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Guilty or not Guilty? How PSN Africa is addressing the realities of postpartum depression in Lagos State

Chibuike Alagboso

June 07, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Lagos State

The Postpartum Support Network Africa turned a foothold in one Lagos hospital into a 50-hospital network in two states combatting postpartum depression by training healthcare workers, screening for the problem, and providing therapy to mothers. The World Health Organization estimates that postpartum depression affects nearly 1 in 5 women in developing countries. Though common, it can be hard to detect and many lack awareness of its symptoms and treatment. PSN Africa's six-year push to improve the response to the problem has reached tens of thousands of mothers and their caregivers.

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How Philadelphia escaped disaster in the face of a dozen shuttered maternity wards

Nina Feldman Alan Yu

June 04, 2021 |

WHYY |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A large number of hospital closures pushed the remaining obstetrics chiefs to work together to maintain safe and accessible maternity care, especially for low-income and English as a second language community members. The consortium shared best practices and established easily transferrable common electronic medical records. Hospitals triaged patients by needs and transferred them if needed, rather than prioritizing income generation and competition. Doctors practiced a “laborist” model where they were assigned to be on the labor and delivery floor rather than follow a particular caseload of patients.

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Birthing in rural Haiti a miracle all its own

J.O. Haselhoef

May 28, 2021 |

Haitian Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Haiti

Midwives for Haiti (MfH) is one of the Haitian or American-based organizations working to address Haiti's alarmingly high maternal and infant death rates. MfH trains skilled birth attendants, through an 18-month curriculum taught by Haitian professionals. It also trains the matwòns, midwives who attend most births in Haiti. Its network of community clinics serve more than 6,000 patients annually, and hospitals and clinics are hiring its trained attendants.

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This pregnancy test came back positive for the environment

Talib Visram

May 19, 2021 |

FastCompany |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States

Pregnancy tests account for two million pounds of plastic waste a year. If you were born before the 1980s, chances are your mother's pregnancy test is in a landfill. Since its creation in the 1970s, pregnancy tests remained the same; as single-use plastics that are not biodegradable. The founders of Lia Diagnostics sought to change that by revolutionizing the design and creating a pregnancy test made out of paper.

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Black Mothers Face Dangerous Health-Care Disparities. Can Midwives Bridge the Gap?

Sarah Weiser

May 13, 2021 |

The New Yorker |

Multi-Media |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

Choices - Memphis Center for Reproductive Health provides midwifery services and trains new generations of midwives, with a focus on improving the experiences of women of color. Midwives played a central role in Black communities for centuries and research shows that women with low-risk births have better emotional and physical outcomes with midwives. Women also express a greater sense of trust and understanding with Black midwives, who can relate to their experiences as women of color in the healthcare system. Midwives take more of a holistic approach to treating women’s emotional and physical needs.

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Bringing Midwifery Back to Black Mothers

Sarah Weiser

May 13, 2021 |

Retro Report |

Video |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Memphis, Tennessee

Black midwifery has deep cultural roots, especially in the South as a remnant of the medical profession's neglect of Black women. Though the tradition largely died out, and nurse-midwives have become more professionalized, the latter-day profession is largely white. Choices, the Memphis Center for Reproductive Health, is training Black midwives and returning the practice to its communal roots to give Black mothers better care than they get from mainstream obstetrics and to combat the high maternal-mortality rate in the U.S.

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How rechargeable tricycles are saving pregnant mothers and newborns in rural Zimbabwe

Farai Shawn Matiashe

May 03, 2021 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Wedza

Mobility for Africa provides electric tricycles, called Hambas, to take pregnant women to and from health appointments. Mobility is critical to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and the three-wheel tricycles are easy to drive on rural roads. They run on a lithium battery that can be charged in about six hours using renewable energy and a single charge gets about three trips. The transportation allows women who live far from clinics and cannot afford transportation be able to access medical care. About 50 Hambas currently take women to and from doctor appointments during pregnancy until after delivery.

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For this Nonprofit, Ending Female Genital Mutilation is a Mission

Ekpali Saint

April 20, 2021 |

Prime Progress |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

The Society for the Improvement of Rural People educates communities about the physical and mental health dangers of female genital mutilation. Focusing on the five rural communities where FGM is most practiced, SIRP begins by gaining the support of religious and community leaders and then works with them to organize bigger community events where they advocate ending the practice. A particularly effective strategy has been showing a graphic and emotional video of girls undergoing the practice and women dealing with after-effects as adults. Anecdotal evidence shows that the group has changed some minds.

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The Videos Saving Lives in the Developing World

Jonathan Levine

April 19, 2021 |

Stanford Social Innovation Review |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: South Sudan

As a way to help train frontline health workers in developing countries about childbirth practices and child health, a nurse practitioner launched a video production project to offer short instructional films. In the 10 years since launching the project, the films have overall been viewed "more than 450 million times on YouTube, and they've been downloaded more than 200,000 times in 200 countries."

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How META is helping women deliver safely in rural Benue communities

Desmond Okon

March 31, 2021 |

Business Day |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Gboko

Maternal Expert Thinking Analyzer is a pilot project to prevent maternal mortality that uses a mobile diagnostic, training, and outreach application to help midwives assess the risk of their patients in rural areas. Midwives input data collected from pregnant mothers into the app and generate an automated risk-based assessment score. The pregnant mother then receives a text with advice based on her risk level. A total of 33 midwives across 14 regions are trained to use the app. Initial results indicate that the app has had positive results preventing maternal mortality and even increasing antenatal care.

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