Improving pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries

This paper reviews the very large discrepancies in pregnancy outcomes between high, low and middle-income countries and then presents the medical causes of maternal mortality, stillbirth and neonatal mortality in low-and middle-income countries. Next, we explore the medical interventions that were associated with the very rapid and very large declines in maternal, fetal and neonatal mortality rates in the last eight decades in high-income countries. The medical interventions likely to achieve similar declines in pregnancy-related mortality in low-income countries are considered. Finally, the quality of providers and the data to be collected necessary to achieve these reductions are discussed. It is emphasized that single interventions are unlikely to achieve important reductions in pregnancy-related mortality. Instead, improving the overall quality of pregnancy-related care across the health-care system will be necessary. The conditions that cause maternal mortality also cause stillbirths and neonatal deaths. Focusing on all three mortalities together is likely to have a larger impact than focusing on one of the mortalities alone.     

Trends of antenatal care during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries: Findings from the global network maternal and newborn health registry

BackgroundAntenatal care (ANC) is an important opportunity to diagnose and treat pregnancy-related complications and to deliver interventions aimed at improving health and survival of both mother and the infant. Multiple individual studies and national surveys have assessed antenatal care utilization at a single point in time across different countries, but ANC trends have not often been studied in rural areas of low-middle income countries (LMICs). The objective of this analysis was to study the trends of antenatal care use in LMICs over a seven-year period. Methods: Using a prospective maternal and newborn health registry study, we analyzed data collected from 2011 to 2017 across five countries (Guatemala, India [2 sites], Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia). Utilization of any ANC along with use of select services, including vitamins/iron, tetanus toxoid vaccine and HIV testing, were assessed. We used a generalized linear regression model to examine the trends of women receiving at least one and at least four antenatal care visits by site and year, controlling for maternal age, education and parity. Results: Between January 2011 and December 2017, 313,663 women were enrolled and included in the analysis. For all six sites, a high proportion of women received at least one ANC visit across this period. Over the years, there was a trend for an increasing proportion of women receiving at least one and at least four ANC visits in all sites, except for Guatemala where a decline in ANC was observed. Regarding utilization of specific services, in India almost 100% of women reported receiving tetanus toxoid vaccine, vitamins/iron supplementation and HIV testing services for all study years. In Kenya, a small increase in the proportion of women receiving tetanus toxoid vaccine was observed, while for Zambia, tetanus toxoid use declined from 97% in 2011 to 89% in 2017. No trends for tetanus toxoid use were observed for Pakistan and Guatemala. Across all countries an increasing trend was observed for use of vitamins/iron and HIV testing. However, HIV testing remained very low (<0.1%) for Pakistan. Conclusion: In a range of LMICs, from 2011 to 2017 nearly all women received at least one ANC visit, and a significant increase in the proportion of women who received at least four ANC visits was observed across all sites except Guatemala. Moreover, there were variations regarding the utilization of preventive care services across all sites except for India where rates were generally high. More research is required to understand the quality and influences of ANC.     

Making cesarean delivery SAFE in low- and middle-income countries

Cesarean birth (CB) rates are rising, globally. The global burden of CB is having a mixed effect on pregnancy outcomes and requires significant clinical and economic resources. The context of CB care in low- and middle-income countries is further complicated by barriers to facility-based care itself, followed by issues with quality and delivery of care in these resource-limited settings. The objective of this commentary is to propose an original, new, flexible, comprehensive care model for delivering SAFE cesarean delivery care in very low-resource settings. This model, the SAFE model for cesarean delivery care in low- and middle-income countries, developed by the authors, does not assume the current care model is working. It does not assume that even traditional hospital settings are what is needed to solve the problem of delivering high-quality, easily accessible CB care in the most remote and geographically isolated communities. The novel model promotes a decentralized care program that brings emergency obstetric care to women instead of the converse through four concepts: the care should be cloSe (community-based), it should be very dedicated to Action (transfer of care), it should be Focused on and highly specific to labor and delivery (cesarean birth center), and finally, it should be committed to high-quality care through iterative Evidence-based quality improvement programming and data collection.     

