Increasing utilisation of perinatal services: estimating the impact of community health worker program in Neno, Malawi

Authors: Chiyembekezo Kachimanga, Elizabeth L. Dunbar, Samuel Watson, Katie Cundale, Henry Makungwa, Emily B. Wroe, Charles Malindi, Lawrence Nazimera, Daniel Palazuelos, Jeanel Drake, Thomas Gates, Thomas van den Akker & Jawaya Shea

To address the issue of high maternal mortality in Malawi, the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Communities intervention trained CHWs to conduct household visits to locate pregnant women and accompany them to perinatal care. Results indicate an 18% increase in antenatal care attendance, a 200% increase in antenatal care attendance in the first trimester and an increase of 37% in completion of four ANC visits.