Mothers In Ethiopia Research Articles

Mapping the range of policies relevant to care of small and nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers in Ethiopia: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionEvidence gaps limit management of small and/or nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers, who are at higher risk of death, illness, malnutrition and poor growth and development....

Health professional assisted Kangaroo mother care practice in Ethiopian health care facilities: evidence from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey

BackgroundWorldwide, 15 million children born prematurely every year and over one million of them died because of prematurity caused complications. However, three-fourths of deaths from preterm related complications are preventable by using Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). The Ethiopian government has been implementing a guideline that declares putting all low birth weight neonates at KMC. The aim of this study was to assess health professionals’ assisted KMC practice and its associated factors among Ethiopian mothers who gave birth at health facilities.MethodologyThis study used the 2016Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data (EDHS). The 2016EDHS used a stratified two stage sampling method to select a representative sample using validated questioner. The sample we used in this study after cleaning the children’s data set from the 2016EDHS was 2,960. Logistic regression model was used to assess the association of health professional assisted KMC practice and predictor variables.ResultsMothers who gave birth in health facilities and practiced kangaroo mother care were 1808(62.1%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, women from poorest (AOR, (95%CI)), (0.60, (0.43, 0.81)) and poorer (0.62, (0.46, 0.86)) socio-economic status were not practicing KMC.ConclusionsThe coverage of health professional assisted KMC practice was far lower than the expectation for mothers who gave birth in health facilities (100%). Low socio-economic status was associated with not practicing KMC. A further study on why mothers from low wealth index did not practicing KMC while they were in health facilities may be needed.

Immobilisation of migrant domestic worker women and their children born in Lebanon

ABSTRACT While scholars of migration have drawn our attention to the plight of children ‘left behind’ when their mothers migrate, children born to migrant women in destination countries have received far less consideration. In destinations such as Lebanon, migrant domestic worker employment – and right to residency – is governed by the kafala, or sponsorship, system which prohibits pregnancy and childbirth. Despite this prohibition, considerable numbers of migrant women do give birth, leaving them at risk of unemployment, visa and work permit cancellation, and ‘illegalisation’. Compounding the situation, many mothers in this situation encounter substantial barriers to returning to home countries with their children. This paper draws on interviews with Ethiopian mothers living in Lebanon and other key informants, to examine the gendered and racialised structural, symbolic and interpersonal violence that governs the lives of these women and their children. We argue that the interlocking violence to which they are subjected results in the immobilisation of migrant mothers and their children, placing them at high risk of lifelong harm within a system that produces and reproduces global inequalities and im/mobilities.

The effect of educational inequity and political violence on hurting young single mothers in Ethiopia

This study examined how educational inequity and political violence exposed young single mothers in the Ethiopia town of Awaday to a distinct disadvantage. Adopting a case study design, a total of 50 single mothers were selected based on convenience sampling. Questionnaire, structured depth interview, and focus group discussion were used to collect data which were analyzed in descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Most of the participants were young, below 30, having 1–5 children, and school dropouts. The finding indicated political violence, which is directly or indirectly related to educational inequity and the social norm, is the fundamental factor for becoming single mothers. Almost all experience abject poverty, substance abuse, sexual violence, social stigma, adverse maternity health, and disorientation as to their future life. Their children are equally victims of the unjust system. The insignificant number of participants who managed to complete junior and secondary school education is in much better condition, which shows the huge negative impacts of educational inequity. While a complete overhaul of the violent and unjust socio-educational system of Ethiopia is decisive for durable change, vital short-term and middle-term policy and research implications of being single mothers in education and empowering them were suggested.

Multilevel logistic regression analysis of factors associated with delivery care service utilization among childbearing women in Ethiopia.

