February 24
South Africa: Pregnant Women in South Africa Should Be Offered Social Grants - It'll Save the State Money in the Long Run
A baby's first 1,000 days, from the time of conception until their second birthday, is a crucial window of opportunity to optimise their potential - through healthy nutrition for… Read more »
February 21
Africa: 80 Percent of Premature Baby Deaths Happen in Poorer Countries. Five Simple Measures That Can Help Save Them
Worldwide in 2020 a baby died every 40 seconds because of complications of prematurity. Preterm birth is the leading cause of death among children under 5 years old. Read more »
February 07
Africa: Demography and Reproductive Rights Are Environmental Issues - Insights From Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa's population is growing three times faster than the rest of the world with an average of 4.6 births per woman in 2021. By comparison, the fertility rate in… Read more »
November 20, 2023
Africa: Early Births - Between 34 and 37 Weeks - for Moms With Pre-Eclampsia Can Reduce Baby and Mother Deaths
About half a million babies die each year as a result of pre-eclampsia, an aggressive and potentially life-threatening problem in pregnancy. Approximately 46,000 women also die… Read more »
September 07, 2023
Africa: Why Mothers and Babies Will Suffer More As Africa Grows Hotter
As Africa gets hotter, mothers and babies are most at risk. Why is this and what can be done about it? Matthew Chersich, a specialist in climate change and maternal health,… Read more »
July 03, 2023
Africa: Covid Vaccination in Pregnancy Greatly Reduces Risk of Severe Illness and Death - And Protects Babies
From the early days of the pandemic, it has been evident that a COVID-19 infection in pregnancy can be serious. Hundreds of studies from around the world have consistently shown… Read more »
June 28, 2023
Africa: Every 2 Seconds in the World a Baby Is Born Prematurely - Report Identifies Biggest Challenges for Their Survival
Globally, about one baby in 10 is born too soon - that's around one baby every two seconds. A full term pregnancy is around nine months or 37 weeks. Babies born before this mark… Read more »
June 26, 2023
Tanzania: Baby Deaths in Tanzania - Being Born in a City No Longer Increases Their Chances of Survival
Five million children under five years old died in 2021. Of these, nearly half occurred within the first month - a time of high vulnerability. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest… Read more »
June 07, 2023
South Africa: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome - Facial Modelling Study Explores Technology to Aid Diagnosis
Foetal alcohol syndrome is a lifelong condition caused by exposing an unborn baby to alcohol. It's a pattern of mental, physical and behavioural symptoms seen in some people whose… Read more »
May 02, 2023
Africa: Four Things You Need to Know About Having a Caesarean Section
If you're pregnant or planning to have a baby soon, you've probably been given lots of advice and information about what you might experience during and after the birth. But less… Read more »
March 16, 2023
Kenya: Kenya Introduced Free Maternal Health Services a Decade Ago - It's Been a Success, Saving Lives
Maternal and newborn deaths are a major public health problem in Kenya. In 2020 the maternal mortality ratio was 530 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is much higher than the… Read more »
January 12, 2023
South Africa: Pregnant Learners Need Creches and Compassion to Keep Them in School
After Boitumelo gave birth she decided not to go back to school. She assumed that, because she was now a mother, she would be barred from returning. Then she had a surprising… Read more »
December 14, 2022
Nigeria: Forced Mass Abortions Are a New and Disturbing Phenomenon in Nigeria
Nigeria classifies abortion as illegal except under certain medical circumstances. A recent investigation by Reuters news agency has alleged that, since 2013, the Nigerian military… Read more »
October 06, 2022
Nigeria: Nigerian Newborns Weigh Less If Their Mothers Use Biomass Fuel - a Major Health Risk
Babies should ideally weigh about 2,500g or more at birth. Birth weight is a vital indicator of foetal and neonatal health. If a newborn weighs less than 2,500g - because they are… Read more »
September 11, 2022
Nigeria: Ovarian Condition That Can Cause Missed Menstrual Periods and Infertility Is Going Undetected
Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common gynaecological endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. It affects between 4% and 20% of women globally and is influenced by… Read more »
July 24, 2022
Nigeria: Lifesaving Maternal Health Services Are So Close, Yet So Far For Pregnant Women Living In Sub-Saharan Africa's Largest Metropolis
Every year around the world, 295,000 women die due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Seven in 10 of these maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. These deaths are… Read more »
July 19, 2022
East Africa: Why Sexual and Reproductive Law for East African Countries Is Being Resisted
Six of the countries of the East African Community - Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania - recently concluded public hearings on a new sexual and reproductive… Read more »
July 12, 2022
Africa: What Does It Mean to Be a 'Person'? Different Cultures Have Different Answers
Opponents and proponents of abortion rights often frame their positions in terms of two fundamental values: "life" or "choice." Read more »
June 20, 2022
South Africa: Supporting Women With Mental Ill-Health in Pregnancy and After Birth - Lessons From South Africa
Women in low- and middle-income countries experience high levels of common mental disorders - anxiety and depression - during pregnancy and the first year after birth. The… Read more »
May 24, 2022
South Africa: We Tested Plants Used for Contraception. Here's What We Found
In sub-Saharan Africa, 91 per 1,000 pregnancies are unwanted. This is around three times the rates of unintended pregnancies recorded in Europe and North America. Read more »
May 11, 2022
South Africa: How South Africa Is Integrating Covid Into Routine Care for Mothers and Babies
COVID-19 has had a direct impact on maternal mortality. Read more »
May 06, 2022
Africa: U.S. Abortion Law Decision Brings Attention to Rights of Women in Africa
A leaked draft of a majority opinion of the US Supreme Court has revealed the court's leaning towards undoing its 1973 landmark ruling (Roe v Wade) which gave women in the US a… Read more »
Africa: How U.S. Policy On Abortion Affects Women in Africa
Policies and decisions made in the United States echo around the world and often have widespread implications. Take sexual and reproductive health, for example. Decisions made in… Read more »
May 04, 2022
Africa: Most Maternal Deaths Are Preventable - How to Improve Outcomes in South Africa
The past 20 years have seen a significant decline in maternal mortality rates from 342 deaths to 211 per 100,000 globally . But every day, more than 800 women around the world die… Read more »
January 15, 2019
Africa: Huge Disparities in C-Sections Highlights Inequalities in Healthcare
When pregnancy or childbirth go wrong, access to Caesarean section - usually known as C-section - can be the difference between life and death for both the woman and her baby. Read more »