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BackgroundWith the accessibility of prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services in sub‐Saharan Africa, more women are being tested for HIV in antenatal care settings. Involving partners in the counselling and testing process could help prevent horizontal and vertical transmission of HIV. This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of couples' voluntary counseling and testing (CVCT) in antenatal care and to measure compliance with PMTCT.MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted over eight months at two public antenatal clinics in Kigali, Rwanda, and Lusaka, Zambia. A convenience sample of 3625 pregnant women was enrolled. Of these, 1054 women were lost to follow up. The intervention consisted of same‐day individual voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and weekend CVCT; HIV‐positive participants received nevirapine tablets. In Kigali, nevirapine syrup was provided in the labour and delivery ward; in Lusaka, nevirapine syrup was supplied in pre‐measured single‐dose syringes. The main outcome measures were nurse midwife‐recorded deliveries and reported nevirapine use.ResultsIn eight months, 1940 women enrolled in Kigali (984 VCT, 956 CVCT) and 1685 women enrolled in Lusaka (1022 VCT, 663 CVCT). HIV prevalence was 14% in Kigali, and 27% in Lusaka. Loss to follow up was more common in Kigali than Lusaka (33% vs. 24%, p = 0.000). In Lusaka, HIV‐positive and HIV‐negative women had significantly different loss‐to‐follow‐up rates (30% vs. 22%, p = 0.002). CVCT was associated with reduced loss to follow up: in Kigali, 31% of couples versus 36% of women testing alone (p = 0.011); and in Lusaka, 22% of couples versus 25% of women testing alone (p = 0.137). Among HIV‐positive women with follow up, CVCT had no impact on nevirapine use (86‐89% in Kigali; 78‐79% in Lusaka).ConclusionsWeekend CVCT, though new, was feasible in both capital cities. The beneficial impact of CVCT on loss to follow up was significant, while nevirapine compliance was similar in women tested alone or with their partners. Pre‐measured nevirapine syrup syringes provided flexibility to HIV‐positive mothers in Lusaka, but may have contributed to study loss to follow up. These two prevention interventions remain a challenge, with CVCT still operating without supportive government policy in Zambia.

Little is known about how the information presented in the informed consent process influences study outcomes among participants. This study examines the influence of informed consent content on reported baseline contraceptive knowledge and concerns among two groups of HIV‐serodiscordant and seroconcordant HIV‐positive couples enrolled in research projects at an HIV research center in Lusaka, Zambia. We found significant differences in the reporting of contraceptive knowledge and concerns between couples viewing consent materials that included detailed information about contraception and those viewing consent materials that lacked the detailed information. We conclude that the design of informed consent materials should strike a balance between ensuring that participants give truly informed consent and educating participants in ways that do not compromise the assessment of the impact of behavioral interventions.

Objective: To describe the causes of maternal death in a population-based cohort in six low- and middle-income countries using a standardised, hierarchical, algorithmic cause of death (COD) methodology.Design: A population-based, prospective observational study.Setting: Seven sites in six low- to middle-income countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guatemala, India (two sites), Kenya, Pakistan and Zambia.Population: All deaths among pregnant women resident in the study sites from 2014 to December 2016.Methods: For women who died, we used a standardised questionnaire to collect clinical data regarding maternal conditions present during pregnancy and delivery. These data were analysed using a computer-based algorithm to assign cause of maternal death based on the International Classification of Disease-Maternal Mortality system (trauma, termination of pregnancy-related, eclampsia, haemorrhage, pregnancy-related infection and medical conditions). We also compared the COD results to healthcare-provider-assigned maternal COD.Main outcome measures: Assigned causes of maternal mortality.Results: Among 158 205 women, there were 221 maternal deaths. The most common algorithm-assigned maternal COD were obstetric haemorrhage (38.6%), pregnancy-related infection (26.4%) and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (18.2%). Agreement between algorithm-assigned COD and COD assigned by healthcare providers ranged from 75% for haemorrhage to 25% for medical causes coincident to pregnancy.Conclusions: The major maternal COD in the Global Network sites were haemorrhage, pregnancy-related infection and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. This system could allow public health programmes in low- and middle-income countries to generate transparent and comparable data for maternal COD across time or regions.