Delivery service utilization is one of the key and proven interventions to reduce maternal death during childbearing. In Ethiopia, the utilization of health facilities for delivery service is still at a lower level. This study intends to model the determinant factors for the delivery care service utilization of childbearing mothers in Ethiopia using the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey data. A cross-sectional study design was selected to assess factors associated with delivery care among mothers who had at least one child in the last 5 years before the survey aged 15-49 years in the data. Among these eligible mothers, 3,052 (27.7%) mothers had received delivery service care from health professionals. The results of multilevel logistic regression indicated that those at age 35-49 years (AOR = 0.7808, 95% CI: 0.5965-1.1132), an urban place of residence (AOR = 5.849 95% CI: 4.2755-8.0021), woman's higher level of education (AOR = 3.484, 95% CI: 2.0214-6.0038) and partner's higher educational level (AOR = 1.9335, 95% CI: 3,808-2.07352), household wealth index (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.724-2.3122), most every day exposed to mass media (AOR = 3.068, 95% CI: 1.456-6.4624), 2-4 birth order number (AOR = 0.604, 95% CI: 0.51845-1.4213), using contraceptive type (AOR = 1.4584, 95% CI: 1.2591-1.6249) and visiting more than 4 antenatal care visits (AOR = 7.574, 95% CI: 6.4824-8.84896) were more likely to give birth at a health facility compared to their counterparts. The woman's and partner's educational level, household wealth index, exposure to mass media and number of antenatal care visits had a positive association with delivery assistance whereas birth order had a negative association. The findings of this study were valuable implications to support strategies and interventions to address delivery care service in Ethiopia.

Major maternal related determinants of non-breastfeeding among mothers in Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis from DHS Ethiopia 2016.

In Ethiopia, the burden of non-breastfeeding is still high despite substantial improvements in breastfeeding. However, the determinants of non-breastfeeding were poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the maternal -related factors associated with non-breastfeeding. An in-depth analysis of data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (EDHS 2016) was used. A total weighted sample of 11,007 children was included in the analysis. Multilevel logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with non-breastfeeding. A p-value < of 0.05 was used to identify factors significantly associated with non-breastfeeding. The prevalence of non-breastfeeding in Ethiopia was 5.28%. The odds of not breastfeeding were 1.5 times higher among women aged 35to 49 years (AOR = 1.5 CI: 1.034, 2.267) than among women aged 15to 24 years. The odds of not breastfeeding were higher among children whose mothers had BMIs of 18.5-24.9 (AOR = 1.6 CI: 1.097, 2.368) and 25-29.9 (AOR = 2.445 CI: 1.36, 4.394) than among women with BMIs of < 18.5. In addition, not breastfeeding was also significantly associated with ANC follow-up, where mothers who had 1-3 ANC follow-up had a 54% decreased odds (AOR = 0.651 CI: 0.46,0.921) compared to mothers who had no ANC follow-up. Demographically, mothers from Somalia region were five times (AOR = 5.485 CI: 1.654, 18.183) and mothers from SNNP region were almost four times (AOR = 3.997 CI: 1.352, 11.809) more likely to not breastfeed than mothers residing in Addis Ababa. Although breastfeeding practices are gradually improving in Ethiopia, the number of children not breastfed remains high. Individual-level characteristics (women's age, body mass index, and ANC follow-up) and community-level characteristics (geographic region) were statistically significant determinants of non-breastfeeding. Therefore, it is good for the federal minister of Health, planners, policy and decision- makers, and other concerned child health programmers to prioritize both individual and community factors.

Growth Monitoring and Promotion Service Utilisation and Associated Factors among Children in Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia.

The use of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) services in the first two years of life can facilitate the early identification of common childhood health issues such as malnutrition and infections. It also creates an opportunity to promote education and nutritional counselling. This study is the first to investigate the use of GMP and its influencing factors among mothers in Ethiopia's pastoralist regions, including the Afar National and Regional State, where childhood malnutrition is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Between May and June 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted within the Semera-Logia city administration. The study used a random sampling technique to select 396 children under two, and data were gathered using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse the influence of explanatory variables, which included socio-demographic, health service, and health literacy factors, on the utilisation of GMP services. The overall utilisation of GMP services was 15.9% (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 12.0%, 19.5%). Children whose fathers had college or higher education were more likely to utilise GMP services (adjusted odd ratios [AOR] = 7.75; 95% CI: 3.01, 19.99), whereas children living in households with more children were less likely to utilise GMP services (AOR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.28 for households with 3-4 children and AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.67 for households with 4+ children). Children who received postnatal care had higher odds of GMP service use (AOR = 8.09; 95% CI: 3.19, 20.50). GMP services are not being fully utilised to decrease infant and child morbidity and mortality caused by malnutrition in Ethiopia. We recommend strengthening GMP services in Ethiopia and taking targeted action to address the low attainment of parental education and poor postnatal care utilisation. Public health initiatives such as the implementation of mobile health (mHealth) approaches and education of mothers by female community healthcare workers on the significance of GMP services could be effective in increasing GMP service utilisation.

Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Amharic Version of the World Health Organization's Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) Screening Tool Among Pregnant Women in North West Ethiopia, 2022: A Psychometric Validation.

