ArticlePloS one2015
How Has the Free Obstetric Care Policy Impacted Unmet Obstetric Need in a Rural Health District in Guinea?
Article in PloS one, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Levels of in-facility maternal mortality, obstetric complications and stillbirths in three urban referral hospitals in Guinea: analysis of routine data from May 2021 to April 2023.BMJ global health · 2026Article
- Trends and factors associated with delays in the first prenatal consultation in Guinea.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- Trends and factors associated with skilled birth attendance in a post-Ebola context: DHS Guinea 2018.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Article
- Length-of-stay and factors associated with early discharge after birth in health facilities in Guinea by mode of birth: Secondary analysis of Demographic and Health Survey 2018.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Impact of health system governance on healthcare quality in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2023Article
- Health insurance coverage and access to child and maternal health services in West Africa: a systematic scoping review.International health · 2023Article
- Disparities in use of skilled birth attendants and neonatal mortality rate in Guinea over two decades.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Article
- Determinants of facility-based childbirth among adolescents and young women in Guinea: A secondary analysis of the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey.PLOS global public health · 2022Article
- Women's progression through the maternal continuum of care in Guinea: Evidence from the 2018 Guinean Demographic and Health Survey.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2021Article
- Effects of free maternal policies on quality and cost of care and outcomes: an integrative review.Primary health care research & development · 2021Review
- Determinants of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance services utilization among childbearing women in Guinea: evidence from the 2018 Guinea Demographic and Health Survey data.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2021Article
- Experiences, Preferences, and Needs of Adolescents and Urban Youth in Contraceptive Use in Conakry, 2019, Guinea.Frontiers in global women's health · 2021Article
- Financial protection and equity of access to health services with the free maternal and child health initiative in Lao PDR.Health policy and planning · 2019Article
- Trends of and factors associated with cesarean section related surgical site infections in Guinea.Journal of public health in Africa · 2019Article
- 'Never let a crisis go to waste': post-Ebola agenda-setting for health system strengthening in Guinea.BMJ global health · 2019Article
- Effect of Ebola virus disease on maternal and child health services in Guinea: a retrospective observational cohort study.The Lancet. Global health · 2017Observational
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionIn 2010, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Guinea introduced a free emergency obstetric care policy in all the public health facilities of the country. This included antenatal checks, normal delivery and Caesarean section.
objectiveThis study aims at assessing the changes in coverage of obstetric care according to the Unmet Obstetric Need concept before (2008) and after (2012) the implementation of the free emergency obstetric care policy in a rural health district in Guinea.
methodsWe carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study involving the retrospective review of routine programme data during the period April to June 2014.
resultsNo statistical difference was observed in women's sociodemographic characteristics and indications (absolute maternal indications versus non-absolute maternal indications) before and after the implementation of the policy. Compared to referrals from health centers of patients, direct admissions at hospital significantly increased from 49% to 66% between 2008 and 2012 (p = 0.001). In rural areas, this increase concerned all maternal complications regardless of their severity, while in urban areas it mainly affected very severe complications. Compared to 2008, there were significantly more Major Obstetric Interventions for Maternal Absolute Indications in 2012 (p < 0.001). Maternal deaths decreased between 2008 and 2012 from 1.5% to 1.1% while neonatal death increased from 12% in 2008 to 15% in 2012.
conclusionThe implementation of the free obstetric care policy led to a significant decrease in unmet obstetric need between 2008 and 2012 in the health district of Kissidougou. However, more research is needed to allow comparisons with other health districts in the country and to analyse the trends.
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