Intrauterine growth pattern in Butajira HDSS, Southern Ethiopia: BUNMAP pregnancy cohort.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal fetal growth pattern during pregnancy including excessive fetal size and intrauterine growth restrictions are the major determinants for perinatal outcomes and postnatal growth. Ultrasonography is a useful tool in monitoring fetal growth for appropriate care and interventions. However, there are few longitudinal studies using serial ultrasonography in low and middle-income countries. Moreover, the reference charts used for fetal growth monitoring in low-income countries comes from high income countries with distinct population features. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the intrauterine growth pattern of the fetus using serial ultrasonography. METHODS: We conducted a prospective community-based cohort study from March 2018 to December 2019. Pregnant women with gestational age of 24 weeks or below living in the Butajira HDSS were enrolled. We followed the pregnant women until delivery. Serial ultrasound measurements were taken, and fetal weight was estimated using the Hadlock algorithm based on biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length. The z-scores and percentiles of biometric measurements were calculated and compared to the INTERGROWTH-21st International Standards for Fetal Growth. RESULTS: We reviewed a total of 2055 ultrasound scans and 746 women who fulfill the inclusion criteria were involved". We found similar distribution patterns of biometric measurements and estimated fetal weight compared to the previous study done in Ethiopia, the WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st references. In our study, the 5th,50th and 95th percentiles of estimated fetal weight distribution have a similar pattern to the WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st charts. The 50th and 95th percentile had also a similar distribution pattern with the previous study conducted in Ethiopia. We found that 10% of the fetus were small for gestational age (below the 10th percentile) based on the Z-score of estimated fetal weight. CONCLUSION: Our study evaluated the fetal growth patterns in rural community of Ethiopia using serial ultrasound biometric measurements. We found similar IUG patterns to the WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st reference standards as well as the previous study conducted in Ethiopia.

Antenatal care utilization and compliance with national and WHO guidelines in rural Ethiopia: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal health care utilization has the potential to influence maternal and new-born health. In this study, we assessed compliance of antenatal care utilization with national and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. We also examined association of antenatal care utilization with adverse pregnancy outcomes as secondary outcome. METHODS: This was a community-based cross sectional study conducted from July 2016 to November 2017 in rural south-central Ethiopia. We described antenatal care received by pregnant women, whom we followed at three prescheduled visits during pregnancy and collected birth data at time of delivery. Extent of antenatal care content received, timing of antenatal care, place of antenatal care and place and mode of delivery were obtained and computed in accordance with national and WHO guidelines. For adverse pregnancy outcomes, computed as sum of low birth weight, preterm birth, intrauterine foetal death, and stillbirth, the exposure variable used was antenatal care utilization. RESULTS: Seven hundred and four (704) women participated in the study, and 536 (76.1%) had attended at least one antenatal care visit. Among women who attended antenatal care visit, majority, 421 (79.3%), had done so at health centres and hospitals, while 110 (20.7%) attended at health post. Average number of antenatal care visits was 2.5, which is less than that recommended in national and WHO guidelines. Only 18 (2.6%) women had attended antenatal care in their first trimester, which is low in contrast to the expected 100% specified in the guidelines. Less than half (47%) of the women delivered in a health facility. This is in contrast to the 100% expected health institution deliveries. Low birth weight was 7.9% (n = 48), and preterm birth was 4.9% (n = 31). There were 12 twin pregnancies, three stillbirths, 11 spontaneous abortions, and two intrauterine foetal deaths. We did not find significant association between adverse pregnancy outcomes and antenatal care utilization (COR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.62, 1.86). CONCLUSION: This study showed that antenatal care service utilization in the study area was markedly low compared to that recommended in national and WHO guidelines. The obtained antenatal health care utilization was not associated with the registered adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Enablers and barriers to introduction of obstetrics ultrasound service at primary care facilities in a resource-limited setting: a qualitative study in four regions of Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of eight ANC contacts during pregnancy, of which having one ultrasound examination before 24 weeks of gestation is indicated. Ultrasound plays a significant role in the surveillance and management of high-risk pregnancies. However, the obstetric ultrasound coverage in resource limited settings remains low. Evidence examining the barriers and facilitators to obstetrics ultrasound use in a resource-limited setting like Ethiopia is lacking. This qualitative study explored the facilitators and barriers to introducing obstetric Vscan Access ultrasound in primary health care facilities in Ethiopia. METHODS: The study employed a qualitative descriptive exploratory study design using in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). The study participant were mothers who have had recent birth, community members, maternal and newborn service providers, and their managers. We employed an inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data. RESULT: We conducted a total of ten FGDs, three with community members and seven with maternal and newborn service providers, and 52 IDIs with the service providers and health facility managers. Two major themes, health system related and client-related factors, emerged from the analysis. The health system related enablers include increased knowledge and skill of the providers, improved mothers and providers' motivation, increased service utilization, and improved quality of maternal and newborn care (MNC), and enhanced referral system. The health system related barriers include service interruption, staff shortage/workload, and the providers' limited capacity. Under the main theme of client-related factors, barriers include perceived limited knowledge and skills of providers and the small size of the ultrasound machine while the facilitators include mothers' needs and interest in ultrasound scan, availability of free of charge ultrasound service, and increased demand for ultrasound scan service. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the health system provides an enabling context to introduce limited obstetric ultrasound service and routinely provide the service through mid-level maternal care providers at primary health care level in resource limited settings. Overcoming the health system and client related barriers will maximize and sustain the use of the technology.