The prevalence of prenatal common mental disorders afflicting the global community, including Ethiopia, is thriving. Therefore, a time-efficient and valid screening tool is required. This study aimed to culturally adapt and validate the self-reporting questionnaire-20 tool developed by the World Health Organization among pregnant mothers in Ethiopia. A total of 310 pregnant women completed the questionnaire at two selected health centers in the regional state of Amhara. The World Health Organization's Self Reporting Questionnaire-20 tool was first translated into Amharic by two experts. The back translation was done by two English experts. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed using composite reliability and extracted mean variance. SRQ-20 was tested for reliability and validity using principal components analysis and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sample adequacy with a cutoff value of 0.50 for each item. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (KMO = 0.733) for sample adequacy and the Bartlett's sphericity test for the identity matrix indicated that the data were amenable to exploratory factor analysis. Principal components analysis identified six factors that explained 64% of the variation in the self-report questionnaire 20. Cronbach's alpha was 0.817 for the entire scale and the extracted mean variance was greater than 0.5 for all factors, indicating convergent validity. The extracted mean variance, composite reliability, and factor loadings were all greater than 0.75 for all factors in this study, indicating that convergent validity was satisfactory and that discriminatory validity was also satisfied. The composite factor reliability scores ranged from 0.74 to 0.84, and the square roots of the mean variances were greater than the factor correlation scores. The interview-based, culturally-adapted 20-item Amharic version of the SRQ-20 tool demonstrated good cultural adaptation and was also found to be valid and reliable in the present context.

Maternal and food microbial sources shape the infant microbiome of a rural Ethiopian population

The human microbiome seeding starts at birth, when pioneer microbes are acquired mainly from the mother. Mode of delivery, antibiotic prophylaxis, and feeding method have been studied as modulators of mother-to-infant microbiome transmission, but other key influencing factors like modern westernized lifestyles with high hygienization, high-calorie diets, and urban settings, compared with non-westernized lifestyles have not been investigated yet. In this study, we explored the mother-infant sharing of characterized and uncharacterized microbiome members via strain-resolved metagenomics in a cohort of Ethiopian mothers and infants, and we compared them with four other cohorts with different lifestyles. The westernized and non-westernized newborns' microbiomes composition overlapped during the first months of life more than later in life, likely reflecting similar initial breast-milk-based diets. Ethiopian and other non-westernized infants shared a smaller fraction of the microbiome with their mothers than did most westernized populations, despite showing a higher microbiome diversity, and uncharacterized species represented a substantial fraction of those shared in the Ethiopian cohort. Moreover, we identified uncharacterized species belonging to the Selenomonadaceae and Prevotellaceae families specifically present and shared only in the Ethiopian cohort, and we showed that a locally produced fermented food, injera, can contribute to the higher diversity observed in the Ethiopian infants' gut with bacteria that are not part of the human microbiome but are acquired through fermented food consumption. Taken together, these findings highlight the fact that lifestyle can impact the gut microbiome composition not only through differences in diet, drug consumption, and environmental factors but also through its effect on mother-infant strain-sharing patterns.

Towards a “New Mothering” Practice? The Life Experiences of Mothers Raising a Child with Autism in Urban Ethiopia

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that has seen an increase in prevalence over the past two decades, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The purpose of the current paper is to examine the experiences of mothers in Ethiopia raising a child with ASD through employing a qualitative research design involving semi-structured interviews with twenty mothers. The experiences of mothers in this study fell into three thematic areas: (1) grieving and experiencing other emotions arising from the diagnosis of their child; (2) developing, understanding and defining autism; and (3) accepting the diagnosis and developing coping strategies for raising their child. The findings revealed that raising a child with autism introduced a new lifelong experience to mothers' everyday lives, profoundly changing their parenting role and transforming their view of mothering. Recognition of the experience of "new mothering" and mothers' meaning-making process, stress, coping mechanisms and resilience is critical to informing policies, programs, counseling and other therapeutic efforts to assist children with autism and their families for social workers in Ethiopia and those working with the Ethiopian diaspora in other regions of the world.

Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers in Ethiopia.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is the most cost-effective intervention to reduce infant morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is crucial since human milk contains nutrients, living cells, and defensive factors which enable infants to have better immunity, physical and mental development. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying the predictors of exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers in Ethiopia using Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 data. EDHS 2016 data were used for the analysis. A total of 1,066 mothers were included in the analysis. The binary logistic regression model was used to identify the determinants of EBF practice among mothers. The result presented using adjusted odd ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval. The prevalence of EBF was 58% of infants under age 6 months. Mothers age 25-34 (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.31-2.32), child age 4-5 months (AOR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.66-0.84), married marital status (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI 1.06-1.50), mothers attained secondary education or higher (AOR = 2.00; 95% CI 1.54-2.58), husband attained secondary education or higher (AOR = 1.70; 1.39-2.13), richer wealth index (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI 0.18-0.69), accessed to the media (AOR = 1.77; 95% CI 1.38-2.27), number of living children 3-4 (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.25-0.95), health facility (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI 1.09-3.20), rural residence (AOR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.49-0.89) and mothers living in Afar (AOR = 100.2; 95% CI 15.68-640.61), Somali (AOR = 52.65; 95% CI 8.48-326.77), SNNPR (AOR = 6.94; 95% CI 1.05-45.79), Harari (AOR = 61.94; 95% CI 9.75-393.44), Addis Ababa (AOR = 13.07; 95% CI 2.06-82.99), and Dire Dawa (AOR = 28.91; 95% CI 4.38-190.86) were associated with EBF practice. The practice of exclusive breastfeeding remains low in Ethiopia. Therefore, the stakeholders should be taken into consideration those determinant factors identified in this study in policies and programmes to increase EBF practice among mothers. Moreover, designing and implementing specific strategies to enhance the rate of exclusive breastfeeding practices through community-based education is recommended.

Epidemiology of neonatal mortality: a spatial and multilevel analysis of the 2019 mini-Ethiopian demographic and health survey data

BackgroundSub-Saharan African countries are a high-burden region of neonatal mortality and showed slow progress in its reduction. In developing countries, as long as the current trend of mortality persists, achieving a sustainable development target for neonatal mortality would be challenging. The aim of this study was to detect significant geographic areas and identify community and individual-level predictors of neonatal mortality in Ethiopia to draw attention to a policy.Methods A weighted total sample of 24,136 mothers from the 2019 mini-Ethiopian demographic and health survey data were included in the analysis. Global Moran’s I statistics was run to check the clustering of neonatal mortality and then kriging interpolation was done to predict the magnitude of neonatal mortality in Ethiopia. In addition, SaTScan analysis was also executed to identify hot spot clusters of neonatal mortality. Finally, a multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to identify community and individual-level predictors of early neonatal and neonatal mortality.ResultsThe lifetime early neonatal and neonatal mortality among mothers in Ethiopia was 5.08 (95% CI: 4.13–6.03) and 6.54 (5.55, 7.52) per 1000 births respectively. Neonatal mortality was spatially clustered in the country and the SaTScan analysis identified significant hotspot areas of neonatal mortality in the Amhara and Afar regions and some areas of the Somali and Oromia regions. Its predicted magnitude was > 8 per 1000 births in wide areas of the Amhara and Benishangul regions. A multilevel mixed-effect logistics regression analysis identified that a lower level of maternal education, being a twin neonate, and being a male neonate were predictors of both early neonatal and neonatal mortality. Whereas, the younger age of mothers predicted neonatal mortality.ConclusionsNeonatal mortality in Ethiopia is geographically clustered and sociodemographic and obstetric factors played a significant role. Policy direction should focus on evidence-based practices like midwives-led community and facility-based continuum of care from preconception to postnatal periods to possibly reduce neonatal mortality.

Dangers associated with assuming robustness of scale reliability and validity: Psychometric properties of the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning with Ethiopian mothers

This study was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF) in an Ethiopian context. Data were obtained from 202 women with a child less than 1 year of age. Narrow standard deviations characterized responses to most BIMF items, but a handful of items had wider standard deviations associated with bimodality. Most interitem correlations were < |.15|, and 13 of the 20 BIMF items did not load satisfactorily on any factor in exploratory factor analyses. Two factors emerged from the remaining items, one with three items and the other with four. Although poor reliability results relating to internal (interitem) and temporal consistency could be attributed to limited variability in the data, a number of concerns are raised about the BIMF itself, including its content validity, instructions, response options, and usefulness in healthcare settings. Suggestions are made for improving the assessment of maternal functioning in Ethiopia and other contexts. More generally, this research demonstrates that researchers should not assume that the psychometric properties and appropriateness of scales will remain robust when those scales are used in contexts that differ from the contexts in which they were created.

Early newborn bathing and associated factors among mothers in Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia.

