Costo-efectividad de la calidad del control prenatal con respecto al bajo peso al nacer en el Cauca / Antenatal control quality cost-effectiveness regarding low birth weight in Cauca

Antecedentes: El departamento del Cauca en Colombia es multiétnico, multicultural y biodiverso, también con grandes diferencias en bajo peso al nacer (BPN), mortalidad perinatal y mortalidad neonatal tardía entre municipios. Objetivo: Determinar la relación de costo-efectividad del control prenatal (CPN) cuando ha tenido buena calidad frente al que ha tenido calidad deficiente con respecto al BPN en el departamento del Cauca entre 2018 y 2020. Método: Evaluación económica con diseño epidemiológico de una cohorte histórica desde la perspectiva de la institución pagadora. Se calculó la razón incremental de costo-efectividad (RICE), análisis de sensibilidad e impacto presupuestal. Resultados: La incidencia de BPN fue del 8,3% (348/4182). La calidad deficiente en el CPN incrementó el riesgo de BPN (OR: 3,38; IC95%: 1,05-8,2) y la buena calidad tuvo una mejor relación de costo-efectividad (RICE: USD 2727,75), con posición dominante frente a la calidad deficiente (6,14 veces el PIB per cápita de ahorro) y con un impacto presupuestal de USD 2.904.392. Conclusiones: La buena calidad del CPN en el departamento del Cauca durante 2018-2020 fue costo-efectiva y dominante por ser de menor costo y mayor efectividad.

Background: The department of Cauca in Colombia is multiethnic, multicultural, and biodiverse, also with large differences in low birth weight (LBW), perinatal mortality, and late neonatal mortality among municipalities. Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness relationship of antenatal care (ANC) when it has had good quality compared to that which has had poor quality with respect to low birth weight in the department of Cauca between 2018 and 2019. Method: Economic evaluation with epidemiological cohort design historical from the perspective of the payer institution. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (RICE), sensitivity analysis, and budgetary impact were calculated. Results: The incidence of LBW was 8.3% (348/4182). Poor quality in ANC increased the risk of LBW (OR: 3.38; CI95%: 1.05-8.2), good quality had a better cost-effectiveness ratio (RICE: USD 2727.75), with dominant position against poor quality (6.14 times the GDP/capita savings) with a budgetary impact of USD 2,904,392. Conclusions: The good quality of the ANC in the department of Cauca during 2018-2020 was cost-effective and dominant because it is lower cost and more effective.

Awareness of fetal movements and care package to reduce fetal mortality (AFFIRM): a trial-based and model-based cost-effectiveness analysis from a stepped wedge, cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: The AFFIRM intervention aimed to reduce stillbirth and neonatal deaths by increasing awareness of reduced fetal movements (RFM) and implementing a care pathway when women present with RFM. Although there is uncertainty regarding the clinical effectiveness of the intervention, the aim of this analysis was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness. METHODS: A stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised trial was conducted in thirty-three hospitals in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. All women giving birth at the study sites during the analysis period were included in the study. The costs associated with implementing the intervention were estimated from audits of RFM attendances and electronic healthcare records. Trial data were used to estimate a cost per stillbirth prevented was for AFFIRM versus standard care. A decision analytic model was used to estimate the costs and number of perinatal deaths (stillbirths + early neonatal deaths) prevented if AFFIRM were rolled out across Great Britain for one year. Key assumptions were explored in sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Direct costs to implement AFFIRM were an estimated £95,126 per 1,000 births. Compared to standard care, the cost per stillbirth prevented was estimated to be between £86,478 and being dominated (higher costs, no benefit). The estimated healthcare budget impact of implementing AFFIRM across Great Britain was a cost increase of £61,851,400/year. CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal deaths are relatively rare events in the UK which can increase uncertainty in economic evaluations. This evaluation estimated a plausible range of costs to prevent baby deaths which can inform policy decisions in maternity services. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov , number NCT01777022 .