Effect of community-based distribution of misoprostol on facility delivery: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Community distribution of misoprostol to pregnant women in advance of labor is one of the compelling strategies for preventing postpartum hemorrhage. Concerns have been reported that misoprostol distribution could reduce facility delivery or lead to misuse of the medication. This scoping review was conducted to synthesize the evidence on the effect of community-based misoprostol distribution on rates of facility delivery, and to assess the frequency of mothers taking distributed misoprostol before delivery, and any harmful outcomes of such misuse. METHODS: We included peer-reviewed articles on misoprostol implementation from PubMed, Cochrane Review Library, Popline, and Google Scholars. Narrative synthesis was used to analyze and interpret the findings, in which quantitative and qualitative syntheses are integrated. RESULTS: Three qualitative studies, seven observational studies, and four experimental or quasi-experimental studies were included in this study. All before-after household surveys reported increased delivery coverage after the intervention: ranging from 4 to 46 percentage points at the end of the intervention when compared to the baseline. The pooled analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies involving 7564 women from four studies revealed that there was no significant difference in rates of facility delivery among the misoprostol and control groups [OR 1.011; 95% CI: 0.906-1.129]. A qualitative study among health professionals also indicated that community distribution of misoprostol for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage is acceptable to community members and stakeholders and it is a feasible interim solution until access to facility birth increases. In the community-based distribution of misoprostol programs, self-administration of misoprostol by pregnant women before delivery was reported in less than 2% of women, among seven studies involving 11,108 mothers. Evidence also shows that most women who used misoprostol pills, used them as instructed. No adverse outcomes from misuse in either of the studies reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The claim that community-based distribution of misoprostol would divert women who would have otherwise had institutional deliveries to have home deliveries and promote misuse of the medication are not supported with evidence. Therefore, community-based distribution of misoprostol can be an appropriate strategy for reducing maternal deaths which occur due to postpartum hemorrhages, especially in resource-limited settings.

Understanding the meaning of marital relationship quality among couples in peri-urban Ethiopia.

This study explores the meaning of marital relationship quality (MRQ) among couples in peri-urban Ethiopia. We examined the factor structure of MRQ by assessing the reliability and validity of four validated Western scales capturing domains of trust, commitment, satisfaction and communication through exploratory factor analysis. Although most of the items of the original Western scales were relevant for the study population, the domains did not mirror the original Western scales and varied by gender. Interestingly, while the domains of commitment and trust followed the Western scales and were very similar across gender, the third domain, which we labelled conflict differed by gender. For women, items from the constructive communication scale seemed relevant, indicating an interest in resolving conflicts, whereas for men, items from the satisfaction scale appeared more important, indicating a desire to avoid or reduce conflict in their relationships. Our study highlights the usefulness of adapting existing validated scales in a new context after assessing their psychometric properties. Such applications provide opportunities for broadening understanding of fundamental MRQ domains that may universally be shared cross-culturally.

Development and validation of a simplified risk prediction model for preterm birth: a prospective cohort study in rural Ethiopia.

