Later life outcomes of women by adolescent birth history: analysis of the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the long-term socioeconomic and reproductive health outcomes of women in Uganda by adolescent birth history. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Uganda. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 40-49 years at the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. OUTCOME MEASURES: We compared socioeconomic and reproductive outcomes among those with first birth <18 years versus not. Among those with a first birth <18 years, we compared those with and without repeat adolescent births (another birth <20 years). We used two-sample test for proportions, linear regression and Poisson regression. FINDINGS: Among the 2814 women aged 40-49 years analysed, 36.2% reported a first birth <18 years and 85.9% of these had a repeat adolescent birth. Compared with women with no birth <18 years, those with first birth <18 years were less likely to have completed primary education (16.3% vs 32.2%, p<0.001), more likely to be illiterate (55.0% vs 44.0%, p<0.001), to report challenges seeking healthcare (67.6% vs 61.8%, p=0.002) and had higher mean number of births by age 40 years (6.6 vs 5.3, p<0.001). Among women married at time of survey, those with birth <18 years had older husbands (p<0.001) who also had lower educational attainment (p<0.001). Educational attainment, household wealth score, total number of births and under-5 mortality among women with one adolescent birth were similar, and sometimes better, than among those with no birth <18 years. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest lifelong adverse socioeconomic and reproductive outcomes among women with adolescent birth, primarily in the category with repeat adolescent birth. While our results might be birth-cohort specific, they underscore the need to support adolescent mothers to have the same possibilities to develop their potentials, by supporting school continuation and prevention of further unwanted pregnancies.

Study protocol training for life: a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial about emergency obstetric simulation-based training in a low-income country.

BACKGROUND: Globally perinatal and maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high. There is increasing evidence that simulation-based training in obstetric emergencies is associated with improvement in clinical outcomes. However, the results are not entirely consistent. The need for continued research in a wide variety of clinical settings to establish what works, where and why was recommended. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an emergency obstetric simulation-based training program with medical technical and teamwork skills on maternal and perinatal mortality in a low-income country. METHODS: A stepped wedge cluster randomized trial will be conducted at the medium to high-risk labour ward at Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, with an annual delivery rate of over 23,000. The training will be performed using a train-the-trainers model in which training is cascaded down from master trainers to local facilitators (gynaecologists) to learners (senior house officers). Local facilitators will be trained during a four-day train-the-trainers course with an annual repetition. The senior house officers will be naturally divided in seven clusters and randomized for the moment of training. The training consists of a one-day, monodisciplinary, simulation-based training followed by repetition training sessions. Scenarios are based on the main local causes of maternal and neonatal mortality and focus on both medical technical and crew resource management skills. Kirkpatrick's classification will be used to evaluate the training program. Primary outcome will be the composite of maternal and neonatal mortality ratios. Secondary outcome will comprise course perception, evaluation of the instructional design of the training, knowledge, technical skills, team performance, percentage of ventouse deliveries, percentage of caesarean sections, and a Weighted Adverse Outcome Score. DISCUSSION: This stepped wedge cluster randomized trial will investigate the effect of a monodisciplinary simulation-based obstetric training in a low-income country, focusing on both medical technical skills and crew resource management skills, on patient outcome at one of the largest labour wards worldwide. We will use a robust study design which will allow us to better understand the training effects, and difficulties in evaluating training programs in low-income countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN98617255 , retrospectively registered July 23, 2018.

Incidence and characteristics of pregnancy-related death across ten low- and middle-income geographical regions: secondary analysis of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to describe the incidence and characteristics of pregnancy-related death in low- and middle-resource settings, in relation to the availability of key obstetric resources. DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. SETTING: This trial was undertaken at ten sites across eight low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, India and Haiti. POPULATION: Institutional-level consent was obtained and all women presenting for maternity care were eligible for inclusion. METHODS: Pregnancy-related deaths were collected prospectively from routine data sources and active case searching. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pregnancy-related death, place, timing and age of maternal death, and neonatal outcomes in women with this outcome. RESULTS: Over 20 months, in 536 233 deliveries there were 998 maternal deaths (18.6/10 000, range 28/10 000-630/10 000). The leading causes of death were obstetric haemorrhage (36.0%, n = 359), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (20.6%, n = 206), sepsis (14.1%, n = 141) and other (26.5%, n = 264). Approximately a quarter of deaths occurred prior to delivery (28.4%, n = 283), 35.7% (n = 356) occurred on the day of delivery and 35.9% (n = 359) occurred after delivery. Half of maternal deaths (50.6%; n = 505) occurred in women aged 20-29 years, 10.3% (n = 103) occurred in women aged under 20 years, 34.5% (n = 344) occurred in women aged 30-39 years and 4.6% (n = 46) occurred in women aged ≥40 years. There was no measured association between the availability of key obstetric resources and the rate of pregnancy-related death. CONCLUSIONS: The large variation in the rate of pregnancy-related death, irrespective of resource availability, emphasises that inequality and inequity in health care persists. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Inequality and inequity in pregnancy-related death persists globally, irrespective of resource availability.

Medical complications in pregnancy at Mulago Hospital, Uganda's national referral hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Medical complications in pregnancy contribute significantly to maternal morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. Anecdotally, obstetricians in Uganda do not feel equipped to treat complex medical cases, and receive little support from physicians. METHODS: The aim of the study was to quantify the burden of complex medical conditions on the obstetric high dependency unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital, and potential deficiencies in the referral of cases and training in obstetric medicine. A prospective audit was taken on the obstetric high dependency unit from April to May 2014. In addition, 50 trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology filled a nine-point questionnaire regarding their experiences. RESULTS: Complex medical disorders of pregnancy accounted for 22/106 (21%) admissions to the high dependency unit, and these cases were responsible for 51% of total bed occupancy, and had a case fatality rate of 6/22 (27.2%). Only 6/14 (43%) of referrals to medical specialties were fulfilled within 48 h. Of the six women who died due to medical conditions, three specialty referrals were made, none of which were fulfilled. Trainees reported deficiencies in obstetric medicine training and in referral of complex conditions. They were least confident addressing non-communicable conditions in pregnancy. DISCUSSION: Deficiencies exist in the care of women with complex medical conditions in pregnancy in Uganda. Frameworks of obstetric medicine training and referral of complex cases should be explored and adapted to the sub-Saharan African setting.