Table 1

Characterisation of participating PIH sites, cumulative predicted counts, cumulative deviation in maternal health service use, date of national lockdowns and strategies implemented by PIH-supported facilities that may have contributed to preventing and/or mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health service use during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 (March 2020–December 2020) by country

Country and first year of collaboration with PIHNumber of PIH-supported facilities (n)*Catchment population included in the study†First antenatal care visitFacility-based deliveriesDate of national lockdowns‡Strategies implemented during the pandemic§
Cumulative predicted counts
(95% PI)
Cumulative deviation
(95% PI)
Cumulative predicted counts
(95% PI)
Cumulative deviation
(95% PI)
Haiti (1987)Total: 16
Included: 6 hospitals, 5 health centres and one primary care clinic
1 164 55652 413
(47 660 to 57 707)
−9413
(−14 707 to –4660)
15 063
(14 094 to 160 321)
−2588
(−3557 to –1619)
March 2020–July 2020
September 2020–December 2020
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of CHWs’ activities related to maternal health

Lesotho (2006)Total: 79
Included: 7 rural health centres
90 000709
(625 to 799)
46
(−44 to 130)
642
(564 to 727)
−79
(−164 to –1)
March 2020–May 2020
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of village health workers’ activities related to maternal health

Liberia (2014)Total: 31
Included: one county referral hospital, 2 health centres and one primary care clinic
66 8794650
(4196 to 5204)
−334
(−888 to 120)
1054
(938 to 1206)
−225
(−377 to –109)
March 2020–August 2020
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of CHWs’ activities related to maternal health

  • Implementation of communication campaigns

  • Supply chain strengthening

Malawi (2007)Total: 14
Included: 2 hospitals and 8 health centres
146 0093585
(4196 to 5204)
192
(−54 to 402)
1007
(917 to 1109)
51
(−51 to 142)
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of CHWs’ activities related to maternal health

  • Implementation of communication campaigns

  • Recruitment of new health professionals

  • Intensification of outreach perinatal visits to communities

Mexico (2011)Total: 13
Included: one basic community hospital and one birthing centre
107 000Not availableNot available457
(402 to 524)
−74
(−141 to –19)
March 2020–December 2020
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of CHWs’ activities related to maternal health

Sierra Leone (2014)Total: 6
Included: one hospital and one clinic
145 0007671
(6629 to 8809)
−2439
(−3577 to –1397)
1783
(1612 to 1965)
−285
(−467 to –114)
April 2020–May 2020
  • Adoption of national guidelines for safe maternal care

  • Preservation of CHWs’ activities related to maternal health

  • Implementation of communication campaigns

  • *“Total” corresponds to all PIH-supported facilities in the country, while “included” are those facilities whose data were included in the analysis.

  • †The catchment population for each country was obtained by summing the known catchment area in each of the government facilities included in the study. This information had been previously established by local governments and ministries of health and is used for planning health services.

  • ‡Only national lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that required people to stay at home were included. Data retrieved from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/).

  • §Strategies implemented by PIH-supported facilities that may have contributed to preventing and/or mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health service utilization.

  • CHW, community health worker; PIH, Partners In Health.