Contraception supply chain challenges: a review of evidence from low- and middle-income countries

Purpose: To identify and assess factors determining the functioning of supply chain systems for modern contraception in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and to identify challenges contributing to contraception stockouts that may lead to unmet need.

Materials and methods: Scientific databases and grey literature were searched including Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), PubMed, MEDLINE, POPLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, Google Scholar, WHO databases and websites of key international organisations.

Results: Studies indicated that supply chain system inefficiencies significantly affect availability of modern FP and contraception commodities in LMICs, especially in rural public facilities where distribution barriers may be acute. Supply chain failures or bottlenecks may be attributed to: weak and poorly institutionalized logistic management information systems (LMIS), poor physical infrastructures in LMICs, lack of trained and dedicated staff for supply chain management, inadequate funding, and rigid government policies on task sharing. However, there is evidence that implementing effective LMISs and involving public and private providers will distribution channels resulted in reduction in medical commodities’ stockout rates.

Conclusions: Supply chain bottlenecks contribute significantly to persistent high stockout rates for modern contraceptives in LMICs. Interventions aimed at enhancing uptake of contraceptives to reduce the problem of unmet need in LMICs should make strong commitments towards strengthening these countries’ health commodities supply chain management systems. Current evidence is limited and additional, and well-designed implementation research on contraception supply chain systems is warranted to gain further understanding and insights on the determinants of supply chain bottlenecks and their impact on stockouts of contraception commodities.     

A conference report on prenatal corticosteroid use in low- and middle-income countries

Objective

To evaluate the evidence for prenatal corticosteroid use in low- and middle-income countries and to make recommendations regarding implementation and further research.

Methods

Studies and meta-analyses on prenatal corticosteroids relevant to low- and middle-income countries were identified and reviewed at the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Project (MCHIP) Antenatal Corticosteroid Conference held in Washington on October 19, 2010.

Results

There is strong evidence regarding the effectiveness of prenatal corticosteroid use in hospitals in high- and middle-income countries, usually in settings with high-level newborn care. For births occurring in hospitals in low-income countries without high-level neonatal care or for births outside hospitals, no studies have been conducted to evaluate prenatal corticosteroid use. The efficacy and safety of prenatal corticosteroid use in these settings must be evaluated.

Conclusions

The conference working group recommended expanding the use of prenatal corticosteroids in hospitals with high-level newborn care in low-income countries. For other low-income country settings, further research regarding efficacy and safety should precede the widespread introduction of prenatal corticosteroids.     

Challenges in classification and assignment of causes of stillbirths in low- and lower middle-income countries

Stillbirths account for 2.6 million deaths annually. 98% occur in low- and lower middle-income countries. Accurate classification of stillbirths in low-resource settings is challenged by poor pregnancy dating and infrequent access to electronic heart rate monitoring for both the newborn and fetus. In these settings, liveborn infants may be misclassified as stillbirths, and stillbirths may be misclassified as miscarriages. Causation is available for only 3% of stillbirths globally due to the absence of registration systems. In low-resource settings where culture and autopsy are infrequently available, clinical course is used to assign cause of stillbirth. This method may miss rare or subtle causes, as well as those with non-specific clinical presentations. Verbal autopsy is another technique for assigning cause of stillbirth when objective medical data are limited. This method requires family engagement and physician attribution of cause. As interventions to reduce stillbirths in LMICs are increasingly implemented, attention to accurate classification and assignment of causes of stillbirth are critical to charting progress.     

Type of obstetric anesthesia administered and complications in women with preeclampsia in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review

Background: Delivery is often expedited with cesarean section, necessitating anesthesia, to prevent complications in women with preeclampsia. Anesthesia-associated risks in these women from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not known.

Methods: We searched major databases (until February 2017) for studies on general vs. regional anesthesia in women with preeclampsia. We summarized the association between outcomes and type of anesthesia using a random effects model and reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Findings: We included 14 studies (10,411 pregnancies). General anesthesia was associated with an increase in the odds of maternal death sevenfold (OR 7.70, 95% CI 1.9 to 31.0, I² = 58%) than regional anesthesia. The odds of pulmonary edema (OR 5.16, 95% CI 2.5 to 10.4, I² = 0%), maternal intensive care unit admissions (OR 16.25, 95% CI 9.0 to 29.5, I² = 65%), and perinatal death (OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.4 to 6.5, I² = 56%) were increased with general vs. regional anesthesia.

