Papers by Magdalena Ohaja, PhD
PLOS ONE, Dec 4, 2023
Neonatal sepsis is a serious public health problem; however, there is substantial heterogeneity i... more Neonatal sepsis is a serious public health problem; however, there is substantial heterogeneity in the outcomes measured and reported in research evaluating the effectiveness of the treatments. Therefore, we aim to develop a Core Outcome Set (COS) for studies evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for neonatal sepsis. Since a systematic review of key outcomes from randomised trials of therapeutic interventions in neonatal sepsis was published recently, we will complement this with a qualitative systematic review of the key outcomes of neonatal sepsis identified by parents, other family members, parent representatives, healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers. We will interpret the outcomes of both studies using a previously established framework. Stakeholders across three different groups i.e., (1) researchers, (2) healthcare providers, and (3) patients' parents/family members and parent representatives will rate the importance of the outcomes in an online Real-Time Delphi Survey. Afterwards, consensus meetings will be held to agree on the final COS through online discussions with key stakeholders. This COS is expected to minimize outcome heterogeneity in measurements and publications, improve comparability and synthesis, and decrease research waste.
Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2023
Cognition, Risk, and Responsibility in Obstetrics
PLOS ONE
Background Adolescent pregnancy and motherhood have been linked to several factors stemming from ... more Background Adolescent pregnancy and motherhood have been linked to several factors stemming from social, cultural and to a large extent economic issues. This study examined the socio-economic factors associated with adolescent pregnancy and motherhood in Ghana. Design This was a secondary analysis of the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey, which was a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. Data from 4785 adolescents aged between 15–19 years were included in the analysis. Adolescent pregnancy was defined as adolescents who have ever been pregnant, whiles adolescent motherhood was defined as adolescents who have ever given birth. Weighted logistic regression was used to assess the association between the socio-economic variables and adolescent pregnancy and motherhood. Results Of the 25062 women aged between 15 and 49 years included in the 2017 maternal health survey, 4785 (19.1%) were adolescents between 15–19 years. Adolescent pregnancy was reported in 14.6% (CI:13.2% -16....
Africa has the highest rates of maternal deaths globally which have been linked to poorly functio... more Africa has the highest rates of maternal deaths globally which have been linked to poorly functioning health care systems. The aim of this paper is to review the published literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health in Africa. The integrative review process delineated by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was used to meet the study aims. The literature search of Ovid Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, WHO, Google and Google scholar, Africa journals online, MIDIRS was limited to publications between March 2020 and May 2022. All the studies went through the PRISMA stages, and 179 full text papers screened for eligibility, 36 papers met inclusion criteria. Of the studies, 6 were qualitative, 25 quantitative studies, and 5 mixed methods. Thematic analysis according to the methods of Braun and Clark (2006) were used to synthesize the data. From the search the four themes that emerged include: effects of lockdown measures, COVID concerns and psychological stress, reduced attendanc...
World Medical & Health Policy
Religions, 2021
Cultural beliefs and practices find expression through rituals. Rites of initiation or passage ar... more Cultural beliefs and practices find expression through rituals. Rites of initiation or passage are some of the most common rituals among the indigenous African societies. Pregnancy and Childbirth are not only biological events, but also socially and culturally constructed with associated symbols that represent the social identities and cultural values of Africans. Birth is a rite of passage, and children are perceived as special gifts from the Supreme Being. As such, pregnancy and childbirth are special events cherished and celebrated through varied rituals. Drawing on empirical literature and relevant commentaries, this paper aims to discuss selected rituals and embodied practices surrounding the start of life (pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood). The paper will specifically focus on the following aspects: pregnancy rituals; birth songs and dancing; the omugwo (care after birth); the cord and placenta rituals; and the naming ceremony. Some of the pregnancy rituals are purificat...
Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 2017
This paper presents the challenges and barriers to accessing formal maternity care in South East ... more This paper presents the challenges and barriers to accessing formal maternity care in South East Nigeria from women’s perspectives. It is drawn from a study that explored the concept of safe motherhood. The study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach guided by post-structural feminism. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 17 women who were attending a formal healthcare facility for antenatal care. Four aspects of the challenges and barriers encountered by women when accessing care in a formal healthcare setting as reported by the participants of the study are as follows: financial constraints, lack of autonomy, negative attitude of the healthcare providers, and healthcare worker strikes. Some participants linked the economic status of women to the lack of education which had an impact on their ability to make an independent decision as to whether to seek formal maternity healthcare or not. Negative attitudes, and frequent strikes of healthcare workers in many cases, discourage women from using the formal maternity healthcare facilities. It is evident that Nigeria did not achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5, which is to improve maternal health. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1, which is to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio, requires more than technical approaches. Genuine political will is required if the health system is to be affordable for all women. There is the need to address the gender-related issues that sustain women’s low socio-economic status. The government needs to pay the workers as and when due, and a performance appraisal should be in place to ensure improvement in the quality of care offered to women.
