Determinants of timing, adequacy and quality of antenatal care in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study using demographic and health surveys data.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care (ANC) is a recommended intervention to lessen maternal and neonatal mortality. The increased rate in ANC coverage in most Sub-Saharan African countries is not considerably reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality. This disconnection has raised concerns to study further the trend and determinants of the ANC timing and quality. We aimed to assess the determinants and trend of the timing, the adequacy and the quality of antenatal care in Rwanda. METHOD: A population-based cross-sectional study design. We used data from the 2010,2015 and 2020 Rwanda demographic and health surveys (RDHS). The study included 18,034 women aged 15-49 years. High quality ANC is when a woman had her first ANC visit within 3 months of pregnancy, had 4 or more ANC visits, received services components of ANC during the visits by a skilled provider. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess the ANC (timing and adequacy), the quality of the content of ANC services and the associated factors. RESULTS: The uptake of antenatal services increased in the last 15 years. For instance, the uptake of adequate ANC was 2219(36.16%), 2607(44.37%) and 2925(48.58%) respectively for 2010;2015 and 2020 RDHS. The uptake of high quality ANC from 205(3.48%) in 2010 through 510(9.47%) in 2015 to 779(14.99%) in 2020. Women with unwanted pregnancies were less likely to have timely first ANC (aOR:0.76;95%CI:0.68,0.85) compared to planned pregnancies, they were also less likely to achieve a high-quality ANC (aOR: 0.65;95%CI:0.51,0.82) compared to the planned pregnancies. Mothers with a secondary and higher education were 1.5 more likely to achieve a high-quality ANC (aOR:1.50;95%CI:1.15,1.96) compared to uneducated mothers. Increasing maternal age is associated with reduced odds of update of ANC component services (aOR:0.44;95%CI:0.25,0.77) for 40 years and above when referred to teen mothers). CONCLUSION: Low-educated mothers, advanced maternal age, and unintended pregnancies are the vulnerable groups that need to be targeted in order to improve ANC-related indicators. One of the credible measures to close the gap is to strengthen health education, promote family planning, and promote service utilization.

Association between adequacy of antenatal care and neonatal outcomes in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study design using the Rwanda demographic and health surveys.

BACKGROUND: Maternal and neonatal health services are life-saving interventions for neonatal health outcomes. As Rwanda endeavors to accomplish sustainable development goals, adequate ANC is essential to lessen of neonatal mortality. The utilization of ANC continues to be inadequate and high neonatal mortality rate persevere in Rwanda. Understanding the direct and indirect factors that affect newborn health outcomes is necessary for well-targeted interventions. However, few studies had been conducted in Rwanda to evaluate the importance of ANC in improving neonatal health. This study therefore assessed the association between ANC and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) are household surveys that are cross-sectional, nationally representative, and used to collect data on population, health, and nutrition. Data from the 2010,2015 and 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Surveys (RDHS) were used. The study involved 17,747 women between the ages of 15 and 49 who had a single live birth and at least one ANC visit in five years prior to each survey. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression, a survey adjusted for clusters at multiple level, and the estimation of adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals were used to evaluate the relationship between the outcome and independent variables. RESULTS: Out of 17,747 women ;7638(42.91%) of the mothers had adequate ANC visits and low birth weight (LBW) was found among 833(4.63%) neonates. The birth of a LBW baby (aOR:4.64;95%CI:3.19,6.74) was directly related to increased odds of neonatal death. Mothers aged 20-34 years (aOR:0.40; 95%CI:0.20,0.81), a preceding birth interval of 24months or greater (aOR:0.41:95%CI:0.28,0.60), baby being female (aOR:0.72; 95%CI:0.54,0.96), having adequate ANC visits (aOR:0.64;95% CI:0.46,0.89) and the birth order of the newborn being ranked second or third (aOR:0.60; 95%CI:0.38,0.95) were negatively associated with neonatal death. CONCLUSION: Health education programs targeting teen and primigravida mothers should be encouraged. Among the newborn survival interventions, addressing short birth intervals and the effective management of LBW cases should be explored. The findings confirm the fundamental importance of adequate ANC in the neonatal survival.