Conclusion: General anesthesia is associated with increased complications in women with preeclampsia undergoing cesarean section in LMIC.     

A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies on maternal emergency transport in low- and middle-income countries

Background

Most maternal deaths are preventable with emergency obstetric care; therefore, ensuring access is essential. There is little focused information on emergency transport of pregnant women.

Objectives

The literature on emergency transport of pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) was systematically reviewed and synthesized to explore current practices, barriers, and facilitators for transport utilization.

Search strategy

MEDLINE, EMBASE, BNI, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, African Index Medicus, ASSIA, QUALIDATA, RHL, and Science Citation Index (inception to April 2012) were searched without language restriction.Selection criteria: Studies using qualitative methodology and reporting on emergency transportation in LMICs were included.

Data collection and analysis

Thematic framework and synthesis through examination and translation of common elements were used to analyze and synthesize the data.

Main results

Twenty-nine articles were included. Eight major themes were identified: time for transport; transport options; geography; local support; autonomy; culture; finance; and ergonomics. Key issues were transport availability; transport speed; terrain; meteorology; support; dependence for decision making; cultural issues; cost; and lack of safe, comfortable positioning during transport.

Conclusion

Themes should be appreciated within local contexts to illuminate barriers and facilitators. Potential solutions include motorcycle ambulance programs, collaboration with taxi services, community education, subsidies, and vehicle maintenance.     

Global progress in PMTCT and paediatric HIV care and treatment in low- and middle-income countries in 2004-2005

A growing number of countries are moving to scale up interventions for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in maternal and child health services. Similarly, many are working to improve access to paediatric HIV treatment. This paper reviews national programme data for 2004-2005 from low- and middle-income countries to track progress in these programmes. The attainment of the UNGASS target of reducing HIV infections by 50% by 2010 necessitates that 80% of all pregnant women accessing antenatal care receive PMTCT services. In 2005, only seven of the 71 countries were on track to meet this target. However PMTCT coverage increased from 7% in 2004 (58 countries) to 11% in 2005 (71 countries). In 2005, 8% of all infants born to HIV positive mothers received antiretroviral prophylaxis for PMTCT, up from 5% in 2004, though only 4% received cotrimoxazole. 11% of HIV positive children in need received antiretroviral treatment in 2005. In 31 countries that had data, 28% of women who received an antiretroviral for PMTCT also reported receiving antiretroviral treatment for their own health. Achieving the UNGASS target is possible but will require substantial investments and commitment to strengthen maternal and child health services, the health workforce and health systems to move from pilot projects to a decentralised, integrated approach.     

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in gestational diabetes mellitus patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in low- and middle-income countries

Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is critical for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) care. However, there are several hurdles to its practice during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in GDM patients in low- and middle-income countries when GDM care recommendations emphasize telemedicine-based care. Based on available knowledge, this letter proposes the following barriers to SMBG in these GDM patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: Poor internet connectivity, affordability of SMBG and digital applications to connect with healthcare providers, government-imposed social mobility restriction, psychological stress, and mental health conditions. Nevertheless, definitive evidence will only be acquired from rigorous research.     

Breast cancer screening in low and middle-income countries

Breast cancer incidence rates are rising in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), and these populations have reduced access to advanced multidisciplinary treatment. Screening and early detection are therefore critical in these regions but must be affordable and sustainable. Mammography screening programs are well established in more affluent countries, but alternative strategies to reduce the breast cancer burden of LMIC (such as clinical breast examination, general breast health awareness, and addressing modifiable lifestyle factors including obesity) are likely to be more realistic at the present time.     

Neonatal resuscitation from a global perspective

The majority of perinatal and neonatal mortality occurs in low-resource settings in low- and middle-income countries. Access and quality of care at delivery are major determinants of the health and survival of newborn infants. Availability of basic neonatal resuscitation care at birth has improved, but basic neonatal resuscitation at birth or high-quality care continues to be inaccessible in some settings, leading to persistently high perinatal and neonatal mortality. Low-resource settings of high-income countries and socially disadvantaged communities also suffer from inadequate access to quality perinatal healthcare. Quality improvement, implementation research, and innovation should focus on improving the quality of perinatal healthcare and perinatal and neonatal outcomes in low-resource settings. The current review presents an update on issues confronting universal availability of optimal resuscitation care at birth and provides an update on ongoing efforts to address them.     