Preterm birth is one of the most common obstetric complications in low- and middle-income countries, where access to advanced diagnostic tests and imaging is limited. Therefore, we developed and validated a simplified risk prediction tool to predict preterm birth based on easily applicable and routinely collected characteristics of pregnant women in the primary care setting. We used a logistic regression model to develop a model based on the data collected from 481 pregnant women. Model accuracy was evaluated through discrimination (measured by the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve; AUC) and calibration (via calibration graphs and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test). Internal validation was performed using a bootstrapping technique. A simplified risk score was developed, and the cut-off point was determined using the "Youden index" to classify pregnant women into high or low risk for preterm birth. The incidence of preterm birth was 19.5% (95% CI:16.2, 23.3) of pregnancies. The final prediction model incorporated mid-upper arm circumference, gravidity, history of abortion, antenatal care, comorbidity, intimate partner violence, and anemia as predictors of preeclampsia. The AUC of the model was 0.687 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.75). The calibration plot demonstrated a good calibration with a p-value of 0.713 for the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test. The model can identify pregnant women at high risk of preterm birth. It is applicable in daily clinical practice and could contribute to the improvement of the health of women and newborns in primary care settings with limited resources. Healthcare providers in rural areas could use this prediction model to improve clinical decision-making and reduce obstetrics complications.

Rapid LA-REIMS-based metabolic fingerprinting of serum discriminates aflatoxin-exposed from non-exposed pregnant women: a prospective cohort from the Butajira Nutrition, Mental Health, and Pregnancy (BUNMAP) Study in rural Ethiopia.

To date, the changes in maternal metabolic response associated with prenatal aflatoxin exposure remain largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of prenatal aflatoxin exposure on the maternal serum metabolome in rural Ethiopia. A total of 309 pregnant women were enrolled prospectively, and their serum aflatoxin concentrations were measured using targeted liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Serum metabolic fingerprints were obtained using laser-assisted rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (LA-REIMS), followed by combination of univariate and multivariate statistical modelling to evaluate changes in circulating metabolic features between aflatoxin-exposed and unexposed mothers and to select discriminatory metabolic features. The analysis revealed that 81.8% of women were exposed to aflatoxins, with a median concentration of 12.9 pg/mg albumin. The orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) regression model demonstrated significant disparities in the serum metabolome when comparing Ethiopian pregnant women with low vs high aflatoxin exposure. Thirty-two differentially expressed metabolic features were identified, affecting aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway. Several discriminatory metabolites have been identified, including glutamine, tryptophan, tyrosine, carnosine, and 1-methylnicotinamide. In conclusion, our findings indicate that aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy have shown disparities in the maternal serum metabolome, primarily affecting protein synthesis. Further research is needed to identify specific metabolite biomarkers and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Mycotoxins Exposure of Lactating Women and Its Relationship with Dietary and Pre/Post-Harvest Practices in Rural Ethiopia.

Mycotoxins can be transferred to breast milk during lactation. Hence, the presence of multiple mycotoxins (aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1, alpha and beta zearalanol, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins B1, B2, B3, and hydrolyzed B1, nivalenol, ochratoxin A, ochratoxin alpha, and zearalenone) in breast milk samples was assessed in our study. Furthermore, the relationship between total fumonisins and pre/post-harvest and the women's dietary practices was examined. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the 16 mycotoxins. An adjusted censored regression model was fitted to identify predictors of mycotoxins, i.e., total fumonisins. We detected only fumonisin B2 (15% of the samples) and fumonisin B3 (9% of the samples) while fumonisin B1 and nivalenol were detected only in a single breast milk sample. No association between total fumonisins and pre/post-harvest and dietary practices was found (p < 0.05). The overall exposure to mycotoxins was low in the studied women, although fumonisins contamination was not negligible. Moreover, the recorded total fumonisins was not associated with any of the pre/post-harvest and dietary practices. Therefore, to better identify predictors of fumonisin contamination in breast milk, longitudinal studies with food samples in addition to breast milk samples and with larger sample sizes are needed for the future.

Influence of intrauterine factors on birth weight and on child linear growth in rural Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the influence of intrauterine fetal factors on childhood growth in low-income countries. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of intrauterine fetal growth on child linear growth in rural Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a prospective community-based cohort study from July 2016 to October 2018. All pregnant women with gestational age of 24 weeks or below living in 13 kebeles, in central Ethiopia were enrolled. The fetuses were followed from pregnancy up to 11-24 months after birth. We measured biparietal diameter, head circumference, femoral length, and abdominal circumference at 26, 30 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. At birth, we measured infant weight. At 11-24 months of age, z-scores of length- for- age, and weight-for-length were calculated. A multilevel, mixed-effect, linear regression model was used to examine the influence of fetal, newborn, maternal, household factors and residence area on child linear growth. RESULTS: We included 554 children. The prevalence rate of stunting was 54.3% and that of wasting was 10.6%. Fetal biparietal diameter, head circumference, and abdominal circumference, were significantly associated with birth weight. Femoral length z-score in early pregnancy, gestational age at delivery and child age were significantly associated with length-for-age z-score. Family size was significantly associated with length-for-age z-score. Family size and maternal height were associated with weight-for-height z-score. There was a large variation in length-for-age z-score (Intra cluster correlation, or ρ (rho) = 0.30) and weight-for-length z-score (ρ = 0.22) than of birth weight of new-born (ρ = 0.11) in kebeles indicating heterogeneity in clusters for length-for-age z-score and weight-for-length z-score than birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: Child linear growth was influenced by fetal growth, duration of pregnancy, maternal height, and family size. Environmental factors that are associated with the area of residence play a bigger role for linear growth than for birth weight.

