Newborn Care Interventions Research Articles

A clinical guideline for the Iranian women and newborns in the postpartum period.

The postpartum is a vital period for women, newborns, spouses, parents, caregivers, and families. Regarding the importance of postpartum care and the lack of comprehensive and up-to-date clinical guidelines in the country of Iran, the postpartum clinical guidelines have been adapted. Cultural adaptation was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the adaptation team was formed and the process was approved. During the second stage, a systematic literature review was conducted using international databases to identify English-language clinical guidelines published within the last 10 years. Out of 17 guidelines and documents initially selected, 5 guidelines meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria and published within the last 5 years were chosen following a thorough review by the search team. In the secondary selection, the guidelines were investigated by two subject-matter experts based on AGREE II Checklist, and regarding the high evaluation score obtained by the WHO Recommendations on Postnatal Care of the Mother and Newborn (2022), and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE,2021) guideline for postnatal care were selected for cultural adaptation. In the third stage, the opinions of experts from all over the country were collected and scored using the Delphi method, and a final guideline was formulated. The adapted postpartum clinical guideline has offered 56 recommendations. The recommendations are categorized into four major themes including mother care, newborn care, health system and health promotion interventions and post caesarean care. Applying evidence-based recommendations for the care of mothers and babies in the postpartum period will enhance the health system, promote the provision of care after vaginal and caesarean births, and ensure a positive postnatal experience for mothers, fathers, babies, and families.

A concept analysis of immediate newborn care within 48 h of birth: A facility based

BackgroundImmediate newborn care interventions provided by midwives within 48 h of birth are invaluable in the reduction of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this concept analysis is to clarify the meaning of immediate newborn care within 48 h of birth in relation to its attributes, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents. MethodsWalker and Avant’s (2019) framework was used to analyze the concept. The framework consist of the following steps: selecting a concept; determining the aims of the analysis; identifying all the uses of the concept; identifying the defining attributes; identifying and constructing model, borderline, related and contrary cases; identifying antecedents and consequences; and finally defining empirical referents. ResultsThe attributes of immediate newborn care are up to date knowledge, proficiency in skills, effective communication, willingness, responsibility, compassionate, honesty, commitment, resilience, touch and patience. The identified antecedents are availability of adequate midwives, pre-service and in-service training, availability of functioning equipment and supplies, regular supervision, follow up and mentorship. The consequences include: improved provider's performance, client/caretaker's satisfaction, provider's growth and satisfaction, and reduction in neonatal morbidity and mortality. ConclusionImmediate newborn care within 48 h helped in highlighting interventions that can be implemented immediately after child birth in order to reduce neonatal deaths.

Practices of essential newborn care endorsed for every newborn and interventions recommended for pre-term babies in selected government hospitals of Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) has identified essential newborn care interventions to improve the care of every newborn. In 2015, the WHO published evidence-based guidelines to improve pre-term birth. Though Sri Lanka also adheres to these recommendations on interventions to improve pre-term birth outcomes, coverage of them have not yet been assessed for the country and there is no recent assessment of essential newborn care coverage as well.Objectives: To describe the practice of essential newborn care (ENC) for babies born pre-term and WHO recommended interventions to improve pre-term birth outcomes in government hospitals of Colombo District.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with two components was conducted in seven government hospitals with obstetric and neonatal care facilities in Colombo District in 2017-2018. The first component describes the coverage of essential newborn care (ENC) assessed by direct observation among convenient sample of 77 deliveries. The second component assessed the practice of recommended interventions to improve pre-term birth. Data were extracted by pre-intern doctors from the medical records using a checklist on 510 pre-terms. Descriptive analysis was done.Results: In relation to ENC, among 77 deliveries, preparation before delivery was satisfactory and it was >90%. Overall, the practice of immediate newborn care interventions were satisfactory, but a low coverage was found for maternal abdomen delivery 31(40.3%), delayed cord clamping 39 (50.6%), temperature measurement 8(10.4%), educating about vitamin K 29 (37.7%), breastfeeding counselling 40 (51.9%) and delayed weighing 26 (33.8%). Practising recommended pre-term interventions was satisfactory except for the use of magnesium sulphate which was received by only 38 (60.3%) and kangaroo mother care was given for only 74 (57.8%).Conclusions & Recommendations: Most of the ENC practices and adhering to recommended interventions for pre-term were satisfactory except for a few. A refresher course of care for the preterm baby and ENC is recommended to the labour room staff.