Association between quality antenatal care and low birth weight in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study design using the Rwanda demographic and health surveys data.

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight (LBW) is an important factor influencing infant morbidity and mortality. Pregnant women should receive a variety of interventions during antenatal care (ANC) that are crucial in improving birth weight. ANC visits alone do not promise that women have received all recommended antenatal services. However, there are limited evidence of the relationship between ANC quality and LBW in Rwanda. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the association between quality ANC and LBW along with the factors influencing LBW and how quality ANC affects LBW in Rwandan pregnant women. METHODS: The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) are cross-sectional, nationally representative household surveys that collect population, health, and nutrition. In this Study we used three waves of Rwanda Demographic and Health Surveys 2010,2014-5 and 2019-20. A total of 16,144 women aged 15 to 49 years who had live births in the five years preceding each survey were included in this study. A stratified two-stage sampling methods was used to select the participants. The first stage involves selecting clusters (villages) from a list of all clusters in the country. The second stage involves selecting households within each cluster. A survey adjusted for clusters at multiple level and a bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios(aOR) and 95% confidence intervals to assess the association between the outcome and independent variables. RESULTS: The utilization of a high-quality ANC increased slightly over the three survey years and LBW had a slow decline. Out of 5813 women;201(3.45%) had high-quality ANC in the 2010 survey, and out of 5813 newborns,180(3.10%) were LBW. Out of 5404 women;492(9.11%) had high-quality ANC in 2015, and out of 5404 newborns,151(2.79% were LBW). Out of 5203 women,776(14.92%) had high-quality ANC in the 2020 survey year, and out of the 5206 newborns,139(2.67%) were LBW. In multivariable analysis, at a borderline limit high quality ANC was negatively associated with LBW(aOR:0.67;95%CI:0.43,1.05) compared to low-quality ANC. Higher birth orders of the newborn were negatively associated with LBW (aOR:0.63;95%CI:0.49,0.82 and aOR:0.44;95%CI:0.32,0.61 for 2nd -3rd and 4th and above respectively) compared to 1st orders newborn. Newborns from rich households were less likely to experience LBW than those from poor households (aOR:0.71;95%CI:0.55,0.91). Female newborns were associated with an increase of LBW (aOR:1.43;95% CI:1.18,1.73) than male newborns. CONCLUSION: The findings confirm the fundamental importance of a high-quality ANC on LBW. The findings could be utilized to develop monitoring strategies and assess pregnancy health assistance programs with a focus on LBW reduction.

Patterns and Determinants of the Double Burden of Malnutrition Among Adolescents: A 14-Year Follow-Up of a Birth Cohort in Rural China.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition and its associated factors among adolescents in rural China. STUDY DESIGN: A birth cohort of adolescents born to women in northwestern China who participated in a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy from August 2002 to January 2006 was enrolled. Follow-up was conducted from June to December 2016. RESULTS: A total of 2115 participants were analyzed (median age 12 years; IQR ± 1), the majority of whom were male (59.7%). The nutritional status distribution was 17.72% underweight, 8.62% overweight, 0.96% obese, and 2.58% stunted. Girls were less likely to be overweight/obese (relative risk ratio [RRR] 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.92) but more likely to be underweight (RRR 1.65, 95% CI 1.25-2.17) or stunted (RRR 2.26, 95% CI 1.21-4.22). Children of underweight mothers (RRR 1.63, 95% CI 1.19-2.25) with a history of small for gestational age (RRR 1.64, 95% CI 1.14-2.36) or described as being a "picky eater" (RRR 1.53, 95% CI 1.18-1.99) had a greater risk of being underweight. Children whose fathers' education was primary or below (RRR 2.25, 95% CI 1.11-4.59), with maternal height <150.1 cm (RRR 2.46, 95% CI 1.12-5.39), or who had mothers with underweight (RRR 2.80, 95% CI 1.37-5.72) had a greater likelihood of stunting. Overweight/obesity was associated with high and middle household wealth (RRR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14-2.32), mothers with overweight (RRR 1.86, 95% CI 1.25-2.78), and picky eating (RRR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition (undernutrition and overweight/obesity) is common in rural Chinese adolescents and is associated with perinatal, genetic, and economic conditions.

