Table 4.

Community mobilization strategies for ANC/PNC described in the included reviews with significant level of detail (n = 12)

Range/Type/Level of Mobilization	Type of activity	Description of activities	References
These activities place a focus on problem solving and finding solutions.	Community health committees	Community health committees were set up as an opportunity to consult various community members, collaborate, build consensus, and identify solutions to maternal and newborn health problems.	Kuhlmann et al [42], Jennings et al [47] & Perry et al [48]
	Local leader meetings	Meetings with local leaders could be used in various forms at different time points in an intervention. Some interventions engaged with local leaders at the start for buy-in/involvement in initiatives such as women's groups or other community activities while others had elected local leaders run community meetings with the public and stakeholders.	George et al [39], Kearns et al [41], Perry et al [47,48]
	Recurrent groups	These activities included groups which met on a regular or recurring basis to discuss and address maternal health issues. This included women’s groups led by volunteers as well as groups using the PLA cycle where a trained facilitator led regularly scheduled meetings. These recurrent groups often utilized participatory activities that were used to identify and adopt strategies in the community to improve maternal health.	George et al [39], Kearns et al [41], Marston et al [44], Mbuagbaw et al [45], Mangham-Jeffries et al [43], Perry et al [47,48], Prost et al [21]
These activities involve participatory techniques to mobilize communities for immediate action.	Peer mentors	Peer mentors or peer counsellors were used to provide education, advice, and support to pregnant women and families. They often used participatory learning activities or community dialogues to encourage community action. One example of peer mentors called “Care Groups” used facilitators to share health education that volunteer participants could then disseminate to mothers in their surrounding households[48]	Kuhlmann et al [42], Mangham-Jeffries et al [43], Perry et al [47,48]
	Public/ community meetings	Larger community gatherings where trained volunteers or health care workers provided information and education as well as identified community action plans and priorities. Various strategies and activities were employed at these community awareness meetings including: street plays, dramas, dances, music, folksongs, skits, games, and other participatory learning activities and methods.	George et al [39], Mbuagbaw et al [45], Perry et al [47,48], Sarkar et al [49], Sharma et al [51]
	Advocacy workshops & special community events	Public education and advocacy activities were often held to increase demand for maternal health services. This included special community events such as health fairs and celebration days to promote awareness and encourage community support for health interventions. For example, one study reported women's groups encouraging attendance at “Mamta Divas” which were special event village health and nutrition days for mothers and children[39].	George et al [39], Sarkar et al [49], Sharma et al [51]
These activities involve informing or educating communities.	Mass media & awareness campaigns	Mass media and awareness campaigns were conducted through media forums such as radio, television, newspapers, cellular phone messages and printed materials such as posters, brochures, and banners as well as live events such as street theatre. The aim of these interventions was often to inform the community and pregnant women in order to improve health service utilization, such as ANC and PNC.	George et al, Lassi et al, Mbuagbaw et al [45]
	Women & men's maternal health education sessions	Community mobilisers, health care workers, and midwives held focus groups with community members or visited households to discuss and educate both men and women on maternal health. These activities were conducted by both men and women community mobilisers. Also defined as “group counselling.”[23]	Lassi et al [23], Mangham-Jeffries et al [43], Sharma et al [51]
	Home visits+ (as a component of larger intervention package)	While home visits alone are not typically considered a community mobilization activity on their own, many of the reviews and studies described home visits as a component of community-based interventions and one of the objectives of the visit was to mobilize family support for MNH. Sessions aimed used to provide interactive education as well as support for care seeking for health services as well as improve household care practices. These were conducted by community health workers, community organizers, or peer counsellors. Also defined as “one-to-one counselling.” [23]	George et al [39], Kuhlmann et al [42], Lassi et al [23], Mangham-Jeffries et al [43], Mbuagbaw et al [45], Perry et al [47,48], Wekesah et al [53]

ANC – antenatal care, PNC – postnatal care, PLA – participatory and learning action, MNH – maternal and newborn health