Brazilian babies born with Zika virus syndrome at greater risk of death in first three years of life than those born without (LSHTM)
This article was originally published by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). New study highlights urgent need for women of childbearing age to be protected from bites, and early intervention to improve babies’ chances of survival. Babies born with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), due to infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy, are … Continued
Nearly one in five babies in Brazil born ‘small’ and at risk of early childhood death
This article was originally published by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. New identification of small vulnerable newborns at higher risk of mortality could be a step towards preventing neonatal deaths. 18% of babies born in Brazil over seven years were born ‘small’ – either preterm, small for gestational age (SGA) or with … Continued
Nepal lockdown halved health facility births and increased stillbirths and newborn deaths
This article was originally published by the LSHTM COVID-19 response has resulted in major reductions in health facility births in Nepal and widened inequalities, with significantly increased institutional stillbirth and neonatal mortality, according to a new study in the Lancet Global Health. The research was led Dr Ashish KC and Nepal colleagues with Uppsala University, Sweden, and … Continued
Maternal and newborn health improves in rural Nigeria, Ethiopia and India but inequities still exist
This article was originally published by EurekAlert referring to the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) Community-based health programs in parts of rural Nigeria, Ethiopia and India were successful in improving health care for mothers and newborns, but inequities still exist, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). “Our findings have both … Continued
Uganda leading groundbreaking research for newborn deaths in hospitals
This article was originally published in The Independent (Uganda) here. Researchers in Uganda are conducting a trial to determine the mortality benefits and cost-effectiveness of kangaroo mother care (KMC) among ill infants weighing 2000 grams or less. KMC is a method of care of preterm infants that involves skin-to-skin contact with the mother or another … Continued
First Maternal Azithromycin Meeting in the Gambia
This article was originally published on the LSHTM MARCH Centre webpage here. The MAR meeting was organized and chaired by Dr Anna Roca, PregnAnZI-2 Principal Investigator, and included other investigators from the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, the University of Maryland Medical School, University of Alabama, Research Triangle Institute International, the University of Melbourne, … Continued
Secrets of early life revealed from less than half a teaspoon of blood
A global team of scientists have mapped the developmental pathway of a newborn’s life for the first time. The research, published in Nature Communications, could transform our understanding of health and disease in babies. Co-led by the MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the new study included lifting … Continued
Providing additional support to women in Burkina Faso can boost rates of exclusive breastfeeding
Intervention potential route to improving child health in West Africa Interventions which educate and support new mothers in West Africa to exclusively breastfeed (where infants are only fed breast milk) can significantly increase the practice, according to new research published in The Lancet Global Health. In a randomised trial of new mothers in Burkina Faso, led … Continued
WHO lays out recommendations to save newborns
According to a recent report released by WHO titled Survive and thrive: transforming care for every small and sick newborn, it is crucial for the world to transform care for every newborn baby, in order to achieve the global target of health for all. Reducing neonatal mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births and under-five … Continued
Detecting and diagnosing infection in women during and after pregnancy in Togo
The Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health (CMNH) has launched a new programme in Togo, which aims to better understand the causes of infection in women during and after pregnancy, and determine the usefulness of an early warning score to detect possible infection. Last month, Dr Mary McCauley, Academic Clinical Lecturer at CMNH, travelled to … Continued