An assessment of immediate newborn care readiness and availability in Nepal

ABSTRACT Background Global neonatal mortality necessitates access to immediate newborn care interventions. In Nepal, disparities persist in the readiness and availability of newborn care services within health facilities. Objective This study aimed to assess this status and compare facilities that had implemented an intensive newborn resuscitation capacity building and retention programme in the past five years with those that had not. Methods Our observational cross-sectional study involved 154 health facilities across Nepal. Through on-site inspections and maternal log reviews, we evaluated the immediate newborn care readiness and availability. Results The mean immediate newborn care intervention availability score of 52.8% (SE = 21.5) and the readiness score averaged 79.6% (SE = 12.3). Encouragingly, 96% of facilities ensured newborns were dried and wrapped for warmth, and 69.9% provided newborn resuscitation. Practices such as delayed cord clamping (42.0%), skin-to-skin contact (28.6%), and early breastfeeding (63.5%) showed room for improvement. Only 16.1% of health facilities administered Vitamin K1 prophylaxis.Domain-specific scores demonstrated a high level of facility readiness in infrastructure (97.5%), medicine, equipment, and supplies (90.6%), and staff training (90.9%), but a lower score for neonatal resuscitation aids (28.8%). Disparities in readiness and availability were evident, with rural areas and the Madhesh province reporting lower scores. Variations among health facility types revealed provincial and private hospitals outperforming local-level facilities. A positive association was observed between the LDSC/SSN mentoring programme and both the readiness and availability of immediate newborn care services. Conclusion This study highlights the gap between healthcare facility readiness and the actual availability of immediate newborn care interventions in Nepal. Addressing disparities and barriers, particularly in rural areas and local-level facilities, is crucial for improving neonatal survival. The positive link between the LDSC/SSN programme and service availability and facility readiness emphasises the significance of targeted training and mentorship programmes in enhancing newborn care across Nepal.

Effect of Maternal and Newborn Care Intervention on Maternal Functioning of Primiparous Mothers

Primiparous mother is confronted with many physical and psychosocial changes during the postpartum period which consequently affect her maternal functioning. To deal with these changes positively, the maternal functioning of postpartum mothers should be enhanced by the provision of maternal and newborn care intervention (MNCI). A quasi-experimental research pretest post-test comparison group design was used to study the effect of MNCI on the maternal functioning of primiparous mothers. This study was conducted in Mandalay Central Women’s Hospital, Myanmar. A total of 72 primiparous mothers (control group=36, intervention group=36) were recruited by consecutive sampling. The MNCI was given to the intervention group in the form of direct nursing care, individual and group teaching and demonstration using audio-visual materials and an educational booklet, discussion in “Peer Viber Support Group” and follow-up telephone calls. Baseline assessment was done at antenatal 32nd to 36th weeks to assess postpartum self-care knowledge, maternal newborn care knowledge, and social support. At six weeks postpartum, self-efficacy and maternal functioning of participants were assessed in addition to baseline assessment. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test, independent t-test, and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data. The results showed that maternal functioning was significantly improved in the intervention group than the control group at postpartum six weeks (p < 0.05). The improvement was also found in postpartum self-care knowledge, maternal newborn care knowledge, social support, and postpartum self-efficacy of primiparous mothers at postpartum six weeks (p < 0.001). This study highlighted that the MNCI was effective in enhancing the maternal functioning of the primiparous mothers. Further studies are recommended to determine the effectiveness of the MNCI upon health outcomes of postpartum mothers and babies in hospitals and community settings.

Community-based newborn care intervention fidelity and its implementation drivers in South Wollo Zone, North-east Ethiopia.

