The United Nations’ establishment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 – to improve child and maternal health, respectively, brought high maternal and neonatal mortality to the forefront of the global stage. These goals included a three-quarters reduction in…
Socioeconomic status (SES) of individuals or families is a composite measure of an individual’s and community’s access to resources, that accounts for economic and social position in relation to others. SES is an important determinant of health in high and…
Addressing the global burden of preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is critical to reducing neonatal and childhood mortality and to achieving Sustainable Development Goal #3—to ensure healthy lives and to promote well-being for all at all ages. The…
The Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) is a prospective, population-based registry of pregnancies and deliveries conducted under the auspices of the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research (GN), a multi-country research network funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver…
Since 1990, efforts to reduce child mortality have made an impact across the globe. By 2015, the global under-five mortality rate was reduced by 53%, from 91 per 1000 live births to 43 per 1000. However, despite the overall progress…
The risk of mortality and morbidity has been found to be higher in male subjects compared to females during the perinatal period, infancy and childhood. The risk of prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction and respiratory morbidities are also higher in male…
The weight of an infant at birth (BW) is a crucial anthropometric measurement associated with infant mortality. Population BW statistics are important measures of overall population health. However, in low- and low-middle income countries (LMICs), BWs are not always measured,…
Reducing maternal mortality is a global health priority. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim for a reduction of the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. If the SDGs are met by 2030, the…
Globally, cesarean birth rates are on the rise. Many countries have exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended cesarean birth rate of 10–15%, with some regions experiencing rates over 40%. Conversely, very low resource regions that may have poor access…
In India, biomass fuel is burned in many homes under inefficient conditions, leading to a complex milieu of particulate matter and environmental toxins known as household air pollution (HAP). Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable as they and their fetus may…