Maternal and Newborn Health in Urban Africa

Our mission is to conduct impactful, context-specific research that addresses the complex issues of maternal and newborn health in urban settings. The UrbanBirth Collective is a partnership of research institutions working together with stakeholders toward context-specific understanding of problems and solutions in sub-Saharan African cities.
UrbanMat Guinea
Analysis of accessibility and quality of care in urban maternity wards in Guinea. We examine how infrastructure and resource availability at hospitals of choice influence quality of care and maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.
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Maternity
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UrbanMat Guinea
In-depth case study of large referral maternity wards in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa
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Maternity
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Health-seeking and health outcomes in urban sub-Saharan Africa
In-depth case study of large referral maternity wards in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa
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Maternity
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70% of maternal deaths
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths.
2x higher newborn mortality
Newborn mortality in urban areas is twice as high as in rural regions in Tanzania.
60 million births
The estimated number of births in urban settings by 2023.
90% of women receive care in health facilities during childbirth
The majority of women in large cities in sub-Saharan Africa seek care in health facilities during pregnancy and childbirth.

Our Approach

Guided by four core values, we work together with local and global stakeholders to deliver impactful research and actionable solutions:

- Open Science
- Learning & Capacity Strengthening
- Engagement & Collaboration
- Multisectoral Partnerships

Our Projects

View all Projects
UrbanMat Guinea
Analysis of accessibility and quality of care in urban maternity wards in Guinea. We examine how infrastructure and resource availability at hospitals of choice influence quality of care and maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.
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Maternity
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Where we work

Our research spans multiple cities across sub-Saharan Africa, where we collaborate with local partners to improve maternal health outcomes. Each location presents unique challenges, and through our collective efforts, we are making a measurable impact on the ground. Explore our work in detail through the interactive map below.
Hover over the red dot to view more information about our partner institutions and projects.
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Conakry, Guinea
CEA-PCMT, Guinea
CEA-PCMT is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
Discontinu_Cities
We are advancing the understanding maternal care provision and use in sub-Saharan African cities with a case study of Conakry
UrbanMat Guinea
We are working on analysing accessibility and quality of care in urban maternity wards in Guinea
Grand Nokoué metropolitan area, Benin
Centre de Recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie
Cerrhud is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
UrbanMat Grand Nokoué metropolitan area (Bénin)
Expectations and needs of postpartum women in Cotonou: an exploratory study
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
L’Ecole de Santé Publique de l’Université de Lubumbashi‍
University of Lubumbashi's School of Public Health is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
UrbanMat Lubumbashi Project‍
Landscape of provision of maternal and newborn healthcare in Lubumbashi, DRC
Conakry, Guinea
CEA-PCMT, Guinea
CEA-PCMT is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
Discontinu_Cities
We are advancing the understanding maternal care provision and use in sub-Saharan African cities with a case study of Conakry
UrbanMat Guinea
We are working on analysing accessibility and quality of care in urban maternity wards in Guinea
Grand Nokoué metropolitan area, Benin
Centre de Recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie
Cerrhud is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
UrbanMat Grand Nokoué metropolitan area (Bénin)
Expectations and needs of postpartum women in Cotonou: an exploratory study
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
L’Ecole de Santé Publique de l’Université de Lubumbashi‍
University of Lubumbashi's School of Public Health is a founding partner institution of the UrbanBirth Collective
UrbanMat Lubumbashi Project‍
Landscape of provision of maternal and newborn healthcare in Lubumbashi, DRC
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Stay Informed

View All News & Events
UrbanMat Guinea
Analysis of accessibility and quality of care in urban maternity wards in Guinea. We examine how infrastructure and resource availability at hospitals of choice influence quality of care and maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity.
A Keyword
Another Keyword
Maternity
Another Keyword
UrbanMat Guinea
In-depth case study of large referral maternity wards in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa
A Keyword
Another Keyword
Maternity
Another Keyword
Health-seeking and health outcomes in urban sub-Saharan Africa
In-depth case study of large referral maternity wards in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa
A Keyword
Another Keyword
Maternity
Another Keyword
Presentation of the Discontinu_Cities project to stakeholders in Guinea
On 3 and 4 October 2024, teams from the African Centre of Excellence for the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases, the National Centre for Training and Research in Rural Health of Guinea, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp presented the Discontinu_Cities project to stakeholders at the University of Conakry. The aim of these meetings was to engage key stakeholders in the health system at all levels of the project starting from its design, to ensure that their views and concerns are taken into account, and to ensure that the results of the various research activities will be used by decision-makers to influence policies and practices.
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Blog: We launched the UrbanBirth Collective!
On October 17, 2024, team members from Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Guinea gathered in Antwerp to officially launch the UrbanBirth Collective.
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Blog: "This map represents what I know": the power of putting Lubumbashi’s maternal healthcare services on the map
The ongoing research project UrbanMat in Lubumbashi, the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is mapping all health facilities that offer maternal and newborn healthcare. At a recent stakeholder meeting, health system managers and stakeholders provided input on preliminary versions of the maps.
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Paper: Analysis of institutional maternal mortality and health system bottlenecks in Kampala City Uganda
PhD candidate Catherine Birabwa published her study on trends and factors influencing maternal mortality in the city of Kampala between 2016 and 2021
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Webinar: Urban maternal health in Guinea
Analysis of mortality and maternal and fetal complications in maternity wards of three referral hospitals in Guinea
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