Maternal deaths in Ethiopia are mainly due to complications of pregnancy and delivery. The socio-cultural contexts under which these pregnancies and deliveries occur that pave the way for these complications and mortality. In Ethiopia, the maternal mortality ratio had been 353/100,000 live births in 2015. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to examine, and describe the socio-cultural determinants and missed opportunities of maternal health care in Eastern Ethiopia. The study was conducted in selected districts of Grawa, Chelenko and Haramaya Woreda, East Hararghe, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. A community-based survey involving pregnant women in their third trimester and women who gave birth in the last five years, husbands, mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, health workers, religious and community leaders were conducted between September up to December 2017. A systematic sampling technique was used to get a total of 422 study participants for quantitative and 24 FGD participants to qualitative study were adopted using triangulation of data collection. Pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant data. The main instrument used for quantitative data collection was the structured questionnaire, specifically in-depth interview methods. Bivariate and Multivariate data analysis were performed using SPSS version 25.0 and focus group discussion (FGD) was used to collect qualitative information and the information was analysed using thematic analysis method based on Atlas.ti version 8.2 statistical software packages. The study revealed that among 359 (85%) pregnant women who planned for ANC visit, 16 (4.5%) received ANC four or more times during their last pregnancies, the respondents (81.3%) claimed that they were taken care of by skilled delivery attendant during delivery, 18.5% of them said that they delivered at home and 71.1% of them received medical care after delivery (missed opportunity). Women in the age group 15-24 years [AOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.18 (0.37, 3.74)], primary school [AOR: 4.09, 95%CI: 4.09(0.96, 15.50)], women intended their last pregnancy [AOR: 3.1, 95% CI: 0.32(0.11, 0.94)], and women living in urban residences [AOR: 1.2, 95%CI: 0.86(0.25, 2.95)] were significant predictors of unplanned home delivery. For optimal and effective interventions of maternal health services utilization, provisions should be made for better women‘s education, family planning, community-based health insurance, health facilities access, job opportunity and women empowerment; provisions should also be made for creating income generating activities to women. Strengthening village women‘s army wing, refreshing and enabling health extension workers and traditional birth attendants. What is more, optimal measures should be taken to discourage traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, polygamy, violence against women and teenage marriage. Finally, free maternal and child health services should be advocated for so that the gap in maternal healthcare services is bridged. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Obstructed labour contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality among both mothers and babies in Ethiopia nationwide, and also in the West-Wollega region where this study was conducted. The researcher used a retrospective hospital based review of maternity files to quantify the problem of obstructed labour in the selected hospital. The findings revealed that maternal and perinatal mortality due to obstructed labour amounted to 1.4% and 7.5% respectively. Most of these complications could be prevented by proper antenatal care and careful attentive monitoring during delivery with proper use of the partogram which will indicate the occurrence of complications in good time when successful and life saving interventions are still available. The findings clearly show that poor documentation in general and very sporadic usage of the partogram in particular contributes significantly to the complications for mother and child. Re-introduction of proper documentation and careful use of the partogram are advocated / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Background: Preconception care (PCC) is highly recommended evidence-based intervention to optimize women’s health in particular and in so doing reduce the incidences of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO). PCC targets modification of risk factors to APO occurring before and just at early weeks of conception. Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, the need to implement PCC as part of the continuums of the comprehensive Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Care services is not yet studied. Purpose/Aim of the study: This study aimed to develop a guideline to assist the incorporation of PCC in Ethiopian health system thereby reduce the highly incident APOs in the country, which is the purpose of the study. Methodology: This study applied the explanatory sequential mixed method to determine the determinants to the non-implementation PCC in Ethiopia. In addition, a policy document analysis was conducted to identify the existence of policy guiding the implementation of PCC in Ethiopia. Finally, the study applied a Delphi technique to increase the utility and acceptance of the guideline developed. The study was guided by a theory based framework called a Framework for Determinants of Innovation Processes (FDOIP). RESULT: Nearly all (84.7%) of the healthcare providers (HCPs) never ever practiced PCC. Even among those who ever practiced, the majority (74%), practiced it poorly. More than two third (68.6%) had poor PCC knowledge. HCP’s with good PCC knowledge had likely hood of practicing PCC by four times greater than those with poor PCC knowledge (AOR=4.4, 95% CI: 2.5-7.6). The policy document analysis identified the absence of policy guiding the practice of PCC in Ethiopia. The HCP’s curriculums also didn’t include PCC. The determinants to non-implementation of PCC, as perceived by the qualitative study participants include absence of national PCC policy , absence of PCC guideline, lack of institutional PCC plan, presence of other competing demand, lack of laboratory facilities and setup, lack of accountable body, absence of Individual or organization introduced PCC to the country, absence of trained manpower on PCC, absence of known expert in PCC, Poor public awareness about preconception health and PCC, Unplanned Pregnancy and poor health seeking behaviour. CONCLUSION The study revealed the absence of a standard and complete PCC practices by the HCPs. Nearly all HCPs never ever implement PCC. Even those very few practitioners were found practicing PCC poorly that is in a substandard, incidental, and in an inconsistent way. There is no formal policy document guiding the implementation of in Ethiopia. The HCPs training curriculum didn’t include PCC. The guideline developed base on the study findings of the study recommended to incorporating PCC in Ethiopia health system. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Obstructed labour contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality among both mothers and babies in Ethiopia nationwide, and also in the West-Wollega region where this study was conducted. The researcher used a retrospective hospital based review of maternity files to quantify the problem of obstructed labour in the selected hospital. The findings revealed that maternal and perinatal mortality due to obstructed labour amounted to 1.4% and 7.5% respectively. Most of these complications could be prevented by proper antenatal care and careful attentive monitoring during delivery with proper use of the partogram which will indicate the occurrence of complications in good time when successful and life saving interventions are still available. The findings clearly show that poor documentation in general and very sporadic usage of the partogram in particular contributes significantly to the complications for mother and child. Re-introduction of proper documentation and careful use of the partogram are advocated / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Ethiopia is one of the five nations that bear the global burden of nearly 50% maternal mortalities and newborn deaths. Cause-specific maternal mortality and newborn death information are vitally important for prevention, but little is known about the causes of deaths. Many maternal mortalities and newborn deaths occur at home, outside the formal health sector, and few are attended by qualified medical professionals. Despite the fact that, non-medical factors are often more important in determining whether a woman/newborn lives or dies than the medical cause of death itself. This study determines and explores factors contributing to maternal mortalities and newborn deaths in Ethiopia with the aim of developing a community-based model for averting maternal mortalities and newborn deaths in Ethiopia. The study was organised in three phases. In Phase 1, a community-based-retrospective approach using explorative, descriptive and contextual study design, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed methods) were used to make an in-depth investigation and analysis of the circumstances and events surrounding individual cases of maternal mortality and newborn deaths. The result of the study revealed various direct and indirect as well as possible contributing factors to maternal mortalities and newborn deaths which outlined bases for forwarding Phase 2 of the study called concept analysis. In Phase 3, a prototype model was developed according to Chinn and Kramer’s approach to theory generation: initially, based on the empirical perspectives of the study, concept analysis was conducted. The structure and process of a model to avert maternal mortality and newborn death were described; and, six survey list; namely, agent, recipient, context, procedure, dynamic and terminus of Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968) form the basis for development and description of a model for averting maternal mortality and newborn deaths in Ethiopia. Impediment in receiving prompt, adequate and appropriate care were common problems encountered even after reaching an appropriate medical facility. For any attempt to attain a significant reduction in maternal mortality and newborn death, the health care system in Ethiopia must assume its tasks to institute critical changes in both the structure and process of health care delivery services. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Text in English with abstracts and keywords in English and Setswana / Aim: The purpose of the research was to determine the magnitude and factors associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and to explore the experiences of gynaecologists/obstetricians and midwives in the monitoring and prevention of GDM- related adverse maternal outcomes in order to propose best practice guidelines which may be implemented to overcome the problem. Methods: A concurrent mixed methods design was used. Participants for the quantitative study were selected using systematic random sampling, with purposive sampling being used for the qualitative part of the study. A total of 2000 medical records were reviewed using a checklist, in addition to which 7 gynaecologists/obstetricians and 12 midwives were interviewed using an in-depth interview guide. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the quantitative part, while Colaizzi’s manual qualitative data analysis method wasused for the qualitative part of the study. Findings: The magnitude of GDM was found to be 2.2%. Age and family history of diabetes mellitus were found to be factors associated with GDM (at p < 0.001). Other factors such as obesity, previous GDM, previous history of fetal macrosomia and multiple gestations were identified by respondents as factors related with GDM. In addition, the study explored the experiences of health professionals (HPs) in the monitoring and prevention of adverse maternal outcomes related to GDM, with the results showing some differences in screening and diagnostic techniques. It was also shown that lifestyle modification (physical exercise, diet management) and medication were utilised for managing women with GDM. In this regard, all the HPs agreed that creating awareness is the best intervention for preventing GDM as well as its adverse maternal outcomes. Conclusions: The magnitude of GDM is increasing, and much needs to be done to draw attention to the burden that GDM places on the health of pregnant women and the public. Since GDM is not considered a public health problem, little is being done to monitor the condition and its adverse maternal outcomes. It is hoped that the best practice guidelines developed from this research study may assist in reducing the adverse maternal outcomes of GDM in Ethiopia / Maikaelelo: Lebaka la patlisiso e ne e le go tlhotlhomisa go nna teng le mabaka a a golaganeng le bolwetsi jwa sukiri jwa baimana (GDM), le go tlhotlhomisa maitemogelo a dingaka tsa malwetsi a basadi (gynaeologists/ obstetricians) le babelegisi mo go tlhokomeleng le go thibeleng ditlamorago tse di maswe mo baimaneng tse di amanang le GDM gore go tshitshinngwe dintlhakaelo tse di gaisang tse di ka diragadiwang go fenya bothata. Mekgwa: Go dirisitswe thadiso ya mekgwa e e tlhakantsweng. Banni-le-seabe ba thutopatlisiso e e lebelelang dipalopalo ba ne ba tlhophiwa go diriswa go tlhopha sampole ka go se latele thulaganyo, mme go tlhopha sampole ka maikaelelo go ne ga diriswa mo karolong ya thutopatlisiso e e lebelelang mabaka. Go sekasekilwe palogotlhe ya direkoto tsa kalafi tse 2 000 go diriswa lenanetshekatsheko, mme mo godimo ga moo, go ne ga nna le dipotsolotso le dingaka tsa malwetsi a basadi di le supa le babelegisi ba le 12 go diriswa kaedi ya dipotsolotso tse di tseneletseng. Dipalopalo tse di tlhalosang le tse go sweditsweng ka tsona di ne tsa diriswa mo karolong ya dipalopalo ya thutopatlisiso, fa go dirisitswe mokgwa wa ga Colaizi wa tokololo ya data ya mabaka mo karolong e e lebelelang mabaka. Diphitlhelelo: Go nna teng ga GDM go ne ga fitlhelwa e le 2.2%. Dingwaga le hisetori ya bolwetsi jwa sukiri ya baimana mo lelapeng di fitlhetswe e le dintlha tse di golaganeng le GDM (ka p < 0.001). Dintlha dingwe, jaaka go nona phetelela, GDM mo nakong e e fetileng, go nna teng ga macrosomia ya masea mo nakong e e fetileng le boimana jwa masea a feta bongwe di ne tsa supiwa ke batsibogi jaaka dintlha tse di golaganeng le GDM. Go tlaleletsa foo, thuto e ne ya sekaseka maitemogelo a baporofešenale ba boitekanelo (HPs) mo tlhokomelong le thibelo ya ditlamorago tse di sa siamang mo baimaneng tse di golaganeng le GDM, mme dipholo di bontshitse dipharologano dingwe mo dithekeniking tsa go sekirina le go phekola. Go bonagetse gape gore phetolo ya mokgwa wa botshelo (katiso ya mmele, tsamaiso ya mokgwa wa go ja) le kalafi di ne tsa diriswa go laola bolwetsi jwa basadi ba ba nang le GDM. Mo lebakeng le, baporofešenale botlhe ba boitekanelo ba ne ba dumelana gore go dira temoso ke tsereganyo e e gaisang ya go thibela GDM ga mmogo le ditlamorago tsa yona tse di sa siamang mo baimaneng. Ditshwetso: Go nna teng ga GDM go a oketsega, mme go tshwanetse go dirwa go le gontsi go lemosa ka mokgweleo o bolwetse jono bo o bayang mo boitekanelong jwa baimana le setšhaba. Ka ntlha ya gore GDM ga e kaiwe jaaka bothata jwa boitekanelo jwa setšhaba, ga go dirwe go le kalo go tlhokomela bolwetsi le ditlamorago tsa jona tse di sa siamang mo baimaneng. Go solofelwa gore dintlhakaelo tsa tiriso e e gaisang tse di dirilweng mo thutopatlisisong eno di ka thusa go fokotsa ditlamorago tse di sa siamang tsa GDM mo baimaneng kwa Ethiopia. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Health)