Chronic aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy is associated with lower fetal growth trajectories: a prospective cohort from the Butajira Nutrition, Mental Health, and Pregnancy (BUNMAP) Study in rural Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus fungi, which are ubiquitously present in the food supplies of low- and middle-income countries. Studies of maternal aflatoxin exposure and fetal outcomes are mainly focused on size at birth and the effect on intrauterine fetal growth has not been assessed. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we examined the association between chronic aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy and fetal growth trajectories in a rural setting in Ethiopia. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, we enrolled 492 pregnant females, with a singleton pregnancy and before 28 wk of gestation. Serum aflatoxin B1-lysine concentration was measured using LC-tandem MS. Three rounds of ultrasound measurements were conducted to estimate fetal weight at mean ± SD gestational age weeks of 19.1 ± 3.71, 28.5 ± 3.51, and 34.5 ± 2.44. Estimated fetal weight was expressed in centiles using the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Consortium for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH-21st) reference. We fitted a multivariable linear mixed-effects model to estimate the rate of fetal growth between aflatoxin-exposed (i.e., aflatoxin B1-lysine concentration above or equal to the limit of detection) and unexposed mothers in the study. RESULTS: Mothers had a mean ± SD age of 26.0 ± 4.58 y. The median (25th, 75th percentile) serum aflatoxin B1-lysine concentration was 12.6 (0.93, 96.9) pg/mg albumin, and aflatoxin exposure was observed in 86.6% of maternal blood samples. Eighty-five percent of the females enrolled provided at least 2 ultrasound measurements for analysis. On average, the aflatoxin-exposed group had a significantly lower change over time in fetal weight-for-gestational-age centile than the unexposed group (ß = -0.92; 95% CI: -1.77, -0.06 centiles/week; P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic maternal aflatoxin exposure is associated with lower fetal growth over time. Our findings emphasize the importance of nutrition-sensitive strategies to mitigate dietary aflatoxin exposure and adopting food safety measures in low-income settings, in particular during the fetal period of development.

Development and Validation of a Risk Score to Predict Low Birthweight Using Characteristics of the Mother: Analysis from BUNMAP Cohort in Ethiopia.

At least one ultrasound is recommended to predict fetal growth restriction and low birthweight earlier in pregnancy. However, in low-income countries, imaging equipment and trained manpower are scarce. Hence, we developed and validated a model and risk score to predict low birthweight using maternal characteristics during pregnancy, for use in resource limited settings. We developed the model using a prospective cohort of 379 pregnant women in South Ethiopia. A stepwise multivariable analysis was done to develop the prediction model. To improve the clinical utility, we developed a simplified risk score to classify pregnant women at high- or low-risk of low birthweight. The accuracy of the model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plot. All accuracy measures were internally validated using the bootstrapping technique. We evaluated the clinical impact of the model using a decision curve analysis across various threshold probabilities. Age at pregnancy, underweight, anemia, height, gravidity, and presence of comorbidity remained in the final multivariable prediction model. The AUC of the model was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.78 to 0.88). The decision curve analysis indicated the model provides a higher net benefit across ranges of threshold probabilities. In general, this study showed the possibility of predicting low birthweight using maternal characteristics during pregnancy. The model could help to identify pregnant women at higher risk of having a low birthweight baby. This feasible prediction model would offer an opportunity to reduce obstetric-related complications, thus improving the overall maternal and child healthcare in low- and middle-income countries.