Community-based newborn care (CBNC) has been implemented in Ethiopia across the maternal, neonatal, and child health continuum of care with the goal of lowering newborn mortality. However, neonatal mortality rate in Ethiopian is among the highest in the world. Why neonatal mortality remains high in the face of such effective interventions is the issue. As a result, the authors claim that it is unknown whether the planned intervention is carried out effectively or not. The purpose of this study was to investigate the fidelity of community-based newborn care intervention and its implementation drivers. Multicenter community-based mixed method study was employed on 898 postpartum women, 16 health extension workers (HEWs) and 10 health posts to evaluate CBNC intervention fidelity. Structured questionnaire and facility audit checklist was used to collect quantitative data. In-depth interview technique was used to explore lived experiences of HEWs on CBNC implementation. CBNC intervention fidelity was computed as a composite index of the product of program coverage, frequency and contents. Multilevel linear regression model with adjusted β-coefficients at P-value of 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to declare a significant relation between CBNC intervention fidelity and its implementation drivers. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed for qualitative data analysis. CBNC intervention fidelity was found to be 4.5% (95% CI: 3.6-5.4) with only two women received the intervention with full fidelity. The overall CBNC intervention coverage was 38.4% (95% CI: 35.2-41.6). Only 8.1% and 1.5% of women received all CBNC interventions with recommended frequency and content, respectively. HEWs knowledge of danger sign was significant facilitator while lack of: health center's feedback, related short-term training, health development army support, health center staff's technical assistance to HEWs and shortage of medical equipment supply were barriers for CBNC intervention fidelity. In conclusion the CBNC intervention fidelity was too low in this study. This indicates that CBNC intervention package was not implemented as envisioned implying an implementation gap. All implementation drivers were poorly implemented to result in improved fidelity and intervention outcomes.

A descriptive analysis of the coverage of newborn care services among women who delivered in health facilities in 17 sub-Saharan African countries

BackgroundSub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has seen an increase in facility-based births over the years. However, the region has the world’s highest newborn mortality rate (42% in 2019). Quality care around the time of birth can avert these deaths. This study examined the newborn care interventions given to women who gave birth in health facilities in 17 countries in SSA.MethodsA cross-sectional population-based study was conducted. We used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 17 sub-Saharan African countries. We analysed a weighted sample of 226,706 women aged 15–49 years who gave birth in the five years preceding the surveys. We described the coverage of nine newborn care services, namely weighing at birth, breastfeeding initiation within 1 h after birth, skin-to-skin contact, temperature measurement, cord examination, counselling on newborn danger signs, counselling on breastfeeding, breastfeeding observation, and child health assessment before discharge.ResultsOverall, 72.0% (95% CI: 71.1, 72.8) of births occurred in health facilities, ranging from 40.0% (95% CI: 38.0, 42.1) in Nigeria to 96.3% (95% CI: 95.4, 97.1) in South Africa. Weighing at birth was the most common intervention (91.4%), followed by health checks before discharge (81%). The other interventions, including those given immediately at birth (breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact), had suboptimal coverage. For instance, 66% of newborns were breastfed within 1 h after birth, and 56% had immediate skin-to-skin contact. Service coverage varied considerably by country and healthcare provider type.ConclusionsThe majority of the examined services, namely early breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, cord examination, temperature measurement, counselling on newborn danger signs, breastfeeding observation, and counselling on breastfeeding, were found to have suboptimal coverage. Even though many pregnant women in SSA give birth in healthcare facilities, some newborns do not always get the care they need to be healthy and live. This is a missed chance to improve newborn health and survival around the time of birth.

Evaluation of the impact of continuous Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) initiated immediately after birth compared to KMC initiated after stabilization in newborns with birth weight 1.0 to < 1.8 kg on neurodevelopmental outcomes: Protocol for a follow-up study

