Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40926740›Full record

Observational studyBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2025

Pregnancy Intentions and Maternal Health Behaviours: Observational Study in 18 African Countries.

Bolanle Olapeju, Anna Maria van Eijk, Michael Bride, Anna Passaniti, Saade Ahmed Abdallah, Gabrielle C Hunter, Safia Mohammed, Leila Kaze, Judith Nalukwago, Zoé Mistrale Hendrickson

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

10 authors.

Bolanle OlapejuDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2958-2708
Anna Maria van EijkLiverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Michael BrideJohns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Anna PassanitiJohns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Saade Ahmed AbdallahPwC Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
Gabrielle C HunterJohns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Safia MohammedZanzibar Malaria Elimination Program, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Leila KazeBurundi National Malaria Control Program, Bujumbura, Burundi.
Judith NalukwagoMakerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Zoé Mistrale HendricksonDepartment of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study explores the relationship between pregnancy intentions and maternal health behaviours. DESIGN AND

settingSecondary data analysis of recent (2018-2023), cross-sectional demographic and health surveys from 18 sub-Saharan African countries. POPULATION: Survey respondents were women aged 15-49 years old with a child less than a year old who responded to survey questions about their pregnancy intentions for that child (N = 39 936).

methodsLogistic regressions and meta-analysis using fixed effects explored the relationship between pregnancy intentions and maternal health behaviours across study countries adjusting for sociodemographic and contextual variables. MEASURES: Pregnancy intentions were defined as intended versus unintended. Maternal health behaviours included (i) early ANC, (ii) 4+ ANC contacts (ANC4+), (iii) 3+ doses of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp3+), (iv) Mosquito net use in pregnancy, (v) receipt of tetanus toxoid and (vi) immediate breastfeeding.

resultsOverall, 25% of women did not want their index pregnancy (ranging from 13% in Burkina Faso to 49% in Gabon). Unintended pregnancies were associated with reduced odds of early ANC (aOR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.73), ANC4+ (AOR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.75), IPTp3+ (AOR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.94), receiving tetanus toxoid (AOR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.80) and immediate breastfeeding (AOR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.87).

conclusionsStudy findings corroborate the role of reproductive health agency and pregnancy preparedness in optimising maternal health behaviours and subsequent outcomes. Integration of reproductive health services, malaria service delivery and social and behaviour change interventions can help to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Indexed as

Health BehaviorIntentionMaternal BehaviorMaternal HealthPregnancy, UnplannedAdolescentAdultAfrica South of the SaharaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPregnancyPrenatal CareYoung AdultAfricabehaviourintegrationintentionspregnancyprevention

Identifiers

PMID40926740
PMCPMC12592751

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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 Socratic graph.