Cost-effectiveness of antenatal multiple micronutrients and balanced energy protein supplementation compared to iron and folic acid supplementation in India, Pakistan, Mali, and Tanzania: A dynamic microsimulation study.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition among women of childbearing age is especially prevalent in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and can be harmful to the fetus during pregnancy. In the most recently available Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), approximately 10% to 20% of pregnant women in India, Pakistan, Mali, and Tanzania were undernourished (body mass index [BMI] <18.5 kg/m2), and according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 study, approximately 20% of babies were born with low birth weight (LBW; <2,500 g) in India, Pakistan, and Mali and 8% in Tanzania. Supplementing pregnant women with micro and macronutrients during the antenatal period can improve birth outcomes. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) that includes iron and folic acid (IFA) in the context of rigorous research. Additionally, WHO recommends balanced energy protein (BEP) for undernourished populations. However, few studies have compared the cost-effectiveness of different supplementation regimens. We compared the cost-effectiveness of MMS and BEP with IFA to quantify their benefits in 4 countries with considerable prevalence of maternal undernutrition. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using nationally representative estimates from the 2017 GBD study, we conducted an individual-based dynamic microsimulation of population cohorts from birth to 2 years of age in India, Pakistan, Mali, and Tanzania. We modeled the effect of maternal nutritional supplementation on infant birth weight, stunting and wasting using effect sizes from Cochrane systematic reviews and published literature. We used a payer's perspective and obtained costs of supplementation per pregnancy from the published literature. We compared disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in a baseline scenario with existing antenatal IFA coverage with scenarios where 90% of antenatal care (ANC) attendees receive either universal MMS, universal BEP, or MMS + targeted BEP (women with prepregnancy BMI <18.5 kg/m2 receive BEP containing MMS while women with BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2 receive MMS). We obtained 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for all outputs to represent parameter and stochastic uncertainty across 100 iterations of model runs. ICERs for all scenarios were lowest in Pakistan and greatest in Tanzania, in line with the baseline trend in prevalence of and attributable burden to LBW. MMS + targeted BEP averts more DALYs than universal MMS alone while remaining cost-effective. ICERs for universal MMS compared to baseline IFA were $52 (95% UI: $28 to $78) for Pakistan, $72 (95% UI: $37 to $118) for Mali, $70 (95% UI: $43 to $104) for India, and $253 (95% UI: $112 to $481) for Tanzania. ICERs for MMS + targeted BEP compared to baseline IFA were $54 (95% UI: $32 to $77) for Pakistan, $73 (95% UI: $40 to $104) for Mali, $83 (95% UI: $58 to $111) for India, and $245 (95% UI: $127 to $405) for Tanzania. Study limitations include generalizing experimental findings from the literature to our populations of interest and using population-level input parameters that may not reflect the heterogeneity of subpopulations. Additionally, our microsimulation fuses multiple sources of data and may be limited by data quality and availability. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed that MMS + targeted BEP averts more DALYs and remains cost-effective compared to universal MMS. As countries consider using MMS in alignment with recent WHO guidelines, offering targeted BEP is a cost-effective strategy that can be considered concurrently to maximize benefits and synergize program implementation.

Universal Hepatitis B Antibody Screening and Vaccination in Pregnancy: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of universal screening for hepatitis B immunity and vaccination among pregnant women in the United States. METHODS: We designed a decision-analytic model to evaluate the outcomes, costs, and cost effectiveness associated with universal hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunity screening in pregnancy with vaccination of susceptible individuals compared with no screening. A theoretical cohort of 3.6 million women, the approximate number of annual live births in the United States, was used. Outcomes included cases of HBV, hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensated cirrhosis, liver transplant and death, in addition to cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Model inputs were derived from the literature, and the willingness-to-pay threshold was $50,000 per QALY. Univariate sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulation models were performed to evaluate the robustness of the results. RESULTS: In a theoretical cohort of 3.6 million women, universal HBV immunity screening and vaccination resulted in 1,702 fewer cases of HBV, seven fewer cases of decompensated cirrhosis, four fewer liver transplants, and 11 fewer deaths over the life expectancy of a woman after pregnancy. Universal screening and vaccination were found to be cost effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $1,890 per QALY. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the model was robust even when the prevalence of HBV immunity was high and the annual risk of HBV acquisition low. CONCLUSION: Among pregnant women in the United States, universal HBV immunity screening and vaccination of susceptible persons is cost effective compared with not routinely screening and vaccinating.

