BACKGROUND: Birth preparedness and complication readiness is a holistic approach that empowers mothers and families with the knowledge, attitude, and resources to alleviate potential challenges during childbirth. Despite its benefits, husbands\' participation in maternal care differs significantly between countries and regions. There is a lack of previous studies that look at husbands\' responses to birth preparedness and complication readiness in the research area. Thus, the primary goal of this study is to find out how husbands who have wives with infants under 12 months old feel about birth preparation, readiness for problems, and its associated factors.
METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from May 30 to July 29, 2022. Simple random sampling was employed to select 499 husbands. An interviewer-administered, structured, and pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data entry and analysis were performed using Epi Data version 4.6 and SPSS version 25, respectively. We used multivariable logistic regression to find statistically significant factors. P-values less than 0.05, 95% confidence intervals, and adjusted odds ratios are used to declare statistical significance. The findings were shown in figures, tables, and text.
RESULTS: The study found that 55.9% (95% CI: 51.4 to 61.4%) of husbands responded to birth preparedness and complication readiness. This response was significantly associated with being employed (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI: 2.27-5.95), engaging in self-business (AOR = 5.3, 95% CI: 2.34-12.01), having wives who delivered in health facilities (AOR = 7.1, 95% CI: 3.92-12.86), accompanying wives for antenatal care (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.39-3.56), possessing good knowledge of danger signs during labor (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.08-3.74) and the postnatal period (AOR = 7.1, 95% CI: 3.14-16.01). Interestingly, residents living near a health facility (AOR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.39-0.97) were less likely to respond.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study found that nearly 6 out of 10 husbands actively responded in terms of birth preparedness and complication readiness. While husbands in this study showed some involvement in birth preparedness and complications, it is good when compared to studies carried out nationally. To improve this, educating husbands by focusing on the danger signs and their role in childbirth is recommended.

UNASSIGNED: To assess and compare the level of Birth Preparedness and Complications Readiness (BPCR) and determine the predicting effect of socio-demographic factors on it among couples in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State.
UNASSIGNED: A community-based comparative cross-sectional study.
UNASSIGNED: The study was conducted in twelve rural and twelve urban communities in Ekiti State.
UNASSIGNED: Couples from rural and urban communities. Female partners were women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) who gave birth within twelve months before the survey.
UNASSIGNED: Proportion of couples that were well prepared for birth and obstetric emergencies, and its socio-demographic determinants.
UNASSIGNED: The proportion of couples that were well prepared for birth and its complications was significantly higher in urban (60.5%) than rural (48.4%) communities. The study also revealed that living above poverty line (95% CI=1.01-3.79), parity and spousal age difference less than five years (95% CI=1.09 - 2.40) were positive predictors of BPCR among respondents.
UNASSIGNED: Urban residents were better prepared than their rural counterparts. Living above poverty line, parity, and spousal age difference less than five years were positive predictors of BPCR. There is a need to emphasize on educating couples on the importance of identifying blood donors as a vital component of BPCR.
UNASSIGNED: None declared.

BACKGROUND: Male partners\' involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plans is a key strategy to improve maternal and child health. It assists an expectant mother to make timely decisions in receiving care where service is inaccessible. Despite its significance, information is scarce about male partner involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan in the study setting.
OBJECTIVE: To assess prevalence and factors associated with male partners\' involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan in Dale district Sidama, Ethiopia in 2021.
METHODS: A community-based survey was done from November to December, in 2021. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested and interview administered questionnaire. A multi-stage cluster sampling was applied to recruit 634 samples. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with male partner involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of associated factors were estimated by stepwise backward likelihood ratio method.
RESULTS: 622 out of the 634 study participants completed the interview, yielding a 98.1% response rate. Prevalence of male partners\' involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan was 47.6% (95%CI: 44.9%, 48.9%). After adjusting the cofounding variables, factors like accompanying wives with their partners during their antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.3, 95%CI 1.5, 3.5), male partners whose wives had a history of caesarean birth (AOR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.1, 3.8), knowledge of male partners on birth preparedness and complication readiness plan (AOR = 3.5, 95%CI:3.1,6.6), presence of obstetric complications(AOR = 5.1,95%CI:4.3,11.2),primi-gravida (AOR = 2.7,95%CI:1.6,4.7), and male partners\' knowledge of obstetrics complications (AOR = 3.5,95%CI,2.2,5.7) were significantly associated with male partners\' involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness plan.
CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that prevalence of male partners\' involvement in birth preparedness and complication readiness was low. Therefore, awareness creation should be strengthened on male involvement on birth preparedness and complication readiness plan.