BackgroundPreterm birth or low birth weight is the single largest cause of death in newborns, however this mortality can be reduced through newborn care interventions, including Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). Previously, a multi-country randomized controlled trial, coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), reported a significant survival advantage with initiation of continuous KMC immediately after birth compared with initiation of continuous KMC a few days after birth when the baby is considered clinically stable.Whether the survival advantage would lead to higher rates of neurodevelopmental morbidities, or the immediate KMC will also have a beneficial effect on cognitive development also, has not been investigated. We therefore propose to test the hypothesis that low-birth-weight infants exposed to immediate KMC will have lower rates of neurodevelopmental impairment in comparison to traditional KMC-treated infants, by prospectively following up infants already enrolled in the immediate KMC trial for the first 2 years of life, and assessing their growth and neurodevelopment.MethodsThis prospective cohort study will enroll surviving neonates from the main WHO immediate KMC trial. The main trial as well as this follow-up study are being conducted in five low- and middle-income countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The estimated sample size for comparison of the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment is a total of 2200 children. The primary outcome will include rates of cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, vision impairment, mental and motor development, and epilepsy and will be assessed by the age of 3 years. The analysis will be by intention to treat.DiscussionImmediate KMC can potentially reduce low-birth-weight-associated complications such as respiratory disease, hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and infection that can result in impaired neurocognitive development. Neuroprotection may also be mediated by improved physiological stabilization that may lead to better maturation of neural pathways, reduced risk of hypoxia, positive parental impact, improved sleep cycles, and improved stress responses. The present study will help in evaluating the overall impact of KMC by investigating the long-term effect on neurodevelopmental impairment in the survivors.Trial registrationClinical Trials Registry-India CTRI/2019/11/021899. Registered on 06 November 2019.Trials registration of parent trial: ACTRN12618001880235; Clinical Trials Registry-India: CTRI/2018/08/015369.

Baseline assessment of the WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA maternal and newborn quality-of-care standards around childbirth: Results from an intermediate hospital, northeast Namibia.

Quality of care around childbirth can reduce above half of the stillbirths and newborn deaths. Northeast Namibia's neonatal mortality is higher than the national level. Yet, no review exists on the quality of care provided around childbirth. This paper reports on baseline assessment for implementing WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA quality measures around childbirth. A mixed-methods research design was used to assess quality of care around childbirth. To obtain good saturation and adequate women opinions, we purposively sampled the only high-volume hospital in northeast Namibia; observed 53 women at admission, of which 19 progressed to deliver on the same day/hours of data collection; and interviewed 20 staff and 100 women who were discharged after delivery. The sampled hospital accounted for half of all deliveries in that region and had a high (27/1,000) neonatal mortality rate above the national (20/1,000) level. We systematically sampled every 22nd delivery until the 259 mother-baby pair was reached. Data were collected using the Every Mother Every Newborn assessment tool, entered, and analyzed using SPSS V.27. Descriptive statistics was used, and results were summarized into tables and graphs. We reviewed 259 mother-baby pair records. Blood pressure, pulse, and temperature measurements were done in 98% of observed women and 90% of interviewed women at discharge. Above 80% of human and essential physical resources were adequately available. Gaps were identified within the WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA quality standard 1, a quality statement on routine postpartum and postnatal newborn care (1.1c), and also within standards 4, 5, and 6 on provider-client interactions (4.1), information sharing (5.3), and companionship (6.1). Only 45% of staff received in-service training/refresher on postnatal care and breastfeeding. Most mothers were not informed about breastfeeding (52%), postpartum care and hygiene (59%), and family planning (72%). On average, 49% of newborn postnatal care interventions (1.1c) were practiced. Few mothers (0-12%) could mention any newborn danger signs. This is the first study in Namibia to assess WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA quality-of-care measures around childbirth. Measurement of provider-client interactions and information sharing revealed significant deficiencies in this aspect of care that negatively affected the client's experience of care. To achieve reductions in neonatal death, improved training in communication skills to educate clients is likely to have a major positive and relatively low-cost impact.

A systematic review of newborn health interventions in humanitarian settings

BackgroundAlmost half of the under-5 deaths occur in the neonatal period and most can be prevented with quality newborn care. The already vulnerable state of newborns is exacerbated in humanitarian...

Reduced incidence of maternal health conditions associated with the home-based newborn care intervention package in Rural Gadchiroli, India: a 13 years before – after comparison