Intrauterine growth patterns in rural Ethiopia compared with WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st growth standards: A community-based longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: Children's well-being is highly influenced by their fetal growth. Adequate intrauterine growth (IUG) is a basic feature of a healthy pregnancy. The aim of our study was to assess IUG patterns in a rural and drought-affected population in the Rift Valley area of the Adami Tullu district in Oromia, Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal, community-based study of IUG patterns utilizing serial ultrasound measurements. Data were collected for 17 months, from July 2016 to November 2017. We included 675 singleton foetuses ≤ 24 weeks old, based on ultrasound-derived estimates of gestational age, and followed them until delivery. We obtained head circumference, biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight at 26, 30, and 36 weeks. Fetal weight was estimated using the Hadlock algorithm, and the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th centiles were developed from this model. We compared the biometric measurements and fetal weight data from our study to the World Health Organization (WHO) and INTERGROWTH-21st fetal growth reference standards. RESULTS: Distribution of the biometric measurements and estimated fetal weights in our study were similar to those for the WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st references. Most measurements were between -2 and +2 of the reference z-scores. Based on the smoothed percentiles, the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentiles of our study had similar distribution patterns to the WHO chart, and the 50th percentile had a similar pattern to the INTERGROWTH-21st chart. CONCLUSIONS: Our study determined fetal growth patterns in a drought-affected rural community of Ethiopia using common ultrasound biometric measurements. We found similar IUG patterns to those indicated in the WHO and INTERGROWTH-21st fetal growth reference standards.

Do Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems benefit local populations? Maternal care utilisation in Butajira HDSS, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of Health and Demographic Surveillance sites for local populations have been the topic of discussion as countries such as Ethiopia take efforts to achieve their Millennium Development Goal targets, on which they lag behind. Ethiopia's maternal mortality ratio is very high, and in the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (2011 EDHS) it was estimated to be 676/100,000 live births. Recent Global Burden of Disease (GBD) and estimates based on the United Nations model reported better, but still unacceptably high, figures of 497/100,000 and 420/100,000 live births for 2013. In the 2011 EDHS, antenatal care (ANC) utilization was estimated at 34%, and delivery in health facilities was only 10%. OBJECTIVES: To compare maternal health service utilization among populations in a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) to non-HDSS populations in Butajira district, south central Ethiopia. DESIGN: A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in January and February 2012 among women who had delivered in the 2 years before the survey. RESULTS: A total of 2,296 women were included in the study. One thousand eight hundred and sixty two (81.1%) had attended ANC at least once, and 37% of the women had attended ANC at least four times. A quarter of the women delivered their last child in a health facility. Of the women living outside the HDSS areas, 715 (75.3%) attended ANC at least once compared to 85.1% of women living in the HDSS areas [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.59; 95% CI 0.46, 0.74]. Of the women living outside the HDSS areas, only 170 (17.9%) delivered in health facilities and were assisted by skilled attendants during delivery, whereas 30.0% of those living in HDSS areas delivered in health facilities (AOR 0.66; 95% CI 0.48, 0.91). CONCLUSION: This paper provides possible evidence that living in an HDSS site has a positive influence on maternal health. In addition, there may be a positive influence on those living nearby or in the same district where an HDSS is located even when not included in the surveillance system.

Why do women not deliver in health facilities: a qualitative study of the community perspectives in south central Ethiopia?

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia most childbirth occurs at home and is not assisted by skilled birth attendants. On the other hand having a birth attendant with midwifery skills during child birth is one of the most important interventions in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to make an in-depth assessment of reasons why mothers do not use health facilities for child delivery. METHODS: Focus Group Discussions were used to gather information on use of health facilities for delivery in Butajira districts of South Central Ethiopia. The study was conducted from January to February 2012. Information was collected from four groups of women who had delivered in the past two years and four groups of men whose wives/partners have delivered in the same period. Data was coded and categorized using open code, qualitative data management software and analyzed based on thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of eight FGD sessions, four with women and four with men groups were conducted involving 81 residents of the Butajira district. FGD participants answered that a large majority of women in the district gave birth at home. Two major themes, client related factors and facility/staff factors, emerged. Factors that emerged within major themes of client factors were decision making on place of delivery, reliance on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), misconception about services provided at health facility, inability of family members to be present at time of labor and delivery, lack of privacy, traditional and/or spiritual factors, economic factors and accessibility to health care facilities. Within major themes of facility/staff factors subthemes that emerged were poor reception, refusal of admission, lack of privacy, information gap, poor competence and shortage of staff and materials at health facilities. CONCLUSION: Women in the study areas do not deliver in health facilities because of reasons that can be attributed to health care system and client related factors. These need to be addressed by considering the specific factors related to the health system and community perspectives.