, birth preparedness and complication readiness practices and utilization of health services.

Results

There was significant increase in awareness of danger signs during pregnancy, childbirth and following childbirth among women and their husbands, as well as increase in awareness of rights related to maternal and newborn health. There was also significant increase in birth preparedness and complication readiness practice among pregnant women and their husbands in the intervention site. Regarding use of skilled health services, there was significant increase in early initiation of antenatal care, attending at least one antenatal care contact and attending at least four antenatal care contacts. No notable improvement was observed in giving birth in the presence of skilled attendant or use of postnatal care.

Conclusions

We conclude that the intervention package was effective in building the capacities of women and in engaging their husbands positively in maternal and newborn health. This may have translated into increased use of skilled care during pregnancy.

Knowledge and involvement of husbands in maternal and newborn health in rural Bangladesh

BACKGROUND

Access to skilled health services during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period for obstetric care is one of the strongest determinants of maternal and newborn health (MNH) outcomes. In many countries, husbands are key decision-makers in households, effectively determining women's access to health services. We examined husbands' knowledge and involvement regarding MNH issues in rural Bangladesh, and how their involvement is related to women receiving MNH services from trained providers.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in two rural sub-districts of Bangladesh in 2014 adopting a stratified cluster sampling technique. Women with a recent birth history and their husbands were interviewed separately with a structured questionnaire. A total of 317 wife-husband dyads were interviewed. The associations between husbands accompanying their wives as explanatory variables and utilization of skilled services as outcome variables were assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

In terms of MNH knowledge, two-thirds of husbands were aware that women have special rights related to pregnancy and childbirth and one-quarter could mention three or more pregnancy-, birth- and postpartum-related danger signs. With regard to MNH practice, approximately three-quarters of husbands discussed birth preparedness and complication readiness with their wives. Only 12% and 21% were involved in identifying a potential blood donor and arranging transportation, respectively. Among women who attended antenatal care (ANC), 47% were accompanied by their husbands. Around half of the husbands were present at the birthplace during birth. Of the 22% women who received postpartum care (PNC), 67% were accompanied by their husbands. Husbands accompanying their wives was positively associated with women receiving ANC from a medically trained provider (AOR 4.5, p < .01), birth at a health facility (AOR 1.5, p < .05), receiving PNC from a medically trained provider (AOR 48.8, p < .01) and seeking care from medically trained providers for obstetric complications (AOR 3.0, p < 0.5).

CONCLUSION

Husbands accompanying women when receiving health services is positively correlated with women's use of skilled MNH services. Special initiatives should be taken for encouraging husbands to accompany their wives while availing MNH services. These initiatives should aim to increase men's awareness regarding MNH issues, but should not be limited to this.

Birth preparedness and complication readiness among women and couples and its association with skilled birth attendance in rural Bangladesh

Introduction

Despite remarkable progress in maternal and neonatal health over past two decades, maternal and neonatal mortality in Bangladesh remain high, which is partially attributable to low use of skilled maternal and newborn health (MNH) services. Birth preparedness and complications readiness (BCPR) is recommended by the World Health Organization and by the Government of Bangladesh as a key intervention to increasing appropriate MNH services. This study aims to explore the status of BPCR in a hard-to-reach area of rural Bangladesh and to demonstrate how BPCR practices is associated with birth in the presence of a skilled birth attendant.

Methods

Data was collected using multistage cluster sampling-based household survey in two sub-districts of Netrokona, Bangladesh in 2014. Interviews were conducted among women with a recent birth history in 12-months and their husbands. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analysis using Stata 14.0 were performed from 317 couples.

Results

Mean age of respondents was 26.1 (SD ± 5.3) years. There was a significant difference in BPCR practice between women and couples for identification of the place of birth (84% vs. 75%), identification of a birth attendant (89% vs.72%), arranging transport for birth or emergencies (20% vs. 13%), and identification of a blood donor (15% vs. 8%). In multivariable analysis, odds of giving birth in presence of a skilled birth attendant consistently increased with higher completeness of preparedness (OR 3.3 for 3–5 BPCR components, OR 5.5 for 4–5 BPCR components, OR 10.4 for all 5 BPCR components). For different levels of completeness of BPCR practice, the adjusted odds ratios were higher for couple preparedness comparatively.

