Targeting Postnatal Care to Mothers and Babies Most at Risk: Factors that Increase the Risk of Poor Outcomes in the Postnatal Period Identified through a Scoping Review

Maternal and newborn deaths in the early postnatal period can be averted with the provision of timely, quality, postnatal care including postnatal home visits from community health workers (CHWs). Yet in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), coverage of early, postnatal home visits (within the first 72 hours of life) has been hampered by underresourced and overburdened CHW cadres. A targeted postnatal care (PNC) approach that prioritizes home visits to mother-baby dyads with identified risk factors could optimize limited resources. This study sought to determine the key risk factors that predict poor outcomes for mothers and newborns in LMICs during the postnatal period.

Effect of Community-Based Interventions on Preventing Stillbirths in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): A Mixed-Method Systematic Review and Meta-analysis 

Globally, there were two million stillbirths in 2019; 98% occurred in low-middle-income countries. The burden was highest in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) despite efforts to reduce the incidence. We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the types, effectiveness, and acceptability of community-based interventions for preventing stillbirths in SSA.

Vulnerable Newborn Types: Analysis of Subnational, Population-Based Birth Cohorts for 541,285 Live Births in 23 Countries, 2000 to 2021 

Preterm and small newborns are at higher risk for mortality and long-term adverse health outcomes. Yet there are major gaps in global and national systems to measure and track the prevalence of newborn outcomes, especially in countries without strong national data systems. Currently, estimates for prevalence of low birthweight and preterm are produced separately, and these ignore important contributions of small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA). Absence of a unified classification system to estimate prevalence of detailed newborn outcomes presents challenges for effectively targeting policies and programs. We described the prevalence of newborn types among live births and assessed data quality using subnational, population-based birth cohorts.

Which Low- and Middle-Income Countries Have Midwife-Led Birthing Centres and What Are the Main Characteristics of These Centres? A Scoping Review and Scoping Survey 

Evidence about the benefits of midwife-led care during childbirth has led to midwife-led settings being recommended for women with uncomplicated pregnancies. However, most of the research on this topic comes from high-income countries. Relatively little is known about the availability and feasibility of midwife-led birthing centres (MLBCs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to identify which LMICs have MLBCs, and to document their main characteristics. It is the first part of a project that will document "what works" and "why" for MLBCs in LMICs.