ABSTRACT Background: The word “placenta” is a Latin word and the Greek equivalent word is “Plakons” meaning “flat cake on a plate”. The placenta is a fascinating organ of foetal origin; It plays a pivotal mediatory role during pregnancy by being intimately connected to the mother and foetus. Objectives: To explore the effects of the morphology of the placenta and associated maternal factors on foetal birth outcome in Dodoma region, Tanzania. Design: A cross-sectional study. Method...
ABSTRACT Background: It is estimated that, 25% of neonatal deaths is due to birth asphyxia, as may lead to permanent injury of the brain. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the major three cause of neonatal death are infection 39%, birth asphyxia 24% and preterm birth 25%. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of birth asphyxia among neonate delivered in hospitals, in Zanzibar. Method: A matched case control study was used, 107 neonates were cases and 321 controls. Purposive sampling was ...
ABSTRACT Background: Unacceptable high maternal mortality rates remain a major challenge in many low income countries. Early detection and management of antenatal risk factors are critical for improved maternal and infant outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of the interactive messaging alert system in improving knowledge of obstetric danger signs, Antenatal care service utilization, individual birth preparedness and complication readiness (IBPACR) among pregnant wom...
ABSTRACT Background: Tanzania is among the countries with a high maternal mortality rate worldwide. This burden is said to be contributed by the delay in accessing health care services largely due to failure in recognizing the obstetric danger signs. Objective: To assess the knowledge as a predictor of timely response to pregnancy danger signs and the associated obstetric outcome among high risk post-delivery women in Dodoma region. Methods: A cross sectional study of 289 high risk post-del...
ABSTRACT Background: There is no other better way proven to safeguard an infant's health in the first six months of life than exclusive breastfeeding. Mother's breast milk is valuable in all aspects of an infant's physical and mental growth as well as immune development. This study assessed factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding among lactating mothers infected with HIV and its associated health outcomes of infants. Method: A hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducte...
ABSTRACT Background: Although modern obstetrics have made child birth remarkably safe from life threatening event in the western world, there are still some challenges in the middle income countries including Tanzania. This study intended to determine the association between Female Genital Mutilation and the perineal injury among Laboring women in Dodoma. Methods: A matched case-control study of 364 random selected laboring women was conducted in three districts and one Regional hospital. C...
Abstract Background: Unacceptably high maternal and perinatal mortality remain a major challenge in many low income countries. Early detection and management of danger signs through improved access to maternal services is highly needed for better maternal and infant outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of an interactive mobile messaging alert system on improving knowledge on danger signs, birth preparedness and complication readiness practices among pregnant women in...
ABSTRACT Background: Maternal and Perinatal Deaths Review and Surveillance (MPDSR) is a technical system which was issued by the World Health Organization in 2013 to help developing countries improve maternal health. The major purpose of the system was to reduce the ongoing high numbers of maternal deaths and perinatal deaths from avertable causes. Tanzania adopted MPDSR system in 2015. The system was intended to generate useful information by ensuring that all pregnancy related deaths of wo...
ABSTRACT Background: Stillbirth is a silent traumatic canker that is a major concern of various individuals, health institutions, and the country as a whole. All over the world researchers are fighting tooth and nail to unravel the mystery surrounding the high prevalence of stillbirths. This study was carried out in Pwani region with the aim of finding the predictors associated with stillbirth among post-delivery mothers. Methods: A matched case-control study with a ratio of 1:2, conducted in...
ABSTRACT Background: Assessing the influence of fear during pregnancy, labour and delivery on birth outcome among women is very important. Normally women experience happiness, satisfaction and self-fulfilment but some may feel some changes and may develop fear which maycause maternal and neonatal complications. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of fear during pregnancy, labour and delivery on birth outcome among post-delivery women in Zanzibar. Methods: This was a m...
ABSTRACT Background: Severe preeclampsia disorder is more dominance in low and middle income countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa severe preeclampsia remains a major public health problem which contributes to 500/100,000 of maternal mortality. There is no published study conducted in Zanzibar on severe preeclampsia and fetal outcome This study, entitled to determine the risk factors of severe preeclampsia and its influences on fetal outcome among post delivery women in Zanzibar. Methods: A hospit...
ABSTRACT Background: Mara region is among the regions in Tanzania reported to have high maternal mortality ratios. Antenatal care services which are considered to prevent maternal deaths are under-utilized and the factors associated with under-utilization are not explained. Therefore, this study aimed to use the health belief model and self-determination theory to explain ANC services utilization among postnatal women in Mara Region. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study involving...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Globally, by 2015 the maternal mortality ratio is estimated to be 216 per 100,000 live births. In Tanzania was approximately 556 per 100,000 live births; the leading cause was PPH approximately 25% of maternal deaths and uterine atony contributes 70% of PPH. These show that there are some limitations of knowledge and skills level on AMTSL among health care providers for prevention of PPH as it prevented more than 60% of PPH. Objectives: Assessment of knowledge and ski...
Abstract Informal training on approaching road traffic injuries has become increasingly important in strengthening health care provision in pre-hospital care. Despite, evidencebased practice on formal training for emergency care, as well as health policy in Tanzania on addressing those issues. Informal training is not anymore implemented in routine practice especially for first responders like commercial motorcyclists to address road traffic injuries. Study involved two hundred fifty two par...
ABSTRACT Background: The use of modern family planning is a vital intervention in averting maternal deaths, despite of this fact, 279 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births were reported in Mara region between 2015 and 2019 reported in 2020. Region leads in intimate partner violence practice by 78%. It is reported that, married women who experience intimate partner violence in Mara region are less likely to use modern family planning methods. This study aimed at assessing the influence of i...