Landscape Analysis of Community Resilience to Disasters by Addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Gaibandha and Satkhira Districts

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, which has a huge impact on maternal and child health. This study analyzed community resilience to disasters by addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights of the disaster-affected vulnerable population in Gaibandha and Satkhira districts. Following a mixed-method approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods attempted to sketch a holistic picture of socioeconomic and health stresses associated with disaster-related shocks and of people's decision-making processes and actions towards disaster resilience, with crucial attention to sexual and reproductive health care services.

The Effect of e-Registration and mHealth on Institutional Deliveries in the Hazard-Prone Areas of Southern Bangladesh: An Open-Label Two-Arm Nonrandomized Controlled Cluster Trial

Increasing facility delivery is mandatory to reach the goal of bringing down the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to 70 deaths/100,000 live births by 2030. In the era of digitalization, the introduction of e-Registration and mHealth may aid the Government of Bangladesh to reach this target. The Southern part of Bangladesh is a hazard-prone area and service uptake from the institution is lower here. This study aimed to determine the effect of an e-registration tracking system and mHealth counseling on institutional deliveries to pregnant mothers in hazard-prone areas of Southern Bangladesh.

Social Determinants of Antenatal Depression among Women in Rural Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study 

Perinatal mental health is recognised as a global health issue, with approximately 10% of pregnant women and 13% who have just given birth experiencing some sort of mental health condition worldwide, particularly depression. Literature focuses on the postnatal period, whereas studies suggest that approximately two-thirds of depression presents antenatally. Antenatal depression has negative impacts on the mother and child, such as suicidal ideations, low birthweight, and impaired fetal development. The prevalence of antenatal depression in Bangladesh has been found to be higher, ranging from 18% to 33%. There is a paucity of research investigating the social determinants of antenatal depression in rural Bangladesh. This study aims to determine the prevalence and social determinants of antenatal depression in rural Sylhet, Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Maternal Aid Association (MAA).

Service Loss during COVID-19 for Maternal Health and Immunization Services in Bangladesh 

The indirect effect of the COVID-19 pandemic upon mortality has been poorly monitored in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Bangladesh, and the concern is that it might, indeed, be substantial. In this context, our objective was to quantify and explore support for the extent of service loss in routine immunization and preventive maternal health care services from health sector facilities in Bangladesh due to the COVID-19 pandemic.