Conclusions

BPCR is associated with birth in the presence of a skilled attendant and this effect is magnified when planning is carried out by the couple. Interventions aiming to increase BPCR practices should not focus on women only, as involving the couple is most likely lead to positive care-seeking practices.

Transforming maternal and newborn health social norms and practices to increase utilization of health services in rural Bangladesh: a qualitative review

BACKGROUND

Since 2008, Participatory Action for Rural Development Innovation (PARI) Development Trust, with the support of Enfants du Monde, has been implementing a maternal and newborn health (MNH) program based on the World Health Organization's (WHO) framework for Working with Individuals, Families and Communities (IFC) to improve MNH in Netrokona district, Bangladesh. This program aims to empower women and families and increase utilization of quality health services, thereby helping women realize their rights related to maternal health. Birth preparedness and complication readiness and working with traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to exercise a new role in MNH and have formed key interventions of this program. The purpose of this study was to explore how the program has contributed to changing social norms and practices surrounding MNH at midpoint.

METHODS

This study relied primarily on qualitative data collection. Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with women who were pregnant or had recently given birth and one FGD with each of the following groups: husbands, family members, TBAs, and health workers. In-depth interviews were conducted with women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, family members of these women, health care providers, TBAs and community health workers in selected intervention areas.

RESULTS

Since implementation of interventions informants report an increase in planning for birth and complications and a shift in preference toward skilled care at birth. However, women still prefer to receive services at home. TBAs report encouraging women to access skilled care for both routine and emergency services. While community members' understanding of rights related to maternal health remains limited, they report increased women's participation in household decision- making processes, an important indicator of the realization of rights.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that community-level interventions aiming to affect change in social norms and practices surrounding MNH can influence knowledge and practices even after a short period of time. Further evaluations will be required to quantify the degree to which these changes are having an impact on health services utilization.

On the pair correlation function in a bubble swarm

The paper presents results on the dynamics of bubbles in a mono- and in a bi-disperse bubble swarm. The radial pair correlation function provides insight into the characteristic bubble clustering length. The angular pair correlation function shows that for small distances the most probable alignment of a bubble pair is horizontal.

Empowerment of women, men, families and communities: true partners for improving maternal and newborn health

Based on the Health Promotion approach, the Making Pregnancy Safer initiative has proposed a strategic framework for working with individuals, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health. The aims are to contribute to the empowerment of women, families and communities to increase their influence and control over maternal and newborn health, as well as to increase access to and utilization of quality skilled care. The framework has identified those strategies and interventions that target the factors known to contribute to health inequalities and poor maternal and newborn health. While empowerment is an aim of the framework, it is also considered a means. Emphasis is placed on the processes and the quality of the processes rather than just on the actions themselves. The authors in this paper would like to contribute to ongoing discussions about the 'how' of working with women, men, families and communities for improved maternal and newborn health.

Wireless and Web-based medical monitoring in the home

A remote medical monitoring system is described, which continuously monitors patients' state of health. The system uses the services provided by intranets and the Internet to allow remote supervision of patients, who may be domiciled in their own home. A hardware/software prototype system has been constructed to demonstrate the use of non-invasive and minimally intrusive sensors attached to patients. Continuous real-time data is acquired, stored and processed. A wireless system or wires connect these monitor devices to the World Wide Web and, on request, information is delivered to authorized medical staff via a web browser or Wireless Application Protocol-enabled mobile telephones. Medical staff may examine real-time data or graphical information and make comparisons with historical data. Parameters may be set to select and control the data acquisition devices. The potential exists for augmentation of patient health by development of novel sensors and low-power electronic circuitry, and this research continues.