The Sustainable Development Goals include the ambitious targets of ending all preventable maternal and newborn deaths by 2030. While progress is being made, delivery of key interventions is far from complete. PMA launched two survey projects in Ethiopia to generate new information on key maternal and newborn health indicators; the PMA Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Survey launched in 2016 in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ region (SNNPR), one of the 11 administrative regions in Ethiopia, and its successor, PMA-Ethiopia, launched in 2019.
2016 MNH Survey
The longitudinal household survey was designed to collect information on knowledge, practice and coverage of MNH services.
The study was implemented in 44 enumeration areas in the SNNPR region. A census of all households was conducted to identify all currently pregnant women who self-reported a gestational age of six months or more. Women were interviewed at seven days, six weeks, and six months after birth.
Results showed that while overall coverage of services was increasing, the comprehensiveness of services was low. Few women reported receiving critical components of care. The successful implementation and results from the study informed the expansion of the grant into PMA Ethiopia.
2019 PMA-Ethiopia Survey
PMA Ethiopia is a survey project designed to generate important data on a variety of reproductive, maternal, and newborn health (RMNH) indicators that can inform national and regional governments. The project is implementing cross-sectional, longitudinal, and facility-based surveys with a focus on measuring the comprehensiveness of RMNH care services and the barriers and facilitators to such care.
PMA Ethiopia collects data on family planning, antenatal, delivery, postnatal, and newborn care, including nutrition and vaccinations, in addition to gathering data on relevant individual, partner, and community characteristics that may affect receipt of care.
Building upon the success of the 2016 survey, the 2019 survey has added several new features:
- Measurements on reproductive empowerment and community norms and how behaviors and perceptions differ among women in various life stages
- Measurements on respectful maternity care
- Measurements on health facility readiness and quality of care for maternal and reproductive services
- Formation of an advisory board chaired by the Federal Ministry of Health’s State Minister of Health that serves in an advisory role on priority measurements and using findings to improve policies and programs at the national and regional levels.
For more on the studies on Maternal and Newborn Health:
Request Access to Datasets About PMA Ethiopia
View Survey Results Summary