Introduction: Implementation of Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) aims to curb maternal mortality. However, the Philippines failed to significantly reduce the maternal mortality rate (MMR) targeted in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Currently, the country is still far from the targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review describes the historical development of BEmONC in the Philippines over the past 13 years and provides insights on its role in decreasing MMR. Methods: We searched online for journal articles, publications, reports, policies, and other issuances related to BEmONC and maternal health in the Philippines. We accessed updates and data via correspondence with the Department of Health (DOH). Statistics were compiled from public databases. The identified citations were screened, appraised, synthesized, and analyzed in a historical approach. Results: A direct result of the Emergency Obstetric Care Approach, BEmONC was developed to respond to the high MMR in the Philippines, in line with global efforts to improve maternal health. However, BEmONC functionality generally remained inadequate. Conclusions Although the provision of BEmONC services increased facility-based deliveries and skilled birth attendance during childbirth, this failed to decrease MMR and achieve targeted goals substantially. Further capacity-building is needed, especially in rural and resource-poor areas. Government issuances at the national and local levels should be aligned to complement each other. There should be a health systems approach that considers the building blocks of an efficient health care system and the social determinants that impact them.
Maternal Health Services ; Maternal Mortality

Objectives: To A functioning referral system is critical to the maternal health program, especially in the management of obstetric emergencies. This study explored supply-side barriers affecting the effective implementation of the said service delivery network (SDN) in Legazpi, Albay in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. Methods: Face-to-face in-depth interviews using semi-structured questionnaires were performed with health care providers involved in the SDN in Albay. Extensive note taking was done by the primary investigator while participants were observed during performance of duties from June - November 2018. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and analyzed thematically along with the observation notes using NVivo. A deductive-dominant approach was utilized for the data content analysis. Results: Referral system barriers identified were cross-cutting across the different components of the health system such as governance, human health resource, service delivery and information systems. The barriers were further classified into individual, organizational and external-related factors in relation to the SDN. Examples of barriers included lack of knowledge of protocols and guidelines, lack of coordination between facilities, poor data management, inadequate capacity building opportunities, and constantly changing political landscape and policies. Conclusions The study is the first to explore barriers to effective service delivery network in maternal health in the country. Findings from the study provide significant insight to areas of improvement in the SDN that must be addressed to strengthen local health systems, especially with the country’s movement towards Universal Health Care where local health systems play a key role.
Maternal Health Services ; Referral and Consultation

Introduction: This action research aimed to make a context-specific and gender-sensitive interventions. Intervention activities was participatory to decrease the barriers to the use of maternal care and family planning (MCFP) services by the disadvantaged Kinh people and Catu ethnic minority people in the mountainous area of Nam Dong District in Central Vietnam. Intervention also aimed to improve communal MCFP services prioritized to training effective communication skills for communal health centers' staff and village health workers. Methods: 2 surveys were conducted before and after intervention among 7 poor communes using a random sample of total 840 mothers with at least one child under the age of 5 years. These data were supplemented by interviews with key informants, focus group discussions and observations. Statistical tests and measurement of effective index (EI) were used in data analysis. Results: - Women having ANC and delivery at local MCFP service were increasing 97.6% and 50% in year 2005 as compared with 86.9% and 31% respectively in year 2003. Midwives paid much attention to non-verbal communication as well as to counseling using demonstrative pictures. - There were a clear evidence of significantly increasing the mother's knowledge of MCFP such as local MCFP service availability, benefit of ANC (p<0.001) supported by performing many different communication channels (safe motherhood talks, village safe motherhood clubs, mass media of video-cassette using Catu speaking language, safe motherhood integration in traditional festival, campaign etc. - There was only statistically significant increase of inject able contraceptive ( EI=58.14%). The number of mothers having ANC>=3 times was significantly increasing (EI=11.98%, p<0.01). - The percentage of mothers who delivered at home was slow down to 19.4% as compared with before intervention was 45.2% respectively (EI= 64.20%, p<0.001) Conclusion: Intervention model was considerably successful in using context-specific and gender sensitive approaches. It contributed to meeting an urgent need for the MCFP services to build both clinical capacity and health promotion activities in a way that is gender sensitive, knowledge on of traditional practices and accessible by both illiterate and minority language speaking people.
Maternal Health Services ; Family Planning Services ; Maternal Behavior

This paper focuses on the process measures of quality. As shown in later sections, consensus on appropriate processes for a selected anesthesia- related maternal health service, i.e., pre -anesthetic care is obtained and corresponding input requirements for these processes are identified.
ANESTHESIA, OBSTETRICAL ; MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES ; PATIENT SATISFACTION