Cost utility of penicillin use in primary care for the prevention of complications associated with syphilis / Custo-utilidade do uso da penicilina na atenção primária para a prevenção de complicações associadas à sífilis congênita

Introduction: Despite penicillin being the drug of choice for the treatment of syphilis, many pregnant women who test positive for syphilis do not receive the drug as recommended by the Ministry of Health, contributing to the increase in costs associated with congenital syphilis. Objective: This study aims to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of administering at least one dose of 2.4 million IU of benzathine penicillin in the first trimester of pregnancy as soon as the result of a positive rapid treponemal test performed during antenatal care in primary care units of the Brazilian National Health System. Methods: An analytical model was proposed based on a decision tree. The perspective of the analysis was the one used in The Brazilian National Health System. The clinical outcomes were abortion, prematurity, neonatal death, stillbirth, and congenital syphilis, estimated in terms of disability-adjusted life-years. Only direct costs were considered. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The model predicted that the most efficient strategy is the one that includes the administration of penicillin in primary care for cases of gestational syphilis. This strategy is more effective, although more costly. The cost per disability-adjusted life-years averted with the use of this strategy was estimated at R$49.79 (US$ 10.67). Conclusion: The prenatal strategy in primary care units that includes the administration of penicillin to pregnant women with syphilis during the first trimester of pregnancy has the greatest potential to be cost-effective.

Introdução: A despeito de a penicilina ser o medicamento de escolha para o tratamento da sífilis, muitas gestantes com teste positivo para sífilis não recebem o medicamento como recomendado pelo Ministério da Saúde, concorrendo para o aumento dos custos associados à sífilis congênita. Objetivo: Estimar a razão de custo-efetividade incremental da administração de pelo menos uma dose de 2,4 milhões de Unidades Internacionais de penicilina benzatina no primeiro trimestre de gravidez, tão logo se tenha o resultado de um teste rápido treponêmico positivo realizado na consulta pré-natal em unidades de atenção primária do Sistema Único de Saúde. Métodos: Um modelo analítico foi proposto a partir de uma árvore de decisão. A perspectiva da análise foi a do Sistema Único de Saúde. Os desfechos em saúde foram aborto, prematuridade, morte neonatal, natimorto e sífilis congênita, estimados em termos de anos de vida ajustados a incapacidades (disability-adjusted life-years). Apenas os custos diretos foram considerados. Análises de sensibilidade determinística e probabilística foram realizadas. Resultados: O modelo previu que a estratégia mais eficiente é aquela que inclui a administração da penicilina na atenção primária aos casos de sífilis gestacional. Embora essa estratégia possa representar maior custo, apresenta maior efetividade. O custo por disability-adjusted life-years evitado com o uso dessa estratégia foi estimado em R$49,79. Conclusão: A estratégia de pré-natal nas unidades de atenção primária que inclui a administração da penicilina em gestantes com sífilis ainda no primeiro trimestre de gestação é a que apresenta o maior potencial para ser custo-efetiva.

A Pregnant Pause: Rethinking Economic Evaluation in Contraception and Pregnancy.

Pregnancy presents a unique challenge to economic evaluation, requiring methods that can account for both maternal and fetal outcomes. The ethical challenges to healthcare presented by pregnancy are well understood, but these have not yet been incorporated into cost-effectiveness approaches. Economic evaluations of pregnancy currently take an ad hoc approach to outcome valuation, opening the door to biased estimates and inconsistent resource allocation. We summarize the limitations of current economic evaluation methods and outline key areas for future work.