Background To evaluate the association between home-based neonatal care interventions and the incidence of maternal health conditions as well as to estimate the longitudinal trend of the incidence of maternal health conditions over 13 years in 39 villages of the field program area of the of home-based neonatal care from rural Gadchiroli, India. Methods This was a before-after comparative analysis of a program implemented in thirty-nine villages in Gadchiroli, India. The home-based newborn care interventions were incrementally introduced during the field trial (1995 – 1998) and continued as a service program until 2008. Over thirteen years (1995–2008), pregnant women were recruited and followed up from the seventh month of pregnancy to 28 days postpartum by trained female community health workers who made antenatal, natal and post-natal home visits, provided health education to mothers for behavior change, managed normal and sick neonates as well as encouraged seeking medical care when necessary. They recorded maternal symptoms and signs, which a physician supervisor verified. Based on these symptoms and signs, a computer algorithm diagnosed 20 different maternal health conditions. The incidence of these conditions in the first year (1995-96) was compared with the intervention’s last two years (2006 - 2008). Result The mean coverage of home-based newborn care, assessed on eight indicators, increased from 48.5% in 1995 – 96 to 87.1% in 2006 – 08. The proportion of women with any maternal health conditions during pregnancy reduced by 44.76% (P&lt;0.001), during labor by 44.59% (P &lt;0.001) and during the postpartum period by 77.82% (P&lt;0.001). The mean number of maternal conditions per 100 women reduced by 69% (P&lt;0.001). The need for emergency obstetric care was reduced by 78.83% (P&lt;0.001). The proportion of women free of any maternal health condition increased from 32.9 % to 64.6 %. Conclusions Home-based neonatal care interventions were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of maternal health conditions. Developing a dedicated package of home-based maternal care in combination with neonatal care may further improve maternal health.

Household Survey Measurement of Newborn Postnatal Care: Coverage, Quality Gaps, and Internal Inconsistencies in Responses.

Reliable measurement of newborn postnatal care is essential to understand gaps in coverage and quality and thereby improve outcomes. This study examined gaps in coverage and measurement of newborn postnatal care in the first 2 days of life. We analyzed Demographic and Health Survey data from 15 countries for 71,366 births to measure the gap between postnatal contact coverage and content coverage within 2 days of birth. Coverage was a contact with the health system in the first 2 days (postnatal check or newborn care intervention), and quality was defined as reported receipt of 5 health worker-provided interventions. We examined internal consistency between interrelated questions regarding examination of the umbilical cord. Reported coverage of postnatal check ranged from 13% in Ethiopia to 78% in Senegal. Report of specific newborn care interventions varied widely by intervention within and between countries. Quality-coverage gaps were high, ranging from 26% in Malawi to 89% in Burundi. We found some internally inconsistent reporting of newborn care. The percentage of women who reported that a health care provider checked their newborn's umbilical cord but responded "no" to the postnatal check question was as high as 16% in Malawi. Reliable measurement of coverage and content of early postnatal newborn care is essential to track progress in improving quality of care. Postnatal contact coverage is challenging to measure because it may be difficult for women to distinguish postnatal care from intrapartum care and it is a less recognizable concept than antenatal care. Co-coverage measures may provide a useful summary of contact and content, reflecting both coverage and an aspect of quality.

Incidence and predictors of preterm neonatal mortality at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in South Western Uganda.

Preterm neonatal mortality contributes substantially to the high neonatal mortality globally. In Uganda, preterm neonatal mortality accounts for 31% of all neonatal deaths. Previous studies have shown variability in mortality rates by healthcare setting. Also, different predictors influence the risk of neonatal mortality in different populations. Understanding the predictors of preterm neonatal mortality in the low-resource setting where we conducted our study could guide the development of interventions to improve outcomes for preterm neonates. We thus aimed to determine the incidence and predictors of mortality among preterm neonates born at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in South Western Uganda. We prospectively enrolled 538 live preterm neonates born at MRRH from October 2019 to September 2020. The neonates were followed up until death or 28 days, whichever occurred first. We used Kaplan Meier survival analysis to describe preterm neonatal mortality and Cox proportional hazards regression to assess predictors of preterm neonatal mortality over a maximum of 28 days of follow up. The cumulative incidence of preterm neonatal mortality was 19.8% (95% C.I: 16.7-23.5) at 28 days from birth. Birth asphyxia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 14.80; 95% CI: 5.21 to 42.02), not receiving kangaroo mother care (aHR, 9.50; 95% CI: 5.37 to 16.78), delayed initiation of breastfeeding (aHR, 9.49; 95% CI: 2.84 to 31.68), late antenatal care (ANC) booking (aHR, 1.81 to 2.52; 95% CI: 1.11 to 7.11) and no ANC attendance (aHR, 3.56; 95% CI: 1.51 to 8.43), vaginal breech delivery (aHR, 3.04; 95% CI: 1.37 to 5.18), very preterm births (aHR, 3.17; 95% CI: 1.24 to 8.13), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (aHR, 2.50; 95% CI: 1.11 to 5.64) and hypothermia at the time of admission to the neonatal unit (aHR, 1.98; 95% CI: 1.18 to 3.33) increased the risk of preterm neonatal mortality. Attending more than 4 ANC visits (aHR, 0.35; 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.96) reduced the risk of preterm neonatal mortality. We observed a high cumulative incidence of mortality among preterm neonates born at a low-resource regional referral hospital in Uganda. The predictors of mortality among preterm neonates were largely modifiable factors occurring in the prenatal, natal and postnatal period (lack of ANC attendance, late ANC booking, vaginal breech delivery, birth asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome, and hypothermia at the time of admission to the neonatal unit, not receiving kangaroo mother care and delayed initiation of breastfeeding). These findings suggest that investment in and enhancement of ANC attendance, intrapartum care, and the feasible essential newborn care interventions by providing the warm chain through kangaroo mother care, encouraging early initiation of breastfeeding, timely resuscitation for neonates when indicated and therapies reducing the incidence and severity of RDS could improve outcomes among preterm neonates in this setting.