Time of labor or time of emergency is not the time to decide what to do, instead it is time to seek care from skilled health care providers. Birth preparedness and complication readiness is the process of planning for a normal birth and anticipating the action needed in case of an emergency, which helps to minimize obstetric complications. Even though birth preparedness and complication readiness reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, the practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness is still low in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness and its associated factors among pregnant women who attended antenatal care in the public health facilities of Debre Tabor town, northwest, Ethiopia. A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1/2022 to September 15/2022 among 397 pregnant mothers. The study was collected using a systematic random sampling technique and the collected data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratio and considered significant at a confidence interval of 95% and a P-value of less than .05. The proportion of birth preparedness and complication readiness practice was found to be 32.2%. Having formal education, primigravida, starting antenatal care contact in the first trimester of pregnancy, having knowledge of danger signs of labor and delivery, and birth preparedness and complication readiness were significantly associated with the practice of preparedness and complication readiness. In this study area, the practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness was low. Therefore, it is important to strengthen counseling on the advantage of starting antenatal care contact early and creating awareness of birth preparedness and complication readiness.

BACKGROUND: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) is an essential component of safe motherhood programs. This study aims to systematically identify and synthesize available evidence on birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant and recently delivered women in India.
METHODS: The study followed PRISMA guidelines and used databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest. Joanna Briggs Institute [JBI] Tool was used for critical appraisal of studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis [CMA] tool and R studio software. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated using visual inspection of the forest plot, Cochran\'s Q test, and the I2 statistic results. Funnel plot and Egger\'s tests were applied to explore the possibility of the publication bias in the studies [PROSPERO: CRD42023396109].
RESULTS: Thirty-five cross-sectional studies reported knowledge on one or more components of birth preparedness [BP], whilst knowledge on complication readiness [CR] or danger signs was reported in 34 included studies. Utilizing the random effect model, the pooled result showed that only about half of the women [49%; 95% CI: 44%, 53%] were aware on BPCR components. This result ranged between 15% [95% CI: 12%, 19%] to 79% [95% CI: 72%, 84%] in Maharashtra and Karnataka respectively [I2 = 94%, p = < 0.01]. High heterogeneity [> 90%] is observed across all components [p < 0.01]. The result of subgroup analysis indicated no significant difference in the proportion on BPCR among pregnant women [50%; 95% CI: 45%, 55%] and recently delivered women [54%; 95% CI: 46%, 62%]. However, the southern region of India indicates relatively better [56%; 95% CI: 45%, 67%] prevalence.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the low prevalence of BPCR in India and the factors associated with it. Scaling up cost-effective interventions like BPCR that have a positive overall effect is necessary. Authors strongly suggests that birth preparedness and complication readiness should be given utmost importance to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Consideration should be given to fortifying existing resources, such as frontline workers and primary healthcare, as a strategic approach to augmenting the effectiveness of awareness initiatives.