Association of Medicaid vs Marketplace Eligibility on Maternal Coverage and Access With Prenatal and Postpartum Care.

Importance: Policy makers are considering insurance expansions to improve maternal health. The tradeoffs between expanding Medicaid or subsidized private insurance for maternal coverage and care are unknown. Objective: To compare maternal coverage and care by Medicaid vs marketplace eligibility. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study using a difference-in-difference research design was conducted from March 14, 2020, to April 22, 2021. Maternal coverage and care use were compared among women with family incomes 100% to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) residing in 10 Medicaid expansion sites (exposure group) who gained Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and in 5 nonexpansion sites (comparison group) who gained marketplace eligibility before (2011-2013) and after (2015-2018) insurance expansion implementation. Participants included women aged 18 years or older from the 2011-2018 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey. Exposures: Eligibility for Medicaid or marketplace coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes included coverage in the preconception and postpartum periods, early and adequate prenatal care, and postpartum checkups and effective contraceptive use. Results: The study population included 11 432 women age 18 years and older (32% age 18-24 years, 33% age 25-29 years, 35% age ≥30 years) with incomes 100% to 138% FPL: 7586 in a Medicaid state (exposure group) and 3846 in a nonexpansion marketplace state (comparison group). Women in marketplace states were younger, had higher educational level and marriage rates, and had less racial and ethnic diversity. Medicaid relative to marketplace eligibility was associated with increased Medicaid coverage (20.3 percentage points; 95% CI, 12.8 to 30.0 percentage points), decreased private insurance coverage (-10.8 percentage points; 95% CI, -13.3 to -7.5 percentage points), and decreased uninsurance (-8.7 percentage points; 95% CI, -20.1 to -0.1 percentage points) in the preconception period, increased postpartum Medicaid (17.4 percentage points; 95% CI, 1.7 to 34.3 percentage points) and increased adequate prenatal care (4.4 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.1 to 11.0 percentage points) in difference-in-difference models. No evidence of significant differences in early prenatal care, postpartum check-ups, or postpartum contraception was identified. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, eligibility for Medicaid was associated with increased Medicaid, lower preconception uninsurance, and increased adequate prenatal care use. The lower rates of preconception uninsurance among Medicaid-eligible women suggest that women with low incomes were facing barriers to marketplace enrollment, underscoring the potential importance of reducing financial barriers for the population with low incomes.

Access barriers to maternal healthcare services in selected hard-to-reach areas of Zambia: a mixed methods design.

INTRODUCTION: poor access to maternal health services is a one of the major contributing factors to maternal deaths in low-resource settings, and understanding access barriers to maternal services is an important step for targeting interventions aimed at promoting institutional delivery and improving maternal health. This study explored access barriers to maternal and antenatal services in Kaputa and Ngabwe; two of Zambia´s rural and hard-to-reach districts. METHODS: a concurrent mixed methods approach was therefore, undertaken to exploring three access dimensions, namely availability, affordability and acceptability, in the two districts. Structured interviews were conducted among 190 eligible women in both districts, while key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted for the qualitative component. RESULTS: the study found that respondents were happy with facilities´ opening and closing times in both districts. By comparison, however, women in Ngabwe spent significantly more time traveling to facilities than those in Kaputa, with bad roads and transport challenges cited as factors affecting service use. The requirement to have a traditional birth attendant (TBA) accompany a woman when going to deliver from the facility, and paying these TBAs, was a notable access barrier. Generally, services seemed to be more acceptable in Kaputa than in Ngabwe, though both districts complained about long queues, being delivered by male health workers and having delivery rooms next to male wards. CONCLUSION: based on the indicators of access used in this study, maternal health services seemed to be more accessible in Kaputa compared to Ngabwe.

Reducing maternal and child mortality in rural Ghana.