Background: Stillbirth rates are high and represent a substantial proportion of the under-5 mortality in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). In LMIC, where nearly 98% of stillbirths worldwide occur, few population-based studies have documented cause of stillbirths or the trends in rate of stillbirth over time.Methods: We undertook a prospective, population-based multi-country research study of all pregnant women in defined geographic areas across 7 sites in low-resource settings (Kenya, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Pakistan, and Guatemala). Staff collected demographic and health care characteristics with outcomes obtained at delivery. Cause of stillbirth was assigned by algorithm.Results: From 2010 through 2018, 573,148 women were enrolled with delivery data obtained. Of the 552,547 births that reached 500 g or 20 weeks gestation, 15,604 were stillbirths; a rate of 28.2 stillbirths per 1000 births. The stillbirth rates were 19.3 in the Guatemala site, 23.8 in the African sites, and 33.3 in the Asian sites. Specifically, stillbirth rates were highest in the Pakistan site, which also documented a substantial decrease in stillbirth rates over the study period, from 56.0 per 1000 (95% CI 51.0, 61.0) in 2010 to 44.4 per 1000 (95% CI 39.1, 49.7) in 2018. The Nagpur, India site also documented a substantial decrease in stillbirths from 32.5 (95% CI 29.0, 36.1) to 16.9 (95% CI 13.9, 19.9) per 1000 in 2018; however, other sites had only small declines in stillbirth over the same period. Women who were less educated and older as well as those with less access to antenatal care and with vaginal assisted delivery were at increased risk of stillbirth. The major fetal causes of stillbirth were birth asphyxia (44.0% of stillbirths) and infectious causes (22.2%). The maternal conditions that were observed among those with stillbirth were obstructed or prolonged labor, antepartum hemorrhage and maternal infections.Conclusions: Over the study period, stillbirth rates have remained relatively high across all sites. With the exceptions of the Pakistan and Nagpur sites, Global Network sites did not observe substantial changes in their stillbirth rates. Women who were less educated and had less access to antenatal and obstetric care remained at the highest burden of stillbirth.Study registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT01073475).

Background: The Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research (Global Network) conducts clinical trials in resource-limited countries through partnerships among U.S. investigators, international investigators based in in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and a central data coordinating center. The Global Network's objectives include evaluating low-cost, sustainable interventions to improve women's and children's health in LMICs. Accurate reporting of births, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal mortality, and measures of obstetric and neonatal care is critical to determine strategies for improving pregnancy outcomes. In response to this need, the Global Network developed the Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), a prospective, population-based registry of pregnant women, fetuses and neonates receiving care in defined catchment areas at the Global Network sites. This publication describes the MNHR, including participating sites, data management and quality and changes over time.Methods: Pregnant women who reside in or receive healthcare in select communities are enrolled in the MNHR of the Global Network. For each woman and her offspring, sociodemographic, health care, and the major outcomes through 42-days post-delivery are recorded. Study visits occur at enrollment during pregnancy, at delivery and at 42 days postpartum.Results: From 2010 through 2018, the Global Network MNHR sites were located in Guatemala, Belagavi and Nagpur, India, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zambia. During this period at these sites, 579,140 pregnant women were consented and enrolled in the MNHR, nearly 99% of all eligible women. Delivery data were collected for 99% of enrolled women and 42-day follow-up data for 99% of those delivered. In this supplement, the trends over time and assessment of differences across geographic regions are analyzed in a series of 18 manuscripts utilizing the MNHR data.Conclusions: Improving maternal, fetal and newborn health in countries with poor outcomes requires an understanding of the characteristics of the population, quality of health care and outcomes. Because the worst pregnancy outcomes typically occur in countries with limited health registration systems and vital records, alternative registration systems may prove to be highly valuable in providing data. The MNHR, an international, multicenter, population-based registry, assesses pregnancy outcomes over time in support of efforts to develop improved perinatal healthcare in resource-limited areas. Trial Registration The Maternal Newborn Health Registry is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT01073475). Registered February 23, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01073475.