UNASSIGNED: Maternal healthcare remains a challenging public health problem in low and middle-income countries like India. The comprehension and services regarding practices related to birth preparedness and its complications in rural areas of India remain poor and underused. In view of this, we conducted this study to explore the preparedness of the pregnant women in the community residing in rural settlements of Delhi.
UNASSIGNED: This cross-sectional community-based study was carried out in 165 currently pregnant women selected through proportionate sampling from rural Delhi. A semi-structured questionnaire adapted from Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) tool kit was used. Binary and multivariate regression analysis was applied to identify the predictors of BPCR.
UNASSIGNED: In our study, BPCR index was found to be 25.78%. Only 17.6% pregnant women were well prepared. Multigravida, literacy, and higher socioeconomic status were found significant predictors for well preparedness for child birth and complication readiness in bivariate analysis. In multivariate logistic regression, multigravida and literacy were found to be predictors for well preparedness.
UNASSIGNED: The skill and knowledge level of the mother-in-laws and other women along with husband in the family needs to be improved in context of pregnancy and child birth. Frontline health workers can assist the to-be mothers and their family members in informed decision-making for better feto-maternal outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Maternal healthcare utilization, particularly the institutional delivery, is disproportionately low in rural Ethiopia. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated package of community-based interventions on the improved knowledge of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness, and institutional delivery services utilization in rural areas of Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia.
METHODS: We conducted cluster-randomized controlled trial (NCT05385380) from 2019 to 2021 at the Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance System site. We randomly assigned the 10 kebele clusters to intervention and control arm. We used a package of interventions, which included providing information on safe motherhood via video and/or audio with a birth preparedness card for pregnant women, training for community volunteers and health extension workers, and improving maternity waiting home services. Women in the control arm received routine services only. We used generalized mixed-effects logistic regression models to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the outcome variables.
RESULTS: The study enrolled 727 pregnant women across the 10 clusters, with a 617 (84.9%) successful follow-up rate. The proportion of institutional delivery in the intervention arm was increased by 16.1% from 36.4% (174/478) at the baseline to 52.5% (224/427) at the endline (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for McNemar\'s Test = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 2; p < 0.001). In the control arm, however, there was a 10.3% fall in the proportion of institutional delivery (from 164/249 to 105/190). Pregnant women who received the intervention were significantly more likely to give birth in a health institution than those who did not (AOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 6.4).
CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates that an integrated community-based intervention package that included video-based storytelling and upgrading maternity waiting homes increased institutional delivery care utilization among rural women. We recommend that audio-visual storytelling, starting during pregnancy and continuing postpartum, be incorporated into routine maternal healthcare services to address access to care inequalities in rural settings.
BACKGROUND: The study protocol was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov with registry number NCT05385380.
Many women in developing nations, including Ethiopia, are dying due to problems related to pregnancy and childbirth. One of the interventions to prevent maternal illness and deaths is promoting and ensuring the timely use of maternal health care services. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated package of community-based interventions on the improved institutional birth rate in rural Ethiopia. We conducted a trial at the Arba Minch HDSS site. The package provided information on safe motherhood via videos and audiocassettes for pregnant women, a birth preparedness card for women, community volunteers and extension workers training, and maternity waiting home services upgrading. In the control arm, women received routine services only. From the 10 Arba Minch HDSS kebele clusters, six kebele clusters were randomly assigned to the intervention and an additional four were assigned to the control. Different statistical techniques were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the institutional birth rate. At the baseline, 727 pregnant women had enrolled across all 10 clusters, with a 617 (84.9%) successful follow-up rate. The intervention arm had a higher proportion of institutional birth (224/427 [52.5%]) at the endline than the baseline (174/478 [36.4%). Furthermore, the study showed a significant association between intervention status and institutional birth rate. Therefore, stimulating demand for existing services to ensure the timely use of care can improve maternal health service utilization, particularly the institutional birth rate.