The lack of health infrastructure in developing countries to provide women with modern obstetric care and universal access to maternal and child health services has largely contributed to the existing high maternal and infant deaths. Access to basic obstetric care for pregnant women and their unborn babies is a key to reducing maternal and infants´ deaths, especially at the community-level. This calls for the strengthening of primary health care systems in all developing countries, including Ghana. Financial access and utilization of maternal and child health care services need action at the community-level across rural Ghana to avoid preventable deaths. Financial access and usage of maternal and child health services in rural Ghana is poor. Lack of financial access is a strong barrier to the use of maternal and child health services, particularly in rural Ghana. The sustainability of the national health insurance scheme is vital in ensuring full access to care in remote communities.

Essential services provided and costs of facility-based maternity waiting homes in Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: the objective was to describe establishment cost, essential services provided and operating costs of maternity waiting homes (MWH) in Ethiopia. METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out from December 2017 to June 2018 in eight health facilities with maternity waiting homes (MWH) in the Gurage Zone of Ethiopia. MWH users exit interviews and observational checklists were used to collect data on essential services provided. Cost-related data were retrieved from relevant records in the health facilities. RESULTS: most clinical services and basic amenities were available and provided for MWH users. The average capital costs of a MWH were $2,245 US with fixed costs of $1,476 US per year. The personnel cost for a MWH was $1,439 US per year. The average annual running cost of a MWH was $1,303 US per year. The average estimated MWH utilization and delivery costs was $16.9 US per woman. CONCLUSION: most MWHs provided essential clinical services and basic amenities. The majority of the cost of a MWH was attributed to building construction costs. If building cost is annualized, the unit cost of a MWH service is in an acceptable range which encourage government considering expansion of the service in rural area.

Is quality maternal healthcare all about successful childbirth? Views of mothers in the Wa Municipality, Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: In spite of the countless initiatives of the Ghana government to improve the quality of maternal healthcare, Upper West Region still records poor childbirth outcomes. This study, therefore, explored women's perception of the quality of maternal healthcare they receive in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a qualitative cross-sectional study of 62 women who accessed maternal healthcare in the Wa Municipality of Ghana. We analysed the transcripts using the analytic inductive technique. An inter-coding technique (testing for inter-coding agreement) was employed. The iterative coding process resulted in a coding scheme with four main themes. We used peer-debriefing technique in ensuring credibility and trustworthiness. RESULTS: Logistics and equipment; referral service; empathic service delivery; inadequacy of care providers; affordability of service; satisfaction with services received; as well as experience and service delivery were the parameters used by the women in assessing quality maternity care. A number of gaps were reported in the healthcare system including limited healthcare providers, limited beds and inefficient referral system. Conversely, some of them reported that some healthcare providers offered empathetic healthcare. Contrary views were expressed with respect to satisfaction with maternity care. CONCLUSION: Government and all stakeholders seeking to enhance quality of maternal health and accelerate the attainment of the third Sustainable Development Goal need to reconsider the financing of service delivery at health institutions. Indeed, our findings have illustrated that routine workshops on empathetic healthcare are required in efforts to increase the rate of facility-based childbirth, and thereby subside maternal mortality and all adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Association of Expanded Prenatal Care Coverage for Immigrant Women With Postpartum Contraception and Short Interpregnancy Interval Births.

