Table 1 Characteristics of innovative approaches to maternal and newborn health care by building block

Health service delivery

South Asia (26 %)

n = 74

Interrupted time series- 5

SIGN level 1: n = 18

Eastern and Southern Africa (23 % )

Cross-sectional- 4

West Africa (14 %)

Rural (34 %)

Pre-post- 7

SIGN level 2: n = 1

East Asia and Pacific (11 %)

Urban (24 %)

Pre-post with control area- 1

Latin America and Caribbean (9 %)

Rural and urban (1 %)

Report- 1

SIGN level 3: n = 40

North Africa and Middle East (8 %)

Unspecified (41 %)

Case study- 5

Unspecified (9 %)

RCT- 11

SIGN level 4: n = 11

cRCT- 1

Qualitative study- 4

B: n = 1

Costing study- 1

Literature review- 1

C: n = 3

Mixed methods study- 2

Medical products and health technologies

South Asia (6 %)

n = 35

Pre-post- 4

SIGN level 1: n = 6

Eastern and Southern Africa (11 %)

Narrative review- 9

North Africa and Middle East (6 %)

Rural (9 %)

Interrupted time series on

SIGN level 3: n = 4

Unspecified (77 %)

Urban (6 %)

acceptance- 1

Unspecified (86 %)

Systematic review- 5

SIGN level 4: n = 25

RCT- 1

Health workforce

South Asia (31 %),

n = 59

Pre-post- 17

SIGN level 1: n = 11

East and Southern Africa (29 %)

Pre-post with control group- 4

Latin America and Caribbean (10 %)

Rural (46 %)

Narrative description, feedback- 1

SIGN level 3: n = 35

East Asia and Pacific (7 %)

Urban (24 %)

West Africa (7 %)

Unspecified (31 %)

RCT-2

SIGN level 4: n = 13

Central and Eastern Europe (3 %)

cRCT- 1

Unspecified (14 %)

Systematic review- 6

Case study- 1

Cross-sectional- 6

Cross-sectional survey on satisfaction- 1

Cross-sectional survey with control group- 1

Costing study- 1

Narrative review- 13

Report- 2

Interrupted time series- 1

Study protocol- 1

Health financing

South Asia (41 %)

n = 32

Case study- 2

SIGN level 1: n = 7

West and Central Africa (28 %)

Interrupted time series and

East and Southern Africa (19 %)

Rural (25 %)

qualitative- 1

SIGN level 2: n = 1

East Asia and Pacific (13 %)

Urban (6 %)

Protocol- 3

Rural and urban (59 %)

Cross sectional- 3

SIGN level 3: n = 17

Unspecified (9 %)

Cross sectional and qualitative- 1

RCT- 1

SIGN level 4: n = 4

cRCT- 1

Pre-post with control- 2

A: n = 1

Pre-post- 1

Qualitative- 3

B: n = 1

Non-random controlled trial- 2

Non-random controlled quasi experimental trial- 1

C: n = 1

Interrupted time series- 7

Interrupted time series with controls; and qualitative- 1

Systematic review- 1

Narrative review- 2

Community ownership and participation

South Asia (66 %)

n = 35

cRCT- 8

SIGN level 1: n = 9

Eastern and Southern Africa (14 %)

Narrative review- 6

East Asia and Pacific (11 %)

Rural (86 %)

Qualitative study- 4

SIGN level 3: n = 13

Latin America and the Caribbean (3 %)

Urban (11 %)

Systematic literature review- 1

West and Central Africa (3 %),

Unspecified (3 %)

Pre-post with control- 2

SIGN level 4: n = 9

Unspecified (3 %)

Pre-post- 6

Commentary- 1

B: n = 1

Cross sectional survey and qualitative- 1

C: n = 3

Study protocol- 2

Cross sectional study- 2

Leadership and governance

South Asia (38 %)

n = 24

Pre-post- 1

SIGN level 3: n = 5

East Asia and Pacific (17 %)

Pre-post with comparison areas- 1

Eastern and Southern Africa (13 %)

Rural (33 %),

SIGN level 4: n = 17

Latin America and the Caribbean (13 %)

Urban (4 %)

Narrative review- 3

North Africa and Middle East (8 %)

Unspecified (63 %)

Policy analysis- 7

B: n = 2

West and Central Africa (8 %),

Case study- 10

Unspecified (4 %)

Report- 1

Qualitative study- 1