Background: Family planning is a critical component of maternal and child health. It ensures proper spacing of children as well as having a target desired number of children. Objective: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices on Family Planning among reproductive age Filipino-Muslim Women. Methodology: It was conducted in tertiary hospital in Northern Mindanao at the Out-Patient Department. Demographic and study data were gathered through a validated questionnaire. Results: Results showed that most Filipino-Muslim Women coming in for prenatal checkup were in their late twenties (28.3%), unemployed, and already with 2 to 4 pregnancies. Associations were tested using Chi Square and significant correlations between patients’ demographic characteristics and their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding family planning. Conclusion The study concludes that there is an association between patients’ age and educational status, and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding family planning. Further studies can be done to establish causation between risk factors and outcomes regarding family planning. A scoring system may be developed in the future classifying mothers as likely or unlikely to practice good family planning, which will allow for targeted family planning counseling.
Family Planning Services ; Maternal Health ; Religion

Female ; Humans ; Maternal Health Services ; Maternal Mortality ; Pregnancy

Child health care and family planning service in Soc Son has been implementing very well. Even though there are different kind of contraceptives have been introduced, number of IUD users account for 69% of total couples using at least one contraceptive method account for 74.3%. Acces to the above mentiones health care services was convinient and meet the needs when require.
Delivery of Health Care ; Maternal Health Services ; Maternal Welfare ; Family Planning Services

Cohort study is an irreplaceable method for studies related to maternal and child health. Compared with other countries, China's maternal and child cohort studies started relatively later but has its unique developing track. This paper summarizes the basic information and characteristics of the maternal and child cohorts with wide and great influence in China in the past 25 years.
Child ; Child Health ; Child Health Services/organization & administration* ; China ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Maternal Health ; Maternal Health Services/organization & administration*

OBJECTIVETo analysis the trend of maternal death time and explore the impact of the variety of death causes and birth place to maternal death time.

METHODSAccording to the data provided by Beijing Maternal and Children Health Hospital, the 372 death cases of pregnant and lying-in women from 1995 to 2010, a retrospective study was performed to analyze the death causes, maternal death time and the influencing factors.

RESULTSThe MMR declined from 27.9 per 100 000 live births from 1995 to 2000 to 14.8 per 100 000 live births from 2006 to 2010, with a decline of 46.9%. Among the maternal death within 24 hours of delivery, 79.7% (106/133) died of obstetric hemorrhage, hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy and amniotic fluid embolism. It took up 47.8% (64/134) from 1995 to 2000, reduced to 37.5% (45/120) from 2006 to 2010. At the same time, the maternal mortality ratio within 24 hours reduced from 40.2%(54/134) to 28.3% (34/120), the variation of death time was consistent with the causes of maternal mortality (χ² = 59.109, P < 0.05). Indirect obstetric causes increased significantly from 2006 to 2010, 53.2% (33/62) of pregnant women with heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and pulmonary embolism died in prenatal or more than 120 hours postnatal. Among the maternal death delved in hospital, 29.0% (29/100) died within 24 hours, 52 cases delved at home or in private clinics, 43 cases (82.6%) died within 24 h postnatal. There were significant differences between birth place and death time (χ² = 24.500, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMaternal death time changed from 24 hours of delivery to prenatal or postnatal a long time. The maternal mortality causes and hospital delivery is an important factor affecting maternal time.

Cause of Death ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal Health Services ; Maternal Mortality ; trends ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; mortality

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of a maternal-child health education program for nurses in Tigray, Ethiopia. METHODS: One-group pre-posttest design was used. The maternal-child health (MCH) education program was given to nurses from 5 health centers in Tigray, Ethiopia. Knowledge and confidence levels were measured before and after each education session. Data were analyzed using paired t-test. RESULTS: The topics of the 5 educational sessions were family planning, antenatal care, care during labor, immunization, and integrated management of neonate, and child illness. Knowledge scores (1st: Z=3.931, p=.001; 2nd: Z=6.189, p<.001; 3rd: Z=5.658, .001, 4th: Z=8.734, .001, 5th: Z=14.167, .001) and confidence levels (1st: Z=8.467, .001; 2nd: Z=4.183, .001; 3rd: Z=4.992, .001) improved significantly. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study imply that the MCH education program for nurses was effective in developing the maternal-child health capacity of the nurses in Tigray, Ethiopia.
Child ; Education ; Education, Nursing ; Ethiopia* ; Family Planning Services ; Health Education* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Health Services