Objective: We sought to classify causes of stillbirth for six low-middle-income countries using a prospectively defined algorithm.Design: Prospective, observational study.Setting: Communities in India, Pakistan, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Kenya.Population: Pregnant women residing in defined study regions.Methods: Basic data regarding conditions present during pregnancy and delivery were collected. Using these data, a computer-based hierarchal algorithm assigned cause of stillbirth. Causes included birth trauma, congenital anomaly, infection, asphyxia, and preterm birth, based on existing cause of death classifications and included contributing maternal conditions.Main outcome measures: Primary cause of stillbirth.Results: Of 109 911 women who were enrolled and delivered (99% of those screened in pregnancy), 2847 had a stillbirth (a rate of 27.2 per 1000 births). Asphyxia was the cause of 46.6% of the stillbirths, followed by infection (20.8%), congenital anomalies (8.4%) and prematurity (6.6%). Among those caused by asphyxia, 38% had prolonged or obstructed labour, 19% antepartum haemorrhage and 18% pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. About two-thirds (67.4%) of the stillbirths did not have signs of maceration.Conclusions: Our algorithm determined cause of stillbirth from basic data obtained from lay-health providers. The major cause of stillbirthwas fetal asphyxia associated with prolonged or obstructed labour, pre-eclampsia and antepartum haemorrhage. In the African sites, infection also was an important contributor to stillbirth. Using this algorithm, we documented cause of stillbirth and its trends to inform public healthprograms, using consistency, transparency, and comparability across time or regions with minimal burden on the healthcare system.Tweetable abstract: Major causes of stillbirth are asphyxia, pre-eclampsia and haemorrhage. Infections are important in Africa.

Introduction: Most HIV infections in Africa are acquired by married/cohabiting adults and WHO recommends couple's voluntary HIV counseling and testing (CVCT) for prevention. The handover from NGO-sponsored weekend CVCT to government-sponsored services in routine weekday antenatal care (ANC) and individual voluntary testing and counseling (VCT) services in Zambia's two largest cities from 2009–2015 is described. Methods: Government clinic counselors were trained to provide CVCT, and along with community health workers they promoted CVCT services in their clinic and surrounding areas. When client volume exceeded the capacity of on-duty staff in ANC and VCT, non-governmental organization (NGO) subsidies were offered for overtime pay. Results: Implementation of routine CVCT services varied greatly by clinic and city. The 12 highest volume clinics were examined further, while 13 clinics had CVCT numbers that were too low to warrant further investigation. In Lusaka, the proportion of pregnant women whose partners were tested rose from 2.6% in 2009 to a peak of 26.2% in 2012 and 24.8% in 2015. Corresponding reports in Ndola were 2.0% in 2009, 17.0% in 2012 and 14.5% in 2015. Obstacles to CVCT included: limited space and staffing, competing priorities, record keeping not adapted for couples, and few resources for promotion and increasing male involvement. Conflicting training models for 'partner testing' with men and women separately vs. CVCT with joint post-test counseling led to confusion in reporting to district health authorities. Discussion: A focused and sustained effort will be required to reach a meaningful number of couples with CVCT to prevent heterosexual and perinatal HIV transmission. Establishing targets and timelines, funding for dedicated and appropriately trained staff, adoption of standardized data recording instruments with couple-level indicators, and expansion of community and clinic-based promotions using proven models are recommended.