Impact of early kangaroo mother care versus standard care on survival of mild-moderately unstable neonates

BackgroundUnderstanding the effect of early kangaroo mother care on survival of mild-moderately unstable neonates <2000 g is a high-priority evidence gap for small and sick newborn care.MethodsThis non-blinded pragmatic randomised clinical trial was conducted at the only teaching hospital in The Gambia. Eligibility criteria included weight <2000g and age 1–24 h with exclusion if stable or severely unstable. Neonates were randomly assigned to receive either standard care, including KMC once stable at >24 h after admission (control) versus KMC initiated <24 h after admission (intervention). Randomisation was stratified by weight with twins in the same arm. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 28 postnatal days, assessed by intention to treat analysis. Secondary outcomes included: time to death; hypothermia and stability at 24 h; breastfeeding at discharge; infections; weight gain at 28d and admission duration. The trial was prospectively registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03555981).FindingsRecruitment occurred from 23rd May 2018 to 19th March 2020. Among 1,107 neonates screened for participation 279 were randomly assigned, 139 (42% male [n = 59]) to standard care and 138 (43% male [n = 59]) to the intervention with two participants lost to follow up and no withdrawals. The proportion dying within 28d was 24% (34/139, control) vs. 21% (29/138, intervention) (risk ratio 0·84, 95% CI 0·55 – 1·29, p = 0·423). There were no between-arm differences for secondary outcomes or serious adverse events (28/139 (20%) for control and 30/139 (22%) for intervention, none related). One-third of intervention neonates reverted to standard care for clinical reasons.InterpretationThe trial had low power due to halving of baseline neonatal mortality, highlighting the importance of implementing existing small and sick newborn care interventions. Further mortality effect and safety data are needed from varying low and middle-income neonatal unit contexts before changing global guidelines.

Distance to available services for newborns at facilities in Malawi: A secondary analysis of survey and health facility data

BackgroundMalawi has halved the neonatal mortality rate between 1990–2018, however, is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 12 per 1,000 live births. Despite a high facility birth rate (91%), mother-newborn dyads may not remain in facilities long enough to receive recommended care and quality of care improvements are needed to reach global targets. Physical access and distance to health facilities remain barriers to quality postnatal care.MethodsUsing data We used individual data from the 2015–16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey and facility data from the 2013–14 Malawi Service Provision Assessment, linking households to all health facilities within specified distances and travel times. We calculated service readiness scores for facilities to measure their capacity to provide birth/newborn care services. We fitted multi-level regression models to evaluate the association between the service readiness and appropriate newborn care (receiving at least five of six interventions).ResultsHouseholds with recent births (n = 6010) linked to a median of two birth facilities within 5–10 km and one facility within a two-hour walk. The maximum service environment scores for linked facilities median was 77.5 for facilities within 5–10 km and 75.5 for facilities within a two-hour walk. While linking to one or more facilities within 5-10km or a two-hour walk was not associated with appropriate newborn care, higher levels of service readiness in nearby facilities was associated with an increased risk of appropriate newborn care.ConclusionsWomen’s choice of nearby facilities and quality facilities is limited. High quality newborn care is sub-optimal despite high coverage of facility birth and some newborn care interventions. While we did not find proximity to more facilities was associated with increased risk of appropriate care, high levels of service readiness was, showing facility birth and improved access to well-prepared facilities are important for improving newborn care.

