Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42229956›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2026

Post-discharge mortality, readmission and care seeking among postpartum women and their newborns following facility-based delivery in Uganda: a prospective observational study.

Yashodani Pillay, Vuong Nguyen, Clare Komugisha, Pascal M Lavoie, Lisa M Bebell, Marianne Vidler, Beth A Payne, Jessica Trawin, Astrid Christofferson-Deb, Douglas Mwesigwa and 10 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Yashodani PillayInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5814-7975
Vuong NguyenInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9070-9803
Clare KomugishaWalimu, Kampala, Uganda.
Pascal M LavoieDepartment of Paediatrics, BC Children's Hospital, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2205-0362
Lisa M BebellMedical Practice Evaluation Centre, Centre for Global Health, Department of Medicine and Division of 22 Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Marianne VidlerObstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7633-8812
Beth A PayneBC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Jessica TrawinInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Astrid Christofferson-DebObstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Douglas MwesigwaWalimu, Kampala, Uganda.
Happy Annet TwinomujuniWalimu, Kampala, Uganda.
Stefanie K NovakowskiInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Dustin DunsmuirInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
J Mark AnserminoInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Abner TagoolaJinja Regional Referral Hospital, Jinja, Eastern Region, Uganda.
Niranjan KissoonInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Nathan Kenya-MugishaWalimu, Kampala, Uganda.
Angella NamalaJinja Regional Referral Hospital, Jinja, Eastern Region, Uganda.
Joseph NgonziObstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Matthew O WiensInstitute for Global Health, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada matthew.wiens@bcchr.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMaternal and newborn morbidity and mortality are a global concern. Understanding the epidemiology of post-discharge complications could identify opportunities for interventions. We aimed to quantify mortality, care-seeking events and readmission among mothers and newborns in Uganda following facility-based delivery.

methodsThis prospective observational study (Apr 2022-Sep 2023) enrolled women presenting for delivery at two regional referral hospitals in Uganda. Data were collected during admission and 6 weeks after delivery by phone.

resultsOverall, 7131 women delivered 7359 newborns, of whom 7129 (99%) women and 6968 (94%) newborns were discharged alive. The newborn mortality rate was 2.7% and 32% of deaths occurred post-discharge. Following discharge, 230 (3%) women and 287 (4%) newborns were readmitted. Suspected sepsis and infections were the most common reasons for readmission among mothers (62.2%) and newborns (89.9%). Caesarean delivery (OR:2·26 (1·75-2·93)) and perinatal death (OR:3·18 (2·09-4·69)) were associated with post-discharge maternal readmission. Both maternal and newborn readmission were associated with household food insecurity during pregnancy (maternal OR:1·56 (1·15-2·08); newborn OR: 1·73 (1·31-2·25)). Newborn resuscitation with oxygen was associated with maternal readmission (OR:2.24 (1.24-3·78)), newborn readmission (OR: 2·74 (1·54-4·56)) and newborn death (OR: 4·01 (1·73-8·21)). Although >99% of women had ≥1 antenatal care visit, only 511 (7%) had ≥1 routine postnatal care visit. There were no routine postnatal care visits among 211 (91·7%) readmitted mothers, 276 (96·2%) newborns and 57 (91·9%) newborns who died.

conclusionPost-discharge complications occur in a context of low routine postnatal care use. Risk-informed discharge planning, postnatal care and health education strategies may improve outcomes in mothers, newborns and their families.

Indexed as

Delivery, ObstetricInfant MortalityPatient Acceptance of Health CarePatient DischargePatient ReadmissionAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornPostpartum PeriodPregnancyProspective StudiesUgandaYoung AdultAfrica South of the SaharaEpidemiologyOBSTETRICSPAEDIATRICS

Identifiers

PMID42229956
PMCPMC13239408

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.