Table 3 Impact of equity/inequity in prenatal healthcare on infant health or development
From: Equity in prenatal healthcare services globally: an umbrella review
PROGRESS-Plus Factor (s) | Impact of Equity/Inequity |
|---|---|
Place of Residence | CHWs provided community options of service and transportation, reducing adverse infant outcomes [55, 56]. |
Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Language, Religion | Tailoring interventions to local traditions and customs led to lower adverse infant outcomes [54]. |
Gender/Sex | Targeted gender innovations that encouraged men to support women and provide health education increased fathers’ knowledge of newborn care, early breastfeeding, and improved child nutrition and health outcomes [59, 83]. |
Education | Lack of or misleading health education led to a delayed initiation of prenatal care by patients and increased risk of adverse outcomes for newborns [64, 74, 79]. CHWs and home visit programs improved patient’s health education, birth and post-partum preparedness, newborn care practices and care-seeking habits which led to reduced adverse infant outcomes [63, 86, 89]. Home-based records allowed for health education and knowledge to facilitate care continuity, improved newborn health outcomes, and increased paternal involvement in childcare [90, 91]. |
Socioeconomic Status | Birthing individuals of low-income families exposed to CCTs or reduced user fees during pregnancy led to increased use of infant/child health services and improved newborn outcomes and health [45, 97, 102, 105] including improved nutrition, reduced stunting and underweight, and increased use of health services compared to birthing individuals that did not receive CCTs [57, 99, 101]. Targeted nutrition programs improved knowledge and behaviour change of caregivers which led to increased growth and reduced anemia in poorest infants [94]. Free healthcare or reduced user fees increased access to and use of services for children [100] and family insurance coverage led to reduced adverse infant outcomes [61]. |
Social Capital | Faith-based and community organizations improved newborn outcomes and increased early breastfeeding [56, 106]; and family involvement had an even greater impact [107]. Psychosocial support services improved birth danger sign recognition and newborn care [59]. |