Publication Date:
16 Jul 2016
Citation:
Thompson S (2019) Liga Inan Technical Brief 3: Postnatal Care for Mothers and Newborns. Health Alliance International, USAID, Ministerio de Saude, Australian Aid, Catalpa International
Abstract
The postnatal period, the time directly after birth, is a critical time for the mother and her newborn. Most maternal and newborn deaths occur in the first month after birth; many of those deaths occur in the first week. The Timor-Leste Ministry of Health (MoH) would like all women and newborns to receive a prompt postnatal care visit to check on the health of mother and baby.
Liga Inan, an mHealth program utilizing mobile phone technology, is an innovative program developed by Health Alliance International (HAI) and Catalpa International that is implemented in partnership with the MoH.
Women are enrolled into the Liga Inan program at their first antenatal care visit, when they begin receiving twice weekly text messages. The messages include important health information and cues to action focused on seeking appropriate care during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period. Multivariate analysis controlled for age, education, distance to a health facility and for postnatal care, the use of a skilled birth attendant.
The HAI research plan to evaluate the impact of the Liga Inan program included baseline and final household surveys comparing preand post-intervention time periods in both the intervention municipality of Manufahi and the control site of Ainaro Municipality, where Liga Inan was not implemented.