Table 6. Details of vouchers for maternity care services included in the systematic review.

Programme	Included studies, quality and sample size	Maternal and newborn health entitlements	Supply-side components	Period of programme implementation	Details of any changes to programme design	Source of funding
Pilot programme, Bangladesh	Rob et al. (2009)—low quality: 436 and 414 women at baseline and follow-up during 2007 and 2008 [49]	Vouchers were targeted to poor women, distributed free of charge and entitled the holder to 3 x ANC, childbirth services, 1 x PNC for mother and newborn, and transport costs for each service	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2007–2008	None identified	International non-governmental organisation (Population Council)
Maternal Health Voucher Scheme, Bangladesh	Ahmed and Khan (2011)—medium quality: 3,600 women during 2008 [46]; Hatt et al. (2010)—medium quality: 2,208 women during 2009 [47]; Nguyen et al. (2012)—medium quality: 2,208 women during 2009 [48]	Vouchers are targeted to poor women or distributed universally (depending on the district), are distributed free of charge and entitle the holder to 3 x ANC, FB or SBA at home, 1 x PNC for mother and newborn, CS, and transport costs, a gift box and cash for women who give birth in a facility	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2007-present	None identified	National government
Voucher programme, Cambodia	Van de Poel et al. (2014)—medium quality: 18,754 women during 2010 [50]	Vouchers were targeted to poor women or distributed universally (depending on the district), free of charge and entitled the holder to ANC, FB and PNC for mother and newborn at government healthcare facilities	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2007–2010	None identified	National government
Chiranjeevi Yojana, India	Bhat et al. (2009)—low quality: 656 women during 2006 [65]; De Costa et al. (2014)—high quality: state-wide data during 2000–2010 [52]; Mohanan et al. (2014)—high quality: 12,081 women during 2007–2009 and 2010 [53]	Free maternity care services for women with a below poverty line card	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2005-present	Phased roll-out; Reimbursement rates for providers increased	State government
Sambhav scheme, India	IFPS Project (2012)—medium quality (economic study): one district [54]	Vouchers were targeted to poor women, distributed free of charge and entitled the holder to 3 x ANC, FB and PNC for mother and newborn at accredited private hospitals	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2007–2013	None identified	Bilateral donor (USAID)
Vouchers for Health, Kenya	Amendah et al. (2013)—medium quality: 627 women during 2006–2012 [55]; Bellows et al. (2012)—medium quality: 1,914 and 2,448 women at baseline and follow-up during 2006 and 2009 [56]; Obare et al. (2012)—medium quality: 2,527 women during 2010–2011 [58]; Obare et al. (2014)—medium quality: 2,933 and 3,094 women at baseline and follow-up during 2010–2011 and 2012 [57]; Watt et al. (2015)—low quality: 934 and 569 women at baseline and follow-up during 2010 and 2012 [59]	Vouchers are targeted to poor women, sold for 200 shillings (USD 2.50) and entitle the holder to 4 x ANC, FB (including CS and treatment of neonatal complications if necessary) and PNC for mother and newborn up to six weeks after childbirth	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2006-present	Pilot scheme managed by a parastatal organisation. Phased expansion and transfer to Ministry of Health control. Switched from commission-based to salaried voucher distributors	Early phases funded by bilateral donor (KfW, Germany). National government has begun to contribute
Pilot programmes, Pakistan	Agha (2011a)—medium quality: 2,018 and 2,033 women at baseline and follow-up during 2009 and 2010 [60]; Agha (2011b)—low quality: 681 and 742 women at baseline and follow-up during 2010 [61]	Voucher booklets were targeted to poor women, sold for 100 rupees (USD 1.20) and entitled the holder to 3 x ANC, FB, 1 x PNC for mother and newborn, CS	Payments to healthcare providers for care	Urban: 2008–2009; Rural: 2010	None identified	Bilateral donor (USAID)
HealthyBaby vouchers, Uganda	Reproductive Health Vouchers Evaluation Team (2012)—low quality: 2,443 and 2,895 at baseline and follow-up during 2008 and 2010–2011 [62]	Vouchers are targeted to poor women, sold for 3,000 shillings (USD 1.50) and entitle the holder to 4 x ANC, childbirth services and PNC	Payments to healthcare providers for care	2008-present	Maternal health vouchers added to an existing reproductive health voucher programme	Bilateral donor (KfW, Germany) and the World Bank
Makerere Voucher Programme, Uganda	Alfonso et al. (2015)—low quality (economic study) and medium quality (quantitative study): sample chosen from among 810,618 women during 2007–2011 [63]; Mayora et al. (2014)—low quality (economic study) [64]	Vouchers were distributed universally in intervention areas, were free of charge and entitled the holders to FB and transportation. PNC for mother and newborn was included if mother/newborn experienced complications	Payments to healthcare providers for care, and transport providers received fixed payments for the average distance to travel in the intervention area	2009–2011	Antenatal care and PN vouchers withdrawn after pilot (2009–2010) due to unexpectedly large demand for vouchers	International non-governmental organisation (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

Notes: ANC—antenatal care, FB—birth in healthcare facilities, SBA—birth with a skilled birth attendant, PNC—postnatal care, CS—caesarean section in case of obstetric complications