The Association between a Novel Baby-Friendly Hospital Program and Equitable Support for Breastfeeding in Vietnam.

Background: Rates of early initiation of breastfeeding are low in Southeast Asia, despite evidence that increased initiation of early breastfeeding would lead to better long-term infant and child health and decrease inequities in long-term health and well-being. In response, a novel performance-based, baby-friendly hospital program designates hospitals that adhere to evidence-based early essential newborn care (EENC) and breastfeeding interventions as Centers of Excellence for Breastfeeding (COE). This study examined whether hospital participation in the program was associated with better breastfeeding outcomes. Methods: Hospitals (n = 28) were invited into the program in December 2018. Hospitals developed an improvement plan for promoting a breastfeeding-friendly environment and meeting the standards of the COE accreditation process and were enrolled on a rolling basis over the course of a year. Post-partum surveys were conducted with parents (n = 9585) from January 2019 through April 2020 to assess their breastfeeding and post-partum experience. Segmented regression models were used to assess how breastfeeding outcomes evolved before and after hospital enrollment in the COE program. Results: Enrollment was associated with a 6 percentage-point (95% CI: 3, 9) increase in the level of early initiation of breastfeeding, which continued to increase in the post-enrollment period, and a 5 percentage-point (95% CI: 2, 9) increase in the level of exclusive breastfeeding during hospital stay. We did not observe evidence that enrollment was immediately associated with receipt of lactation counseling or exclusive breastfeeding at survey time. Conclusion: The prevalence of early and exclusive breastfeeding increased after enrollment in the COE program, suggesting that the program has the potential to improve breastfeeding initiation rates and longer-term child health and well-being. Further research should be conducted to examine whether the program has an impact on the overall duration of breastfeeding.

Equity in newborn care, evidence from national surveys in low- and middle-income countries

BackgroundHigh coverage of care is essential to improving newborn survival; however, gaps exist in access to timely and appropriate newborn care between and within countries. In high mortality burden settings, health inequities due to social and economic factors may also impact on newborn outcomes. This study aimed to examine equity in co-coverage of newborn care interventions in low- and low middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.MethodsWe analysed secondary data from recent Demographic and Health Surveys in 16 countries. We created a co-coverage index of five newborn care interventions. We examined differences in coverage and co-coverage of newborn care interventions by country, place of birth, and wealth quintile. Using multilevel logistic regression, we examined the association between high co-coverage of newborn care (4 or 5 interventions) and social determinants of health.ResultsCoverage and co-coverage of newborn care showed large between- and within-country gaps for home and facility births, with important inequities based on individual, family, contextual, and structural factors. Wealth-based inequities were smaller amongst facility births compared to non-facility births.ConclusionThis analysis underlines the importance of facility birth for improved and more equitable newborn care. Shifting births to facilities, improving facility-based care, and community-based or pro-poor interventions are important to mitigate wealth-based inequities in newborn care, particularly in countries with large differences between the poorest and richest families and in countries with very low coverage of care.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on exclusive breastfeeding in non-infected mothers

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has posed several challenges to the provision of newborn nutrition and care interventions including maternal support, breastfeeding and family participatory care. Italy was the first country to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in Europe. One of the measures adopted by the Italian government during COVID-19 pandemic was the total lockdown of the cities with complete confinement at home. We aimed to examine the impact of the lockdown caused by COVID-19 pandemic on exclusive breastfeeding in non-infected mothers.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 204 mother-baby dyads during lockdown (9 March to 8 May 2020) that we compared to previously studied 306 mother-baby dyads admitted during the year 2018. To reduce the possible effect of confounding factors on exclusive breastfeeding, a 1:1 matching was performed by using an automatized procedure of stratification that paired 173 mother-baby dyads. Feeding modality was collected at discharge, 30 and 90 days of newborn’s life. Exclusive breastfeeding was considered when the infant received only breast milk and no other liquids or solids were given with the exception of vitamins, minerals or medicines.ResultsAt discharge 69.4% of infants were exclusively breastfed during lockdown versus 97.7% of control group, 54.3% at 30 days vs 76.3 and 31.8% vs 70.5% at 90 days (p < 0.001). The proportion of breastfeeding remaining exclusive from discharge to 30-day was similar between groups (about 80%), but it was lower in lockdown group than in control cohort (58.5% vs 92.4%, p < 0.001) from 30- to 90-days.ConclusionsLockdown and home confinement led to a decrease of exclusively breastfeeding in the studied population. Considering the timing to shift from exclusive to non-exclusive breastfeeding, differences between study groups were concentrated during hospital stay and from 30- to 90 days of a newborn’s life, confirming that the hospital stay period is crucial in continuing exclusive breastfeeding at least for the first 30 days, but no longer relevant at 90 days of life.