The impact of early-life antibiotics and probiotics on gut microbial ecology and infant health outcomes: a Pregnancy and Birth Cohort in Northwest China (PBCC) study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Unreasonable use of antibiotics and probiotics can alter the gut ecology, leading to antibiotic resistance and suboptimal health outcomes during early life. Our study aims are to clarify the association among antibiotic and probiotic exposure in early life, the microecology of the gut microbiota, and the development of antibiotic resistance; to investigate the long-term impact of antibiotics and probiotics on the health outcomes of infants and young children; and to provide a theoretical basis for the rational use of antibiotics and probiotics from a life course perspective. METHODS: The study is a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort study conducted in Shaanxi Province, China from 2018 to 2024. A total of 3,000 eligible mother-child pairs will be enrolled from rural, suburban, and urban areas. The recruitment of the participants begins at pregnancy, and the newborns will be followed up for 2 years at successive timepoints: within 3 days after birth, 42 days after birth, and at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Sociodemographic data, environmental exposures, dietary patterns, psychological conditions, and medical and drug histories are collected. Cognitive and behavioural development among infants and young children and questionnaires on antibiotic knowledge and behaviour among caregivers will be collected at 12 and 24 months of age. The faecal samples are collected and analysed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for antibiotic resistance genes. DISCUSSION: The findings will inform antibiotic and probiotic use for pregnant women and infants and contribute to establishing rational use strategies of antibiotics and probiotics for paediatricians, health practitioners, and drug administration policy-makers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) platform, http://www.chictr.org.cn (Record ID: ChiCTR2100047531, June 20, 2021).

Unraveling the Microbial Symphony: Impact of Antibiotics and Probiotics on Infant Gut Ecology and Antibiotic Resistance in the First Six Months of Life.

We aimed to examine the effects of antibiotic and probiotic usage on the gut microbiota structure and the presence of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in infants during the first six months of life. Questionnaires and fecal samples were collected within three days of birth, two months, and six months to assess antibiotic and probiotic exposure. Gut microbiotas were sequenced via 16S rRNA, and ARGs were conducted by qPCR, including beta-lactam (mecA, blaTEM), tetracycline (tetM), fluoroquinolone (qnrS), aminoglycoside (aac(6')-Ib), and macrolide (ermB). Infants were categorized by antibiotic and probiotic usage and stratified by delivery mode, microbial composition, and ARG abundances were compared, and potential correlations were explored. A total of 189 fecal samples were analyzed in this study. The gut microbiota diversity (Chao1 index) was significantly lower in the "only probiotics" (PRO) group compared to the "neither antibiotics nor probiotics" (CON) group at six months for the CS stratification (p = 0.029). Compositionally, the abundance of core genus Bifidobacterium_pseudocatenulatum was less abundant for the antibiotic during delivery (IAP) group than that in the CON group within the first three days (p = 0.009), while core genus Enterococcus_faecium was more abundant in the PRO than that in the CON group (p = 0.021) at two months. ARGs were highly detected, with Enterococcus hosting tetM and Escherichia associated with blaTEM within three days of birth, though no correlation was found between Bifidobacterium and ARGs. These findings emphasized the critical importance of carefully managing antibiotic and probiotic exposures in early life, with implications for promoting lifelong health through preserving a healthy infant gut ecosystem.