Browsing by Author "Garces, Ana"

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    Caesarean birth by maternal request: a poorly understood phenomenon in low- and middle-income countries
    (Oxford University Press, 2021-01-14) Harrison, Margo S.; Garces, Ana; Figueroa, Lester; Esamai, Fabian; Bucher, Sherri; Bose, Carl; Goudar, Shivaprasad; Derman, Richard; Patel, Archana; Hibberd, Patricia L.; Chomba, Elwyn; Mwenechanya, Miusaku; Hambidge, Michael; Krebs, Nancy F.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: While trends in caesarean birth by maternal request in low- and middle-income countries are unclear, age, education, multiple gestation and hypertensive disease appear associated with the indication when compared with caesarean birth performed for medical indications. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a prospectively collected population-based study of home and facility births using descriptive statistics, bivariate comparisons and multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression. Results: Of 28 751 patients who underwent caesarean birth and had a documented primary indication for the surgery, 655 (2%) were attributed to caesarean birth by maternal request. The remaining 98% were attributed to maternal and foetal indications and prior caesarean birth. In a multilevel mixed effects logistic regression adjusted for site and cluster of birth, when compared with caesareans performed for medical indications, caesarean birth performed for maternal request had a higher odds of being performed among women ≥35 y of age, with a university or higher level of education, with multiple gestations and with pregnancies complicated by hypertension (P < 0.01). Caesarean birth by maternal request was associated with a two-times increased odds of breastfeeding within 1 h of delivery, but no adverse outcomes (when compared with women who underwent caesarean birth for medical indications; P < 0.01). Conclusion: Caesarean performed by maternal request is more common in older and more educated women and those with multifoetal gestation or hypertensive disease. It is also associated with higher rates of breastfeeding within 1 h of delivery.
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    Communities, birth attendants and health facilities: a continuum of emergency maternal and newborn care (the global network's EmONC trial)
    (BMC, 2010-12-14) Pasha, Omrana; Goldenberg, Robert L.; McClure, Elizabeth M.; Saleem, Sarah; Goudar, Shivaprasad S.; Althabe, Fernando; Patel, Archana; Esamai, Fabian; Garces, Ana; Chomba, Elwyn; Mazariegos, Manolo; Kodkany, Bhala; Belizan, Jose M.; Derman, Richard J.; Hibberd, Patricia L.; Carlo, Waldemar A.; Liechty, Edward A.; Hambidge, K. Michael Michael; Buekens, Pierre; Wallace, Dennis; Howard-Grabman, Lisa; Stalls, Suzanne; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Jobe, Alan H.; Wright, Linda L.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Background Maternal and newborn mortality rates remain unacceptably high, especially where the majority of births occur in home settings or in facilities with inadequate resources. The introduction of emergency obstetric and newborn care services has been proposed by several organizations in order to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, the effectiveness of emergency obstetric and neonatal care services has never been proven. Also unproven is the effectiveness of community mobilization and community birth attendant training to improve pregnancy outcomes. Methods/Design We have developed a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive intervention of community mobilization, birth attendant training and improvement of quality of care in health facilities on perinatal mortality in low and middle-income countries where the majority of births take place in homes or first level care facilities. This trial will take place in 106 clusters (300-500 deliveries per year each) across 7 sites of the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research in Argentina, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia. The trial intervention has three key elements, community mobilization, home-based life saving skills for communities and birth attendants, and training of providers at obstetric facilities to improve quality of care. The primary outcome of the trial is perinatal mortality. Secondary outcomes include rates of stillbirth, 7-day neonatal mortality, maternal death or severe morbidity (including obstetric fistula, eclampsia and obstetrical sepsis) and 28-day neonatal mortality. Discussion In this trial, we are evaluating a combination of interventions including community mobilization and facility training in an attempt to improve pregnancy outcomes. If successful, the results of this trial will provide important information for policy makers and clinicians as they attempt to improve delivery services for pregnant women and newborns in low-income countries.