Delaying newborn bathing for 24 h after childbirth protects the baby from hypothermia, infection and hypoglycaemia and provides an opportunity for mother-baby emotional bonding. However, no previously published study has investigated the early newborn bathing practices of pastoral mothers in Ethiopia. This study aims to investigate early newborn bathing and associated factors among mothers in Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia. Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit 386 mothers, and the data collection was performed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to examine the association between explanatory variables (including sociodemographic, obstetric, health service and health literacy factors) and early newborn bathing. The overall prevalence of early newborn bathing among postpartum mothers was 73.1% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from 68.4 to 77.5%. Mothers who attained college or higher education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.21; 95% CI 0.06-0.66], those who were from urban areas (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.09-0.42) and those who gave birth using operational delivery (e.g. caesarean section and instrumental delivery) (AOR = 0.01; 95% CI 0.01-0.04) were less likely to practice early newborn bathing. The practice of early newborn bathing was unacceptably high in pastoral communities of the Afar Region. There is a need for interventions specifically targeting at uneducated and rural mothers as part of the implementation to improve the essential newborn care practices of mothers in pastoral communities in Ethiopia.

Multilevel analysis of individual and community level factors associated with the application of cow dung and oil on the umbilical cord stump in Ethiopia.

Hygienic umbilical cord care is one of the essential interventions advocated to reduce neonatal mortality. However, traditional cord care measures-applying cow dung and oil-that have harmful health consequences are commonly practiced in Ethiopia. Hence, in this study, it was planned to analyze individual and community-level factors associated with the application of cow dung and oil on the umbilical cord stump in Ethiopia. Data from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey were used to identify individual and community level factors associated with women's practice of applying cow dung and oil on the umbilical cord stump of their neonate. Taking into account for the hierarchical structure of the data; multilevel binary logistic regression analysis has been employed to a nationally representative weighted sample of 7,168 women. In Ethiopia, 780 (10.88%) with 95% CI (10.18-11.62) women apply oil and/or cow dung on the neonate's umbilical cord stump. Age increase by one year [AOR = 0.97; 95% CI (0.94-0.99)] and giving birth in a health facility [AOR = 0.61; 95% CI (0.42-0.89)] were individual-level factors that reduced women's practice of applying cow dung and oil on the umbilical cord stump of their neonate. Whereas, rural residence [AOR = 2.54; 95% CI (1.28-5.06)] was the predictor at the community level that raised the practice of applying cow dung and oil on the neonate's umbilical cord stump. This nationwide study revealed that a significant number of mothers in Ethiopia still apply cow dung and/or oil on the umbilical cord stump of their neonates. Both the individual and community level characteristics: maternal age, place of delivery, and residence were found to have significant influence on the practice of applying cow dung and/or oil on the umbilical cord stump in Ethiopia. Thus, to reduce neonatal mortality due to avoidable umbilical cord infections, clean cord care practice strategies should be designed by considering these factors.

Teratogenic Evaluation of 80% Ethanol Extract of Embelia schimperi Vatke Fruits on Rat Embryo and Fetuses.

Introduction Embelia schimperi Vatke (family Myrsinaceae) is a commonly consumed anthelminthic plant in Ethiopia. The plant has significant efficacy in treating intestinal worms. However, there are limited data about the safety/toxicity of the plant. Moreover, the teratogenic effect of the plant is not yet well studied despite significant number of Ethiopian mothers consuming herbal medication during their pregnancy. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the teratogenic effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of E. schimperi fruit on rat embryos and fetuses. Methods Pregnant albino Wistar rats were treated with 80% hydroalcoholic fruit extract of E. schimperi at 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 1000 mg/kg dosage, whilst the controls were pair-fed and ad libitum groups. Maternal food intake, maternal weight gain, number of implantations, number of prior resorptions, fetal viability, fetal weight, fetal and embryonic crown-ramp length, placental weight, placental gross morphology and histopathology of placental tissue, number of somites, embryonic system, gross/visceral morphological malformations, and ossification centers were evaluated as teratogenicity indices. Results The crude extract of E. schimperi did not exhibit a significant difference in most developmental indices including the development of a circulatory system, nervous system, and musculoskeletal systems among treated animals and the controls. However, histopathological evaluation of placentas from the treatment groups showed that inflammatory reactions and calcifications compared to the pair-fed and ad libitum controls. Conclusion Administration of the 80% hydroalcoholic extract of E. schimperi fruit during the period of organogenesis in rats did not show a significant toxic effect on embryonic and fetal developmental indices. However, it might affect the structural integrity of the placenta as it is evidenced by inflammatory reactions and calcifications of decidua basalis of rat placenta.