Importance: Access to prenatal and postpartum care is restricted among women with low income who are recent or undocumented immigrants enrolled in Emergency Medicaid. Objective: To examine the association of extending prenatal care coverage to Emergency Medicaid enrollees with postpartum contraception and short interpregnancy interval births. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used a difference-in-differences design to compare the staggered rollout of prenatal care in Oregon with South Carolina, a state that does not cover prenatal or postpartum care. Linked Medicaid claims and birth certificate data from 2010 to 2016 were examined for an association between prenatal care coverage for women whose births were covered by Emergency Medicaid and subsequent short IPI births. Additional maternal and infant health outcomes were also examined, including postpartum contraceptive use, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. The association between the policy change and measures of policy implementation (number of prenatal visits) and quality of care (receipt of 8 guideline-based screenings) was also analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed from August 2020 to March 2021. Exposures: Medicaid coverage of prenatal care. Main Outcomes and Measures: Postpartum contraceptive use, defined as receipt of any contraceptive method within 60 days of delivery; short IPI births, defined as occurring within 18 months of a previous pregnancy. Results: The study population consisted of 26 586 births to women enrolled in Emergency Medicaid in Oregon and South Carolina. Among these women, 14 749 (55.5%) were aged 25 to 35 years, 25 894 (97.4%) were Black, Hispanic, Native American, Alaskan, Pacific Islander, or Asian women or women with unknown race/ethnicity, and 17 905 (67.3%) lived in areas with urban zip codes. Coverage of prenatal care for women in Emergency Medicaid was associated with significant increases in mean (SD) prenatal visits (increase of 10.3 [0.9] prenatal visits) and prenatal quality. Prenatal care screenings (eg, anemia screening: increase of 65.7 percentage points [95% CI, 54.2 to 77.1 percentage points]) and vaccinations (eg, influenza vaccination: increase of 31.9 percentage points [95% CI, 27.4 to 36.3 percentage points]) increased significantly following the policy change. Although postpartum contraceptive use increased following prenatal care expansion (increase of 1.5 percentage points [95% CI, 0.4 to 2.6 percentage points]), the policy change was not associated with a reduction in short IPI births (-4.5 percentage points [95% CI, -9.5 to 0.5 percentage points), preterm births (-0.6 percentage points [95% CI, -3.2 to 2.0 percentage points]), or neonatal intensive care unit admissions (increase of 0.8 percentage points [95% CI, -2.0 to 3.6 percentage points]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that expanding Emergency Medicaid benefits to include prenatal care significantly improved receipt of guideline-concordant prenatal care. Prenatal care coverage alone was not associated with a meaningful increase in postpartum contraception or a reduction in subsequent short IPI births.

Patient costs for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and antiretroviral therapy services in public health facilities in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has made large strides in addressing HIV. To ensure a continued robust response, a clear understanding of costs associated with its HIV program is critical. We conducted a cross-sectional evaluation in 2017 to estimate the annual average patient cost for accessing Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services (through antenatal care) and Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) services in Zimbabwe. Twenty sites representing different types of public health facilities in Zimbabwe were included. Data on patient costs were collected through in-person interviews with 414 ART and 424 PMTCT adult patients and through telephone interviews with 38 ART and 47 PMTCT adult patients who had missed their last appointment. The mean and median annual patient costs were examined overall and by service type for all participants and for those who paid any cost. Potential patient costs related to time lost were calculated by multiplying the total time to access services (travel time, waiting time, and clinic visit duration) by potential earnings (US$75 per month assuming 8 hours per day and 5 days per week). Mean annual patient costs for accessing services for the participants was US$20.00 [standard deviation (SD) = US$80.42, median = US$6.00, range = US$0.00-US$12,18.00] for PMTCT and US$18.73 (SD = US$58.54, median = US$8.00, range = US$0.00-US$ 908.00) for ART patients. The mean annual direct medical costs for PMTCT and ART were US$9.78 (SD = US$78.58, median = US$0.00, range = US$0.00-US$ 90) and US$7.49 (SD = US$60.00, median = US$0.00) while mean annual direct non-medical cost for US$10.23 (SD = US$17.35, median = US$4.00) and US$11.23 (SD = US$25.22, median = US$6.00, range = US$0.00-US$ 360.00). The PMTCT and ART costs per visit based on time lost were US$3.53 (US$1.13 to US$8.69) and US$3.43 (US$1.14 to US$8.53), respectively. The mean annual patient costs per person for PMTCT and ART in this evaluation will impact household income since PMTCT and ART services in Zimbabwe are supposed to be free.

Long-term impact of a conditional cash transfer programme on maternal mortality: a nationwide analysis of Brazilian longitudinal data.

