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. 2016 Oct 27;11(10):e0164965. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164965

Table 2. Characteristics of studies that intervened pre-pregnancy and pregnancy care.

Time dimension Space dimension Author/Country Study design Participants Intervention Outcome Number of participants
  • Pre-pregnancy

  • Pregnancy

  • Birth

  • Postnatal

  • Community-familycare

  • Outpatient-outreach care

  • Clinical care

Azad et al. 2010, Bangladesh Cluster randomized controlled trial Women aged 15–49 years Maternal and neonatal health promotion for reproductive age women provided by women's groups in the community/Training for traditional birth attendants on safe deliveries and resuscitation of newborns with symptoms of birth asphyxia using the bag valve mask /Basic and refresher clinical training for health workers on essential components of maternal and neonatal health care.
  • Neonatal death

  • Maternal death

  • Stillbirth

  • Intervention arm: 15,695 births

  • Control arm: 15,257 births (twins were included and temporary residents were excluded)

  • Pre-pregnancy

  • Pregnancy

  • Postnatal

  • Community-family care

  • Outpatient-outreach care

  • Clinical care

Bhutta et al. 2008, Pakistan Cluster randomized controlled trial Women of reproductive age, adolescent girls, and older women Training for female health workers to provide home visits to pregnant and postpartum women/Set up community health committees to conduct 3-monthly group education sessions in villages for women of reproductive age, adolescent girls, and older women/Established an emergency transport fund for mothers and newborns/Education on basic and intermediate newborn care for health workers/Specialized training for medical and nursing staff.
  • Neonatal death

  • Stillbirth

  • Perinatal death

  • Intervention arm: 3,064 births

  • Control arm: 2,778 births

  • Intervention arm: 395 pregnancies

  • Control arm: 375 pregnancies

  • Pre-pregnancy

  • Pregnancy

  • Birth

  • Postnatal

  • Community-family care

  • Outpatient-outreach care

  • Clinical care

Bhutta et al. 2011, Pakistan Cluster randomized controlled trial Women of reproductive age, adolescent girls, and older women Group health education sessions for women on antenatal care and maternal health by female health workers/Provision of clean delivery kits/Promotion of health facility delivery, immediate newborn care, and training in the identification of danger signs/Instruction on antenatal and postnatal home visits for female health workers/Training for traditional birth attendants on basic newborn care/Establishing community health committees for maternal and newborn care.
  • Neonatal death

  • Stillbirths

  • Perinatal death

  • Intervention arm: 12,028 births

  • Control arm: 11,005 births

  • Intervention arm: 2,339 deliveries

  • Control arm: 2,135 deliveries

  • Pre-pregnancy

  • Pregnancy

  • Birth

  • Postnatal

  • Community-family care

Manandhar et al. 2004, Nepal Cluster randomized controlled trial Women aged 15–49 years with the potential to become pregnant Monthly women's group meetings with female facilitators/Activate a women's group through an action-learning cycle/Assisted the women's group in identifying and prioritizing maternal and neonatal problems/Helping the women's group to identify possible solutions and to plan, implement and monitor the solution strategies in the community/Essential newborn care training for government health staff, female community health volunteers and traditional birth attendants.
  • Neonatal death

  • Stillbirth

  • Maternal death

  • Intervention arm: 2,972 infants born/3190 pregnancies

  • Control arm: 3,303 infants born/ 3524 pregnancies (twins were included)

  • Pre-pregnancy

  • Pregnancy

  • Birth

  • Postnatal

  • Community-family care

Tripathy et al. 2010, India Cluster randomized controlled trial Women aged 15–49 years who became pregnant during the study period Training for facilitators who activate women's groups/Assisted women's groups to identify and prioritize maternal and neonatal problems/Helped women's groups to identify possible solutions and to plan, implement and monitor solution strategies in the community.
  • Neonatal death

  • Stillbirth

  • Maternal death

  • Perinatal death

  • Intervention arm: 9,770 births

  • Control arm: 9,260 births (migrated mothers and infants were excluded)