Attitudes of mothers attending public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to neonatal sunlight exposure: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSunlight exposure helps the body produce vitamin D, prevents rickets and is used for neonatal jaundice treatment. Good neonatal sunlight exposure is exposing the neonate to sunlight in the morning,...

Under-Nutrition and Associated Factors Among Lactating Mothers in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Under-nutrition (body mass index < 18.5kg/m2) is a global problem with an increasing trend in recent years. The burden is high in low and middle-income countries, especially in Africa. Lactating mothers are among the most vulnerable groups for under nutrition; particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of under-nutrition among this group is inconsistent and inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of under-nutrition and its associated factors among lactating mothers in Ethiopia. To write this review and meta-analysis, we followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis guidelines. Primary articles were searched from PubMed, Hinari, Cochrane Library, science direct databases, Google, and Google scholar. STATA version 16 software and a standardized Microsoft excel format were used for analysis and data extraction, respectively. Heterogeneity between studies was checked. To determine the pooled prevalence of under-nutrition, we used a random-effect model. Begg's and Egger's tests were done to detect publication bias. Subgroup analysis was also steered and association was uttered by a pooled odds ratio with 95% CI. The pooled prevalence of under-nutrition among lactating mothers was 23.84% [95% CI (19.40, 28.27)]. Educational status (no formal education) {Pooled OR 2.30 [95% CI (1.34, 3.96)]} was significantly associated with under-nutrition. The pooled prevalence of under-nutrition was high. Maternal educational status was significantly associated with under-nutrition. Therefore, the federal ministry of health and the concerned stakeholders should give attention to these most vulnerable groups and strengthen the implementation of the previously designed strategies.

Determinants of potentially harmful traditional cord care practices among mothers in Ethiopia.

BackgroundGlobally, newborn deaths have declined from 5 million in 1990 to 2.4 million in 2019; however, the risk of death in the first 28 days is high. Harmful umbilical cord care contributes to neonatal infection, which accounts for millions of neonatal deaths. This study assessed determinants of potentially harmful traditional cord care practices in Ethiopia using data from a nationally representative survey.Materials and methodsSecondary data analyses were employed using data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Weighted samples of 4,402 mothers who gave birth in the last 3 years prior to the survey were included in the analysis. Binary logistic regression was fitted to identify associations of outcome variables with explanatory variable analysis, and the results were presented with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI), declaring statistical significance at a p-value < 0.05 in all analyses.ResultsAbout 13.70% (95% CI: 12.7%, 14.7%) of mothers practice harmful traditional umbilical cord care. Maternal age (25–34 years, AOR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.36, 2.31, 35–49 years, AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.19), maternal education (primary: AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.70 and secondary and above: AOR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.94), parity (para two, AOR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.55, 0.92), and place of delivery (home delivery, AOR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.51, 2.56) were factors associated with potentially harmful traditional umbilical cord care practices.ConclusionMaternal educational status, parity, maternal age, and place of delivery were associated with harmful traditional cord care practices. Thus, improving mothers’ education, strengthening antenatal and postnatal care (PNC), and utilization of institutional delivery would help to reduce harmful traditional cord care practices.

Individual and community-level determinants of underweight among lactating mothers in Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis.

Determining the nutritional status of lactating women is important because underweight lactating mothers will have low energy levels and reduced cognitive abilities, which will affect the inadequate care of their young children. Thus, malnutrition is passed down from generation to generation, perpetuating the vicious cycle. There is scarce national data on determinants of underweight among lactating mothers in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to identify individual and community-level determinants of underweight among lactating mothers in Ethiopia. Data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) from 2016 were used. A total of 3848 lactating mothers were included in this study, and a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify determinants of underweight among lactating mothers. The odds of being underweight among rural lactating mothers were 65% higher (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.13, 2.41) than lactating mothers in the urban area. The odds of being underweight among lactating mothers who have toilet facilities were 33% lower (AOR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.54, 0.83) compared with those do not have toilet facilities. Those mothers in the age group of 25-34 years and greater than 35 years had (AOR = 0.61,95%CI = 0.48, 0.79), and (AOR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.47, 0.95) times lower chance of being underweight compared with those who had 15-24 years of age, respectively. The likelihood of being underweight among lactating mothers in high community poverty (AOR = 1.40, 95%CI = 1.08, 1.82) was higher than the lower community poverty level. Underweight among lactating mothers was significantly associated with individual-level (age and toilet facilities) variables and community-level (residence and community poverty). Therefore, focusing on these identified factors could improve underweight among lactating mothers in Ethiopia.