Women and Birth, 2020
Background: Discourses around the journey to motherhood in many poorly-resourced countries, parti... more Background: Discourses around the journey to motherhood in many poorly-resourced countries, particularly in the sub-Saharan African region, with no link to death and danger are limited. The custodians of traditional practicesthe traditional birth attendantsare often blamed for the high maternal deaths in this region. Conventional institutional and international thinking about traditional birth attendants is that they are dangerous and therefore should no longer be allowed to practice. Aim: To explore midwives' views of traditional birth attendants' place within formal healthcare settings in Nigeria. Methods: Hermeneutic phenomenological and poststructural feminist approaches were used. Seven midwives volunteered for semi-structured individual face to face interviews. Findings: The responses of the midwives were diverse and conflicting. Some midwives believe that the traditional birth attendants should be banned, arguing that they are responsible for low uptake of hospital-based maternity care by women which in turn leads to an increase in maternal deaths. Contrastingly, other midwives expressed a view that the traditional birth attendants 'cannot be phased out' due to their valid contributions, particularly in the rural areas where access to formal maternity care is limited by intractable structural problems. Conclusion: Policy makers need to reconsider the role of traditional birth attendants. This should involve not only their integration into formal healthcare to work alongside formally trained maternity care providers, but also fostering a healthcare atmosphere where respect and recognition of each practitioner's skill is paramount.
The practising midwife, 2014
When in 1987, the Safe motherhood initiative was launched, the aim was to reduce global maternal ... more When in 1987, the Safe motherhood initiative was launched, the aim was to reduce global maternal mortality by half by the year 2000. However this goal was not achieved and consequently the 5th Millennium Development Goal (MDG-5) was dedicated to maternal health which aimed at a three quarters reduction of maternal mortality by 2015. The international figures indicate that 287,000 women continue to die from complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth, mostly in poorly-resourced countries. As 2015 draws closer and with MDG-5 lagging behind, there is increased tension amongst those concerned about poor maternal health because of missed targets and a fear that it has slipped off policy agenda. The need to refocus discussion in this area becomes ever more vital. This article aims to do just that.
The practising midwife, 2014
Religions
Cultural beliefs and practices find expression through rituals. Rites of initiation or passage ar... more Cultural beliefs and practices find expression through rituals. Rites of initiation or passage are some of the most common rituals among the indigenous African societies. Pregnancy and Childbirth are not only biological events, but also socially and culturally constructed with associated symbols that represent the social identities and cultural values of Africans. Birth is a rite of passage, and children are perceived as special gifts from the Supreme Being. As such, pregnancy and childbirth are special events cherished and celebrated through varied rituals. Drawing on empirical literature and relevant commentaries, this paper aims to discuss selected rituals and embodied practices surrounding the start of life (pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood). The paper will specifically focus on the following aspects: pregnancy rituals; birth songs and dancing; the omugwo (care after birth); the cord and placenta rituals; and the naming ceremony. Some of the pregnancy rituals are purificat...
Religion and spirituality have been acknowledged as crucial aspects of health and wellbeing. Nige... more Religion and spirituality have been acknowledged as crucial aspects of health and wellbeing. Nigeria, the most populous African country, is a multi-religious society where plural health systems (traditional and modern) co-exist. Religion is part of everyday conversation within the country and traditional healthcare providers are believed to have spiritual healing powers. Correspondingly, Nigerian women in their quest for a meaningful and comprehensive maternity care experience continue to use the plural health systems during the pregnancy birth continuum. Drawing from data collected through interviewing midwives (n = 7) and traditional birth attendants (n = 5), this paper explored the place of religion and spirituality within maternity care in the context of Igbo-Nigeria, through the lens of hermeneutic-phenomenology. Ethical approval was granted by relevant institutions and consent was obtained from each participant prior to the interviews. The findings revealed divergent views of ...
Health and Social Care Chaplaincy
Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery
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Papers by Magdalena Ohaja, PhD