AbstractIntroductionCouples' voluntary HIV counselling and testing (CVCT) is a high‐impact HIV prevention intervention in Rwanda and Zambia. Our objective was to model the cost‐per‐HIV infection averted by CVCT in six African countries guided by an HIV prevention cascade framework. The HIV prevention cascade as yet to be applied to evaluating CVCT effectiveness or cost‐effectiveness.MethodsWe defined a priority population for CVCT in Africa as heterosexual adults in stable couples. Based on our previous experience nationalizing CVCT in Rwanda and scaling‐up CVCT in 73 clinics in Zambia, we estimated HIV prevention cascade domains of motivation for use, access and effectiveness of CVCT as model parameters. Costs‐per‐couple tested were also estimated based on our previous studies. We used these parameters as well as country‐specific inputs to model the impact of CVCT over a five‐year time horizon in a previously developed and tested deterministic compartmental model. We consider six countries across Africa with varied HIV epidemics (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone). Outcomes of interest were the proportion of HIV infections averted by CVCT, nationwide CVCT implementation costs and costs‐per‐HIV infection averted by CVCT. We applied 3%/year discounting to costs and outcomes. Univariate and Monte Carlo multivariate sensitivity analyses were conducted.ResultsWe estimated that CVCT could avert between 54% (Sierra Leone) and 62% (South Africa) of adult HIV infections. Average costs‐per‐HIV infection averted were lowest in Zimbabwe ($550) and highest in South Africa ($1272). Nationwide implementations would cost between 7% (Kenya) and 21% (Ivory Coast) of a country's President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) budget over five years. In sensitivity analyses, model outputs were most sensitive to estimates of cost‐per‐couple tested; the proportion of adults in heterosexual couples and HIV prevention cascade domains of CVCT motivation and access.ConclusionsOur model indicates that nationalized CVCT could prevent over half of adult HIV infections for 7% to 21% of the modelled countries' five‐year PEPFAR budgets. While other studies have indicated that CVCT motivation is high given locally relevant promotional and educational efforts, without required indicators, targets and dedicated budgets, access remains low.

BackgroundMany HIV voluntary testing and counselling centres in Africa use rapid antibody tests, in parallel or in sequence, to establish same‐day HIV status. The interpretation of indeterminate or discrepant results between different rapid tests on one sample poses a challenge. We investigated the use of an algorithm using three serial rapid HIV tests in cohabiting couples to resolve unclear serostatuses.MethodsHeterosexual couples visited the Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group testing centres in Kigali, Rwanda, and Lusaka, Zambia, to assess HIV infection status. Individuals with unclear HIV rapid antibody test results (indeterminate) or discrepant results were asked to return for repeat testing to resolve HIV status. If either partner of a couple tested positive or indeterminate with the screening test, both partners were tested with a confirmatory test. Individuals with indeterminate or discrepant results were further tested with a tie‐breaker and monthly retesting. HIV‐RNA viral load was determined when HIV status was not resolved by follow‐up rapid testing. Individuals were classified based on two of three initial tests as "Positive", "Negative" or "Other". Follow‐up testing and/or HIV‐RNA viral load testing determined them as "Infected", "Uninfected" or "Unresolved".ResultsOf 45,820 individuals tested as couples, 2.3% (4.1% of couples) had at least one discrepant or indeterminate rapid result. A total of 65% of those individuals had follow‐up testing and of those individuals initially classified as "Negative" by three initial rapid tests, less than 1% were resolved as "Infected". In contrast, of those individuals with at least one discrepant or indeterminate result who were initially classified as "Positive", only 46% were resolved as "Infected", while the remainder was resolved as "Uninfected" (46%) or "Unresolved" (8%). A positive HIV serostatus of one of the partners was a strong predictor of infection in the other partner as 48% of individuals who resolved as "Infected" had an HIV‐infected spouse.ConclusionsIn more than 45,000 individuals counselled and tested as couples, only 5% of individuals with indeterminate or discrepant rapid HIV test results were HIV infected. This represented only 0.1% of all individuals tested. Thus, algorithms using screening, confirmatory and tie‐breaker rapid tests are reliable with two of three tests negative, but not when two of three tests are positive. False positive antibody tests may persist. HIV‐positive partner serostatus should prompt repeat testing.