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    Postpartum contraceptive use and unmet need for family planning in five low-income countries
    (Springer (Biomed Central Ltd.), 2015) Pasha, Omrana; Goudar, Shivaprasad S.; Patel, Archana; Garces, Ana; Esamai, Fabian; Chomba, Elwyn; Moore, Janet L.; Kodkany, Bhalchandra S.; Saleem, Sarah; Derman, Richard J.; Liechty, Edward A.; Hibberd, Patricia L.; Hambidge, K. Michael; Krebs, Nancy F.; Carlo, Waldemar A.; McClure, Elizabeth M.; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Goldenberg, Robert L.; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: During the post-partum period, most women wish to delay or prevent future pregnancies. Despite this, the unmet need for family planning up to a year after delivery is higher than at any other time. This study aims to assess fertility intention, contraceptive usage and unmet need for family planning amongst women who are six weeks postpartum, as well as to identify those at greatest risk of having an unmet need for family planning during this period. METHODS: Using the NICHD Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research's multi-site, prospective, ongoing, active surveillance system to track pregnancies and births in 100 rural geographic clusters in 5 countries (India, Pakistan, Zambia, Kenya and Guatemala), we assessed fertility intention and contraceptive usage at day 42 post-partum. RESULTS: We gathered data on 36,687 women in the post-partum period. Less than 5% of these women wished to have another pregnancy within the year. Despite this, rates of modern contraceptive usage varied widely and unmet need ranged from 25% to 96%. Even amongst users of modern contraceptives, the uptake of the most effective long-acting reversible contraceptives (intrauterine devices) was low. Women of age less than 20 years, parity of two or less, limited education and those who deliver at home were at highest risk for having unmet need. CONCLUSIONS: Six weeks postpartum, almost all women wish to delay or prevent a future pregnancy. Even in sites where early contraceptive adoption is common, there is substantial unmet need for family planning. This is consistently highest amongst women below the age of 20 years. Interventions aimed at increasing the adoption of effective contraceptive methods are urgently needed in the majority of sites in order to reduce unmet need and to improve both maternal and infant outcomes, especially amongst young women. STUDY REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT01073475).
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    Safety of daily low-dose aspirin use during pregnancy in low-income and middle-income countries
    (Elsevier, 2021) Short, Vanessa L.; Hoffman, Matthew; Metgud, Mrityunjay; Kavi, Avinash; Goudar, Shivaprasad S.; Okitawutshu, Jean; Tshefu, Antoinette; Bose, Carl L.; Mwenechanya, Musaku; Chomba, Elwyn; Carlo, Waldemar A.; Figueroa, Lester; Garces, Ana; Krebs, Nancy F.; Jessani, Saleem; Saleem, Sarah; Goldenberg, Robert L.; Das, Prabir Kumar; Patel, Archana; Hibberd, Patricia L.; Achieng, Emmah; Nyongesa, Paul; Esamai, Fabian; Bucher, Sherri; Nowak, Kayla J.; Goco, Norman; Nolen, Tracy L.; McClure, Elizabeth M.; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Miodovnik, Menachem; Derman, Richard J.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND The daily use of low-dose aspirin may be a safe, widely available, and inexpensive intervention for reducing the risk of preterm birth. Data on the potential side effects of low-dose aspirin use during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries are needed. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess differences in unexpected emergency medical visits and potential maternal side effects from a randomized, double-blind, multicountry, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose aspirin use (81 mg daily, from 6 to 36 weeks’ gestation). STUDY DESIGN This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Aspirin Supplementation for Pregnancy Indicated Risk Reduction In Nulliparas trial, a trial of the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health conducted in India (2 sites), Pakistan, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Zambia. The outcomes for this analysis were unexpected emergency medical visits and the occurrence of the following potential side effects—overall and separately—nausea, vomiting, rash or hives, diarrhea, gastritis, vaginal bleeding, allergic reaction, and any other potential side effects. Analyses were performed overall and by geographic region. RESULTS Between the aspirin (n=5943) and placebo (n=5936) study groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of unexpected emergency medical visits or the risk of any potential side effect (overall). Of the 8 potential side effects assessed, only 1 (rash or hives) presented a different risk by treatment group (4.2% in the aspirin group vs 3.5% in the placebo group; relative risk, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.43; P=.042). CONCLUSION The daily use of low-dose aspirin seems to be a safe intervention for reducing the risk of preterm birth and well tolerated by nulliparous pregnant women between 6 and 36 weeks’ gestation in low- and middle-income countries.
