UCL PUBLIC POLICY The role of women’s groups in improving maternal and newborn health UCL POLICY briefing – sepTEMBER 2013 KEYWORDS Maternal health, newborn health, community intervention, MDG. AUTHORS Dr Audrey Prost Introduction Senior Lecturer UCL Institute for Global Health
[email protected] +44(0)20 7905 2839 Maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high in many low- income and middle-income countries, with an estimated 273,465 Professor Anthony Costello women dying from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, Professor of International Child Health and 2.9m infants not surviving the first month of life in 2011. UCL Institute for Global Health Achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 of reducing
[email protected] +44(0)20 7905 2122 child mortality and improving maternal health requires further Sarah Chaytor reduction in the maternal mortality ratio and a renewed focus on Head of UCL Public Policy, neonatal survival. Community based interventions are crucial for Office of the UCL Vice-Provost (Research) the attainment of these goals.
[email protected] +44 (0)20 7679 8584 Maternal and neonatal survival in low-resource settings can be significantly improved by the intervention of women’s KEY FINDINGS groups practising participatory learning and action. • Exposure to women’s groups significantly reduces maternal and newborn mortality, with a 37% reduction in maternal mortality and a 23% reduction in neonatal mortality. Summary of the research • The most significant improvement is with the participation of at least a third of pregnant women and adequate population This study investigated the effect of community-based interventions coverage and in high mortality settings: where at least 30% via women’s groups using a participatory learning and action cycle.