BACKGROUND: Reducing poverty and improving access to health care are two of the most effective actions to decrease maternal mortality, and conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes act on both. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of one of the world's largest CCT (the Brazilian Bolsa Familia Programme (BFP)) on maternal mortality during a period of 11 years. METHODS: The study had an ecological longitudinal design and used all 2548 Brazilian municipalities with vital statistics of adequate quality during 2004-2014. BFP municipal coverage was classified into four levels, from low to consolidated, and its duration effects were measured using the average municipal coverage of previous years. We used negative binomial multivariable regression models with fixed-effects specifications, adjusted for all relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare variables. RESULTS: BFP was significantly associated with reductions of maternal mortality proportionally to its levels of coverage and years of implementation, with a rate ratio (RR) reaching 0.88 (95%CI 0.81-0.95), 0.84 (0.75-0.96) and 0.83 (0.71-0.99) for intermediate, high and consolidated BFP coverage over the previous 11 years. The BFP duration effect was stronger among young mothers (RR 0.77; 95%CI 0.67-0.96). BFP was also associated with reductions in the proportion of pregnant women with no prenatal visits (RR 0.73; 95%CI 0.69-0.77), reductions in hospital case-fatality rate for delivery (RR 0.78; 95%CI 0.66-0.94) and increases in the proportion of deliveries in hospital (RR 1.05; 95%CI 1.04-1.07). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that a consolidated and durable CCT coverage could decrease maternal mortality, and these long-term effects are stronger among poor mothers exposed to CCT during their childhood and adolescence, suggesting a CCT inter-generational effect. Sustained CCT coverage could reduce health inequalities and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 3.1, and should be preserved during the current global economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Policymaking and Stated Reasons: Prenatal Care for Undocumented Immigrants in an Era of Abortion Restriction.

Policy Points States can create policies that provide access to publicly funded prenatal care for undocumented immigrants that garner support from diverse political coalitions. Policymakers have used a wide range of moral and practical reasons to support the expansion of care to this population, which can be tailored to frame prenatal policies for different stakeholder groups. CONTEXT: Even though nearly 6% of citizen babies born in the United States have at least one undocumented parent, undocumented immigrants are ineligible for most public health insurance. Prenatal care is a recommended health service that improves birth outcomes, and some states, including both traditionally "blue" and "red" states, have opted to provide publicly funded coverage for prenatal services for people who are otherwise ineligible due to immigration status. This article explores how courts and legislatures in three states have approached the question of publicly funded prenatal care for undocumented immigrants and its relationship to the abortion debate, with a particular focus on the moral and practical justifications that policymakers employ. METHODS: We employed a review and qualitative analysis of the documents that comprise the legislative histories of prenatal policies in three case states: California, New York, and Nebraska. FINDINGS: This review and analysis of policy documents identified moral reasons based on appeals to different conceptions of moral status, respect for autonomy, and justice, as well as prudential reasons that appealed to the health and economic benefits of prenatal care for US citizens and legal residents. We found that much of the variation in reasons supporting policies by state can be traced to the state's position on the protection of reproductive rights and whether the policymakers in each state supported or opposed access to abortion. Interestingly, despite these differences, the states arrived at similar prenatal policies for immigrants. CONCLUSIONS: There may be areas where policymakers with different political orientations can converge on health policies affecting access to care for undocumented immigrants. Future research should explore the reception of various message frames for expanding public health insurance coverage to immigrants in other contexts.