Abstract Background Nearly half the world's babies are born at home. We sought to evaluate the training, knowledge, skills, and access to medical equipment and testing for home birth attendants across 7 international sites. Methods Face-to-face interviews were done by trained interviewers to assess level of training, knowledge and practices regarding care during the antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum periods. The survey was administered to a sample of birth attendants conducting home or out-of-facility deliveries in 7 sites in 6 countries (India, Pakistan, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Zambia). Results A total of 1226 home birth attendants were surveyed. Less than half the birth attendants were literate. Eighty percent had one month or less of formal training. Most home birth attendants did not have basic equipment (e.g., blood pressure apparatus, stethoscope, infant bag and mask manual resuscitator). Reporting of births and maternal and neonatal deaths to government agencies was low. Indian auxilliary nurse midwives, who perform some home but mainly clinic births, were far better trained and differed in many characteristics from the birth attendants who only performed deliveries at home. Conclusions Home birth attendants in low-income countries were often illiterate, could not read numbers and had little formal training. Most had few of the skills or access to tests, medications and equipment that are necessary to reduce maternal, fetal or neonatal mortality.

Nearly half the world's babies are born at home. We sought to evaluate the training, knowledge, skills, and access to medical equipment and testing for home birth attendants across 7 international sites. Face-to-face interviews were done by trained interviewers to assess level of training, knowledge and practices regarding care during the antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum periods. The survey was administered to a sample of birth attendants conducting home or out-of-facility deliveries in 7 sites in 6 countries (India, Pakistan, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Zambia). A total of 1226 home birth attendants were surveyed. Less than half the birth attendants were literate. Eighty percent had one month or less of formal training. Most home birth attendants did not have basic equipment (e.g., blood pressure apparatus, stethoscope, infant bag and mask manual resuscitator). Reporting of births and maternal and neonatal deaths to government agencies was low. Indian auxilliary nurse midwives, who perform some home but mainly clinic births, were far better trained and differed in many characteristics from the birth attendants who only performed deliveries at home. Home birth attendants in low-income countries were often illiterate, could not read numbers and had little formal training. Most had few of the skills or access to tests, medications and equipment that are necessary to reduce maternal, fetal or neonatal mortality.

BACKGROUND: Low dose aspirin (LDA) is an effective strategy to reduce preterm birth. However, LDA might have differential effects globally, based on the etiology of preterm birth. In some regions, malaria in pregnancy could be an important modifier of LDA on birth outcomes and anemia. METHODS: This is a sub-study of the ASPIRIN trial, a multi-national, randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating LDA effect on preterm birth. We enrolled a convenience sample of women in the ASPIRIN trial from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Zambia. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect malaria. We calculated crude prevalence proportion ratios (PRs) for LDA by malaria for outcomes, and regression modelling to evaluate effect measure modification. We evaluated hemoglobin in late pregnancy based on malaria infection in early pregnancy. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred forty-six women were analyzed, with a malaria prevalence of 63% in the DRC site, 38% in the Kenya site, and 6% in the Zambia site. Preterm birth occurred in 83 (LDA) and 90 (placebo) women, (PR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70, 1.22), without interaction between LDA and malaria (p = 0.75). Perinatal mortality occurred in 41 (LDA) and 43 (placebo) pregnancies, (PR 0.95, 95% CI 0.63, 1.44), with an interaction between malaria and LDA (p = 0.014). Hemoglobin was similar by malaria and LDA status. CONCLUSIONS: Malaria in early pregnancy did not modify the effects of LDA on preterm birth, but modified the effect of LDA on perinatal mortality. This effect measure modification deserves continued study as LDA is used in malaria endemic regions.

Background: Low dose aspirin (LDA) is an effective strategy to reduce preterm birth. However, LDA might have differential effects globally, based on the etiology of preterm birth. In some regions, malaria in pregnancy could be an important modifier of LDA on birth outcomes and anemia. Methods: This is a sub-study of the ASPIRIN trial, a multi-national, randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating LDA effect on preterm birth. We enrolled a convenience sample of women in the ASPIRIN trial from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Zambia. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect malaria. We calculated crude prevalence proportion ratios (PRs) for LDA by malaria for outcomes, and regression modelling to evaluate effect measure modification. We evaluated hemoglobin in late pregnancy based on malaria infection in early pregnancy. Results: One thousand four hundred forty-six women were analyzed, with a malaria prevalence of 63% in the DRC site, 38% in the Kenya site, and 6% in the Zambia site. Preterm birth occurred in 83 (LDA) and 90 (placebo) women, (PR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70, 1.22), without interaction between LDA and malaria (p = 0.75). Perinatal mortality occurred in 41 (LDA) and 43 (placebo) pregnancies, (PR 0.95, 95% CI 0.63, 1.44), with an interaction between malaria and LDA (p = 0.014). Hemoglobin was similar by malaria and LDA status. Conclusions: Malaria in early pregnancy did not modify the effects of LDA on preterm birth, but modified the effect of LDA on perinatal mortality. This effect measure modification deserves continued study as LDA is used in malaria endemic regions.

