Bangladesh

A 50-fold disparity in maternal mortality exists between high- and low-income countries, and in most contexts, the single most common cause of maternal death is postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). In Bangladesh, as in many other low-income countries, the majority of deliveries are conducted at home by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) or family members. In the absence of skilled birth attendants, training TBAs in the use of misoprostol and an absorbent delivery mat to measure postpartum blood loss may strengthen the ability of TBAs to manage PPH. These complementary interventions were tested in...

VSI in collaboration with local and international partner organizations conducted operations research (OR) across seven countries in Africa and Asia to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and program effectiveness of misoprostol use to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) at the community level. Developed for policy makers, stakeholders and researchers, the compendium includes an overview of the basic components of the OR model, country program summaries, and cross-cutting results and best practices to contribute to the growing evidence base on the community-level use of...