The Effectiveness of Multi-pronged Interventions to Improve Institutional Delivery in South Ethiopia

Summary

This study aims to improve the health and safety of mothers during pregnancy and childbirth by working closely with their husbands. In many communities in Ethiopia, husbands play an important role in decisions about where women give birth.

The study involves educating husbands in group sessions to help them understand how to support their wives during pregnancy, prepare for childbirth, recognize danger signs, and encourage giving birth in health centers where skilled care is available.

At the same time, some health workers receive training to improve their ability to handle childbirth emergencies and provide respectful, culturally sensitive care.

Communities are divided into groups that receive either husband education, health worker training, both, or no additional support. The study will see which approach helps more women deliver safely in health centers and receive care after birth.

By involving husbands and improving health worker skills, this study hopes to support mothers better and improve outcomes for families.

Conditions

• Maternal Health
• Gender

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Husband Group Health education.

The community-based husband group health education will target expectant fathers with pregnant partners. It will focus on reshaping gender-related attitudes and beliefs, promoting caregiving best practices, preventing violence against women, and improving men's involvement in maternal health. The intervention will comprise group sessions with 20 participants each, conducted over three sessions lasting 2.5 hours each, with a 15-day interval between sessions. The sessions will cover key topics, including recognizing obstetric danger signs, preparing for childbirth, fostering men's engagement in maternal health, advocating nonviolence and shared responsibility, and encouraging joint decision-making.

BEHAVIORAL

Helping Mothers Survive + RMC

The "Helping Mothers Survive" training is designed by Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with global health partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Laerdal Global Health, and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) for healthcare professionals involved in childbirth care focusing on saving lives at birth in low-resource settings. This on-site training will use realistic simulations to enhance skills in identifying and managing key causes of maternal mortality, such as postpartum hemorrhage and preeclampsia, starting with essential labor care. The program employs the MamaNatalie birthing simulator, a low-tech realistic tool for hands-on practice developed by Laerdal Global Health. MamaNatalie features a model uterus with a neonate, placenta, and umbilical cord, enabling simulations of postpartum hemorrhage, breech delivery, vacuum-assisted birth, and normal labor.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR)

  collaborator NETWORK

• Arba Minch University

  collaborator OTHER

• Prof Yves Jacquemyn

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Yves Jacquemyn, Professor, Gynecology · Universiteit Antwerpen

• Veerle Draulans, Professor, sociology · KU Leuven

• Jean-pierre vangeertruyden, Professor, infectious disesase · Universiteit Antwerpen

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Sex

MALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-07-27

Primary Completion

2026-04-15

Completion

2026-04-15

Countries

• Ethiopia

Study Locations