SAFE@HOME: Cost analysis of a new care pathway including a digital health platform for women at increased risk of preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a cost analysis of the use of a new care pathway with a digital health platform for blood pressure telemonitoring for women at risk of preeclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cost analysis of a case-control study with women with chronic hypertension, history of preeclampsia, maternal cardiac or kidney disease at intake of pregnancy. Antenatal care with a reduced visit schedule and a digital health platform (SAFE@HOME, n = 97) was compared to a retrospective control group (n = 133) with usual care without self-monitoring. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Costs per pregnancy (€) of healthcare consumption of antenatal clinic visits, ultrasound assessments, antenatal admissions, laboratory and other diagnostic tests, and societal costs such as traveling and work absence. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics and perinatal outcomes were similar between both groups. A significant reduction of antenatal visits, ultrasounds and hypertension-related admissions was associated with use of the digital platform. In the SAFE@HOME group, costs of antenatal care, including the costs of the digital platform, were 19.7% lower compared to the control group (median €3616 [IQR 3071 - 5329] vs €4504 [IQR 3515-6923], p = 0.001). Total costs per pregnancy, including societal costs, were also reduced (€7485 [IQR 6338-10,173] vs €9150, [IQR 7546-12,286] p < 0.001). Each euro invested in the platform saved on average €8 of antenatal care resources. CONCLUSION: The use of a digital platform for blood pressure and symptom monitoring in antenatal care for high-risk women is associated with lower costs compared to conventional care, while observed maternal and neonatal outcomes are similar.

The price of quality care: cross-sectional associations between out-of-pocket payments and quality of care in six low-income countries.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between out-of-pocket (OOP) payments and primary health care quality in six low-income countries: Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, Nepal, Senegal and Tanzania. METHODS: We examined the association between OOP payments and quality of care during antenatal care and sick child care visits using Service Provision Assessments data. We defined four process quality outcomes from observations of clinical care: visit duration, history-taking items asked, exam items performed, and counselling items delivered. The outcome is the total amount paid for services. We used multilevel models to test the relationship between OOP payments and each quality measure in public, private non-profit and private for-profit facilities controlling for patient, provider, and facility characteristics. RESULTS: Across the six countries, an average of 42% of the 29 677 observed clients paid for their visit. In the adjusted models, OOP payments were positively associated with the visit duration during sick child visits, with history-taking and exam items during antenatal care visits, and with counselling in private for-profit facilities for both visit types. These associations were strong particularly in Afghanistan, the DRC and Haiti; for example, a high-quality antenatal care visit in the DRC would cost approximately USD 1.12 more than a visit with median quality. CONCLUSION: Provider effort was associated with higher OOP payments for sick child and antenatal care services in the six countries studied. While many families are already spending high amounts on care, they must often spend even more to receive higher quality care.

Addressing the huge poor-rich gap of inequalities in accessing safe childbirth care: A first step to achieving universal maternal health coverage in Tanzania.

INTRODUCTION: Despite skilled attendance during childbirth has been linked with the reduction of maternal deaths, equality in accessing this safe childbirth care is highly needed to achieving universal maternal health coverage. However, little information is available regarding the extent of inequalities in accessing safe childbirth care in Tanzania. This study was performed to assess the current extent, trend, and potential contributors of poor-rich inequalities in accessing safe childbirth care among women in Tanzania. METHODS: This study used data from 2004, 2010, and 2016 Tanzania Demographic Health Surveys. The two maternal health services 1) institutional delivery and 2) skilled birth attendance was used to measures access to safe childbirth care. The inequalities were assessed by using concentration curves and concentration indices. The decomposition analysis was computed to identify the potential contributors to the inequalities in accessing safe childbirth care. RESULTS: A total of 8725, 8176, and 10052 women between 15 and 49 years old from 2004, 2010, and 2016 surveys respectively were included in the study. There is an average gap (>50%) between the poorest and richest in accessing safe childbirth care during the study period. The concentration curves were below the line of inequality which means women from rich households have higher access to the institutional delivery and skilled birth attendance inequalities in accessing institutional delivery and skilled birth attendance. These were also, confirmed with their respective positive concentration indices. The decomposition analysis was able to unveil that household's wealth status, place of residence, and maternal education as the major contributors to the persistent inequalities in accessing safe childbirth care. CONCLUSION: The calls for an integrated policy approach which includes fiscal policies, social protection, labor market, and employment policies need to improve education and wealth status for women from poor households. This might be the first step toward achieving universal maternal health coverage.