Neonatal haemochromatosis: a rare cause of neonatal death

Neonatal haemochromatosis is a very rare disorder with an unclear aetiology and an extremely poor outcome. A 24 year-old patient was delivered at 32 week gestation. The new-born presented a liver failure syndrome and died shortly after birth. The diagnosis of haemochromatosis was based on iron deposition revealed by the autopsy. In families at risk, ultrasound foetal follow up should be proposed and the detection of an anomaly suggestive of NH recurrence justifies a MRI in early third trimester. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for advanced disease.     

The provision of midwife-led care in low-and middle-income countries: An integrative review

BackgroundThe provision of midwife-led care, the model of care in which midwives are the lead professionals for women and newborn infants across the continuum, has been shown to be effective in improving outcomes for women and newborn infants, but predominantly based on research in high-income countries.ObjectiveTo explore how midwife-led care is provided in low- and middle-income countries. The specific question was to examine how, where and by whom has midwife-led care been provided in low-and-middle-income countries? Design: An integrative literature review was undertaken and included studies using a range of methods.Data sourcesA systematic search was conducted in Pubmed, EMBASE (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, The Cochrane Library and hand-searching of relevant journals and website of International Organizations and relevant grey-literature.Review methodsAfter applying inclusion criteria, systematic sifting and quality assessment processes, data were extracted from relevant studies. The software program NVivo was used to initially extract the findings and results of the studies. Coded data from primary data sources were iteratively compared, using patterns and themes as per the conceptual framework of the WHO on skilled health personnel providing care for childbearing women and newborn infants, including an analysis of the competent provider, standards of practice and the enabling environment.FindingsOf a total of 3324 articles retrieved, 31 studies were included. There were 18 qualitative, nine quantitative and four mixed method studies with different levels of quality from five of six global regions published between 1997 and 2017. In these studies, midwife-led care was not found to be a standardised model in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and there was limited evidence on the effectiveness of midwife-led care in these countries. Care provided across the continuum was however described in most studies. Standards of practice in education, regulation and training varied widely as did the enabling environment in which midwife-led care took place.Conclusion and implication for practice and researchMidwife-led care is provided across low- and middle-income countries but lack of enabling factors limits the quality of care that midwives can provide. Further research about this model of care is needed to understand the ingredients of successful implementation, their effectiveness and sustainability.     

Breastfeeding support in low and middle-income countries: Secondary analysis of national survey data

BackgroundEarly initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding can reduce infant mortality. Breastfeeding support interventions such as counselling may improve adherence to recommended practices. However, it is not known if these interventions work at the population level.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the relationship between early postnatal breastfeeding support and recommended breastfeeding practices.Design/settingWe pooled data from 11 Demographic and Health Surveys in Africa (n = 7), South East Asia (n = 2), the Americas (n = 1), and Europe (n = 1) to analyse these associations at the population level.ParticipantsWe limited the data to the most recent live births in the two years before the survey, including 41,431 births.AnalysisWe fitted three multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the relationship between early postnatal breastfeeding support (a newborn postnatal check within an hour of birth plus counselling and observation of breastfeeding within two days) and three breastfeeding outcomes (early initiation of breastfeeding, absence of prelacteal feeding, and exclusive breastfeeding), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and birth-related factors.FindingsEarly breastfeeding support was associated with a 24% increase (OR=1.24 95%CI=1.11,1.39) in the odds of initiating breastfeeding within one hour of birth. No relationships were found between breastfeeding support and prelacteal feeding in the first three days or exclusive breastfeeding at six months.Key conclusionWhile postnatal breastfeeding counselling and observation may improve early initiation of breastfeeding, impact is not persistent for longer term breastfeeding outcomes.Implication for practiceImproved training for breastfeeding support and an enabling policy environment are required to improve breastfeeding practices for women and newborns.