BACKGROUND: The Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research (Global Network) conducts clinical trials in resource-limited countries through partnerships among U.S. investigators, international investigators based in in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and a central data coordinating center. The Global Network's objectives include evaluating low-cost, sustainable interventions to improve women's and children's health in LMICs. Accurate reporting of births, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal mortality, and measures of obstetric and neonatal care is critical to determine strategies for improving pregnancy outcomes. In response to this need, the Global Network developed the Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), a prospective, population-based registry of pregnant women, fetuses and neonates receiving care in defined catchment areas at the Global Network sites. This publication describes the MNHR, including participating sites, data management and quality and changes over time. METHODS: Pregnant women who reside in or receive healthcare in select communities are enrolled in the MNHR of the Global Network. For each woman and her offspring, sociodemographic, health care, and the major outcomes through 42-days post-delivery are recorded. Study visits occur at enrollment during pregnancy, at delivery and at 42 days postpartum. RESULTS: From 2010 through 2018, the Global Network MNHR sites were located in Guatemala, Belagavi and Nagpur, India, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zambia. During this period at these sites, 579,140 pregnant women were consented and enrolled in the MNHR, nearly 99% of all eligible women. Delivery data were collected for 99% of enrolled women and 42-day follow-up data for 99% of those delivered. In this supplement, the trends over time and assessment of differences across geographic regions are analyzed in a series of 18 manuscripts utilizing the MNHR data. CONCLUSIONS: Improving maternal, fetal and newborn health in countries with poor outcomes requires an understanding of the characteristics of the population, quality of health care and outcomes. Because the worst pregnancy outcomes typically occur in countries with limited health registration systems and vital records, alternative registration systems may prove to be highly valuable in providing data. The MNHR, an international, multicenter, population-based registry, assesses pregnancy outcomes over time in support of efforts to develop improved perinatal healthcare in resource-limited areas. Trial Registration The Maternal Newborn Health Registry is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT01073475). Registered February 23, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01073475.

BACKGROUND: The Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research (Global Network) conducts clinical trials in resource-limited countries through partnerships among U.S. investigators, international investigators based in in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and a central data coordinating center. The Global Network's objectives include evaluating low-cost, sustainable interventions to improve women's and children's health in LMICs. Accurate reporting of births, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal mortality, and measures of obstetric and neonatal care is critical to determine strategies for improving pregnancy outcomes. In response to this need, the Global Network developed the Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR), a prospective, population-based registry of pregnant women, fetuses and neonates receiving care in defined catchment areas at the Global Network sites. This publication describes the MNHR, including participating sites, data management and quality and changes over time. METHODS: Pregnant women who reside in or receive healthcare in select communities are enrolled in the MNHR of the Global Network. For each woman and her offspring, sociodemographic, health care, and the major outcomes through 42-days post-delivery are recorded. Study visits occur at enrollment during pregnancy, at delivery and at 42 days postpartum. RESULTS: From 2010 through 2018, the Global Network MNHR sites were located in Guatemala, Belagavi and Nagpur, India, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Zambia. During this period at these sites, 579,140 pregnant women were consented and enrolled in the MNHR, nearly 99% of all eligible women. Delivery data were collected for 99% of enrolled women and 42-day follow-up data for 99% of those delivered. In this supplement, the trends over time and assessment of differences across geographic regions are analyzed in a series of 18 manuscripts utilizing the MNHR data. CONCLUSIONS: Improving maternal, fetal and newborn health in countries with poor outcomes ...