Determinants of neonatal near miss in Australia: A multilevel analysis

BackgroundNeonatal Near Miss (NNM) is a situation where a newborn narrowly survived the neonatal period. It has been hypothesized that identifying factors that contribute to the occurrence of NNM and taking timely interventions could enhance the quality of newborn care. However, there is limited evidence in Australia. This study aimed to identify the determinants of NNM in Australia. MethodsData from the 1973–78 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) were linked with state-based Perinatal Data Collections (PDC) for 3655 mothers and 5526 newborns who were born between 01 January 2007 and 31 December 2015. A newborn was considered as a near miss case if presented with any of the pragmatic criteria (gestational age <32 weeks, birth weight <1500 g, five-minute Apgar score <7) and survived the neonatal period. A multilevel multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify the determinants of NNM. ResultsOf the total 5526 live births included in this study, 95 live births met the criteria for NNM, corresponding to an incidence of 17.2 per 1000 live births. After controlling for potential confounders, maternal age 31–34 years (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.05, 6.30) and 35 years and above (AOR = 4.03; 95% CI: 1.58, 10.31), caesarean section (AOR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.09, 4.57), and gestational hypertension (AOR = 2.63; 95% CI: 1.21, 5.71) increased the odds of NNM. ConclusionInclusion of NNM evaluations into newborn care and early screening and interventions for women who become pregnant at older age and those with pregnancy complications could improve the quality of newborn care and reduce neonatal morbidity.

\u201cTop-down bottom-up\u201d estimation of per capita cost of new-born care interventions in four regions of Ghana: beyond implementation to scalability and sustainability

BackgroundLimited financial, human and material health resources coupled with increasing demand for new-born care services require efficiency in health systems to maximize the available sources for improved health outcomes. Making Every Baby Count Initiative (MEBCI) implemented by local and international partners in 2013 in Ghana aimed at attaining neonatal mortality of 21 per 1000 livebirths by 2018 in four administrative regions in Ghana. MEBCI interventions benefited 4027 health providers, out of which 3453 (86%) were clinical healthcare staff.ObjectiveDetermine the per capita cost of the MEBCI interventions towards enhancing new-born care best practices through capacity trainings for frontline clinical and non-clinical staff.MethodsParameters for determining per capita cost of the new-born care interventions were estimated using expenditure on trainings, supervisions, monitoring and evaluation, advocacy, administrative/services and medical logistics. Data collection started in October 2017 and ended in September 2018. Data sources for the per capita cost estimations were invoices, expense reports and ledger books at the national, regional and district levels of the health system.ResultsTotal of 4027 healthcare providers benefited from the MEBCI training activities comprising of 3453 clinical staff and 574 non-clinical personnel. Cumulative cost of implementing the MEBCI interventions did not necessarily match the cost per capita in staff capacity building; average cost per capita for all staff (clinical and non-clinical staff) was approximately US$ 982 compared to a per capita cost of US$ 799 for training only core clinical staff. Average cost per capita for all regions was approximately US$ 965 for all staff compared to US$ 777 per capita cost for only clinical staff. Per capita cost of training was relatively lower in regions with more staff than regions with lower numbers, perhaps due to economies of scale.ConclusionThe MEBCI intervention had a wide coverage in terms of training for frontline healthcare providers albeit the associated cost may be potentially unsustainable for Ghana’s health system. Emerging digital training platforms could be leveraged to reduce per capita cost of training. Large-scale on-site batch-training approach could also be replaced with facility-based workshops using training of trainers (TOTs) approach to promote efficiency.