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    Self-reported practices among traditional birth attendants surveyed in western Kenya: a descriptive study
    (BioMed Central, 2016-08-12) Bucher, Sherri; Konana, Olive; Liechty, Edward; Garces, Ana; Gisore, Peter; Marete, Irene; Tenge, Constance; Shipala, Evelyn; Wright, Linda; Esami, Fabian; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: The high rate of home deliveries conducted by unskilled birth attendants in resource-limited settings is an important global health issue because it is believed to be a significant contributing factor to maternal and newborn mortality. Given the large number of deliveries that are managed by unskilled or traditional birth attendants outside of health facilities, and the fact that there is on-going discussion regarding the role of traditional birth attendants in the maternal newborn health (MNH) service continuum, we sought to ascertain the practices of traditional birth attendants in our catchment area. The findings of this descriptive study might help inform conversations regarding the roles that traditional birth attendants can play in maternal-newborn health care. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was used in a survey that included one hundred unskilled birth attendants in western Kenya. Descriptive statistics were employed. RESULTS: Inappropriate or outdated practices were reported in relation to some obstetric complications and newborn care. Encouraging results were reported with regard to positive relationships that traditional birth attendants have with their local health facilities. Furthermore, high rates of referral to health facilities was reported for many common obstetric emergencies and similar rates for reporting of pregnancy outcomes to village elders and chiefs. CONCLUSIONS: Potentially harmful or outdated practices with regard to maternal and newborn care among traditional birth attendants in western Kenya were revealed by this study. There were high rates of traditional birth attendant referrals of pregnant mothers with obstetric complications to health facilities. Policy makers may consider re-educating and re-defining the roles and responsibilities of traditional birth attendants in maternal and neonatal health care based on the findings of this survey.
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    Trends in the incidence of possible severe bacterial infection and case fatality rates in rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, 2010-2013: a multicenter prospective cohort study
    (BioMed Central, 2016-05-24) Hibberd, Patricia L.; Hansen, Nellie I.; Wang, Marie E.; Goudar, Shivaprasad S.; Pasha, Omrana; Esamai, Fabian; Chomba, Elwyn; Garces, Ana; Althabe, Fernando; Derman, Richard J.; Goldenberg, Robert L.; Liechty, Edward A.; Carlo, Waldemar A.; Hambidge, K. Michael; Krebs, Nancy F.; Buekens, Pierre; McClure, Elizabeth M.; Koso-Thomas, Marion; Patel, Archana B.; Department of Pediatrics, IU School of Medicine
    Background Possible severe bacterial infections (pSBI) continue to be a leading cause of global neonatal mortality annually. With the recent publications of simplified antibiotic regimens for treatment of pSBI where referral is not possible, it is important to know how and where to target these regimens, but data on the incidence and outcomes of pSBI are limited. Methods We used data prospectively collected at 7 rural community-based sites in 6 low and middle income countries participating in the NICHD Global Network’s Maternal and Newborn Health Registry, between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013. Participants included pregnant women and their live born neonates followed for 6 weeks after delivery and assessed for maternal and infant outcomes. Results In a cohort of 248,539 infants born alive between 2010 and 2013, 32,088 (13 %) neonates met symptomatic criteria for pSBI. The incidence of pSBI during the first 6 weeks of life varied 10 fold from 3 % (Zambia) to 36 % (Pakistan), and overall case fatality rates varied 8 fold from 5 % (Kenya) to 42 % (Zambia). Significant variations in incidence of pSBI during the study period, with proportions decreasing in 3 sites (Argentina, Kenya and Nagpur, India), remaining stable in 3 sites (Zambia, Guatemala, Belgaum, India) and increasing in 1 site (Pakistan), cannot be explained solely by changing rates of facility deliveries. Case fatality rates did not vary over time. Conclusions In a prospective population based registry with trained data collectors, there were wide variations in the incidence and case fatality of pSBI in rural communities and in trends over time. Regardless of these variations, the burden of pSBI is still high and strategies to implement timely diagnosis and treatment are still urgently needed to reduce neonatal mortality.