Innovative Tools for Identifying Vulnerable Maternal and Newborn Populations

Sociodemographic and Residential Differences in Maternal Mortality and Causes of Death in Mozambique: Results from a National Sample Vital Registration System for Mortality and Cause of Death

Maternal mortality is an important health indicator for the overall health of a population. This study assessed the differences and causes of maternal deaths in Mozambique in the period of 2019–2020.

Population Segmentation as a Tool to Identify Vulnerable Populations and Prioritize Women's Health Programs 

Encouraging facility-based delivery to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality has been a global health priority for decades. The proportion of women who deliver in health facilities has steadily increased in every region of the world, though gains have not been uniform. In many low- and middle-income countries, women are accustomed, and often prefer, to deliver at home. Identifying what makes certain groups vulnerable and understanding why women deliver at home is critical for customizing interventions to maximize impact. Population segmentation is a tool that allows us to categorize populations into distinct subgroups based on multiple dimensions of vulnerability so we can identify, prioritize, and target specific needs.

Self-Applied Technique for Quality Health (SATH): An Advocacy Tool Developed by CARE Nepal for Improved Maternal and Child Health Services in Nepal 

Poor and marginalized women often face barriers to access health information and services in Nepal. To address this equity gap in health, CARE Nepal introduced a social mapping tool called Self-Applied Technique for Quality Health (SATH) in health mothers' groups. The approach aims to increase women's access to and utilization of health services and information by making health mothers' groups the primary generators of information and encouraging them to take action based on their learning. The tool has been used in more than 3,100 health mothers' groups across 42 districts out of 77 through different projects of CARE Nepal.

Big Babies and Mortality Risk: How to Identify Neonatal Vulnerability? 

Large for gestational age (LGA, >90th centile) and macrosomia (>4,000g regardless of gestational age) have been associated with short-term complications including birth trauma, and long-term conditions such as overweight and obesity. Although big babies are increasingly common globally, there is less focus on the impact of LGA on early mortality. We aimed to examine the prevalence and neonatal mortality risk of term (>37weeks) LGA and macrosomic babies.