BACKGROUND: Essentially all women and babies irrespective of their economic and social status should reach their full potential for health and well-being. The study assessed the readiness of mothers and their preparedness for birth across three disadvantaged rural districts in Ghana.
METHODS: A multi-centre quantitative survey from January to December 2018 using a multistage sampling approach was employed. Using a structured questionnaire data from mothers attending antenatal and postnatal clinics in three main ecological zones of Ghana were collected. Women who provided informed consent were consecutively recruited until the sample size was achieved. For categorical data, summary tables, proportions and percentage are presented. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the effect of selected characteristics on birth preparedness. Ethics approval was obtained from the Navrongo Health Research Centre.
RESULTS: A total of 1058 mothers were enrolled: 33.6%, 33.4% and 33.0% respectively from the Ada west, Upper Denkyira west and Builsa south districts. About 94% of the women had prior knowledge of birth preparedness. Approximately 22.6% (95%CI 20.1, 25. 2) of the mothers were assessed to have poor birth preparedness: 8.0% in Builsa south, 27.8% in Ada west and 31.7% in Upper Denkyira west. Prenatal and postnatal data showed no statistically significant difference in poor preparedness (21.9% vs 23.3%; p-value > 0.05). Maternal age, employment status, religious affiliation and parity were not associated with birth preparedness (p-value > 0.05). Area of study (P < 0.001), educational level (P < 0.016), marital status (p < 0.001) and antenatal contacts (< 0.001) were significantly associated with birth preparedness.
CONCLUSIONS: As an important safe motherhood strategy woman should plan their pregnancy and birth well to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Policy initiatives should take into consideration area of residence, education, marital status and antenatal contacts of women.

BACKGROUND: Birth preparedness and complication readiness is a preparation strategy for normal birth and potential emergency situations, and is important for the safety and health of mothers and newborns during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of birth preparedness and complication readiness and the associated factors among pregnant women.
METHODS: This was a community-based, cross-sectional study conducted among randomly selected 480 pregnant women from February to April of 2020. Bivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association of each independent variable with the dependent variable. All variables with a P value of <.2 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to identify associated factors. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated to measure the strength of the association.
RESULTS: Out of the 498 sampled pregnant women, 480 (96.4%) agreed to participate in the study; 104 were found to have satisfactory birth preparedness and complication readiness (21.7%; 95% confidence interval, 18.3-25.7). Having had an experience of obstetrical complications (adjusted odds ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-3.14), early starting time for antenatal care visits (adjusted odds ratio, 5.22; 95% confidence interval, 2.26-12.06), advice about birth preparedness (adjusted odds ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-7.39), and awareness about obstetrical danger signs during childbirth and the postpartum period (adjusted odds ratio, 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-3.74) were found to be significantly associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of birth preparedness and complication readiness was low. Experience of obstetrical complications, starting time for antenatal care visits, advice about birth preparedness and complication readiness, and awareness of key danger signs during childbirth and the postpartum period were significantly associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness.

This study aimed to assess the effects of health education and community-level participatory interventions at the community level and the use of community maternal health promoters on the utilization of maternal health care services in poor rural settings of northern Ghana.
A randomized controlled survey design was conducted from June 2019 to July 2020 in two rural districts of northern Ghana. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select the participants. Data were collected from a repeated cross-sectional household survey. Descriptive analysis, bivariate and covariates adjusted simple logistic regression analyses were performed using STATA version 16 statistical software.
At post-intervention, the two groups differed significantly in terms of ANC (p = 0.001), skilled delivery (SD) (p = 0.003), and PNC (p < 0.0001). Women who received health education on obstetric danger signs had improved knowledge by 50% at the end of the study. Women who received the health education intervention (HEI) on practices related to ANC and skilled delivery had increased odds to utilize ANC (AOR = 4.18; 95% CI = 2.48-7.04) and SD (AOR = 3.90; 95% CI = 1.83-8.29) services. Institutional delivery and PNC attendance for at least four times significantly increased from 88.5 to 97.5% (p < 0.0001), and 77.3-96.7% (p < 0.0001) respectively at postintervention. Women who had received the HEI were significantly more likely to have good knowledge about obstetric danger signs (AOR = 10.17; 95% CI = 6.59-15.69), and BPCR (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.36-3.24). Women who had obtained tertiary education were significantly more likely to make at least four visits to ANC (AOR = 2.38; 95% CI = 0.09-1.67).
This study suggests that the use of health education and participatory sessions led by community-based facilitators could be a potentially effective intervention to improve the knowledge of women about obstetric danger signs and encourage the uptake of maternity care services in resource-poor settings of Ghana.