Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites

Introduction Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates will require the expansion and strengthening of quality maternal health services. Midwife-led birth centres (MLBCs) are an alternative to hospital-based care for low-risk pregnancies where the le...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: AKM Fazlur Rahman, Oliva Bazirete, Emily J Callander, Abdul Halim, Abu Sayeed Abdullah, Caroline Homer, Andrea Nove, Sabera Turkmani, Mandy Forrester, Alayna Carrandi, Sally Pairman, Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda, Vanessa Scarf, Sheila Clow, Rose Chalo Nabirye, Saad Ibrahim Rasheed, Arslan Munir Turk, Shree Mandke, Martin Boyce
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-03-01
Series:BMJ Global Health
Online Access:https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/3/e013643.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850059323103772672
author AKM Fazlur Rahman
Oliva Bazirete
Emily J Callander
Abdul Halim
Abu Sayeed Abdullah
Caroline Homer
Andrea Nove
Sabera Turkmani
Mandy Forrester
Alayna Carrandi
Sally Pairman
Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda
Vanessa Scarf
Sheila Clow
Rose Chalo Nabirye
Saad Ibrahim Rasheed
Arslan Munir Turk
Shree Mandke
Martin Boyce
author_facet AKM Fazlur Rahman
Oliva Bazirete
Emily J Callander
Abdul Halim
Abu Sayeed Abdullah
Caroline Homer
Andrea Nove
Sabera Turkmani
Mandy Forrester
Alayna Carrandi
Sally Pairman
Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda
Vanessa Scarf
Sheila Clow
Rose Chalo Nabirye
Saad Ibrahim Rasheed
Arslan Munir Turk
Shree Mandke
Martin Boyce
author_sort AKM Fazlur Rahman
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates will require the expansion and strengthening of quality maternal health services. Midwife-led birth centres (MLBCs) are an alternative to hospital-based care for low-risk pregnancies where the lead professional at the time of birth is a trained midwife. These have been used in many countries to improve birth outcomes.Methods The cost analysis used primary data collection from four MLBCs in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda (n=12 MLBC sites). Modelled cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to compare the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), measured as incremental cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted, of MLBCs to standard care in each country. Results were presented in 2022 US dollars.Results Cost per birth in MLBCs varied greatly within and between countries, from US$21 per birth at site 3, Bangladesh to US$2374 at site 2, Uganda. Midwife salary and facility operation costs were the primary drivers of costs in most MLBCs. Six of the 12 MLBCs produced better health outcomes at a lower cost (dominated) compared with standard care; and three produced better health outcomes at a higher cost compared with standard care, with ICERs ranging from US$571/DALY averted to US$55 942/DALY averted.Conclusion MLBCs appear to be able to produce better health outcomes at lower cost or be highly cost-effective compared with standard care. Costs do vary across sites and settings, and so further exploration of costs and cost-effectiveness as a part of implementation and establishment activities should be a priority.
format Article
id doaj-art-c33ac6ba632e47b8876caa199a6ac5ca
institution DOAJ
issn 2059-7908
language English
publishDate 2024-03-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Global Health
spelling doaj-art-c33ac6ba632e47b8876caa199a6ac5ca2025-08-20T02:50:55ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082024-03-019310.1136/bmjgh-2023-013643Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sitesAKM Fazlur Rahman0Oliva Bazirete1Emily J Callander2Abdul Halim3Abu Sayeed Abdullah4Caroline Homer5Andrea Nove6Sabera Turkmani7Mandy Forrester8Alayna Carrandi9Sally Pairman10Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda11Vanessa Scarf12Sheila Clow13Rose Chalo Nabirye14Saad Ibrahim Rasheed15Arslan Munir Turk16Shree Mandke17Martin Boyce181 Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), House B162, Road 23, New DOHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1206, BangladeshNovametrics Ltd, Duffield, UK1 University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaCentre for Injury Prevention and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh1Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, BangladeshMaternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaNovametrics Ltd, Duffield, UKacademicInternational Confederation Of Midwives, The Hague, The NetherlandsMonash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaInternational Confederation Of Midwives, The Hague, The NetherlandsMakerere University, Kampala, UgandaFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaUniversity of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaBusitema University, Tororo, UgandaResearch and Development Solutions, Islamabad, PakistanResearch and Development Solutions, Islamabad, PakistanInternational Confederation Of Midwives, The Hague, The NetherlandsNovametrics Ltd, Duffield, UKIntroduction Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates will require the expansion and strengthening of quality maternal health services. Midwife-led birth centres (MLBCs) are an alternative to hospital-based care for low-risk pregnancies where the lead professional at the time of birth is a trained midwife. These have been used in many countries to improve birth outcomes.Methods The cost analysis used primary data collection from four MLBCs in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda (n=12 MLBC sites). Modelled cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to compare the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), measured as incremental cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted, of MLBCs to standard care in each country. Results were presented in 2022 US dollars.Results Cost per birth in MLBCs varied greatly within and between countries, from US$21 per birth at site 3, Bangladesh to US$2374 at site 2, Uganda. Midwife salary and facility operation costs were the primary drivers of costs in most MLBCs. Six of the 12 MLBCs produced better health outcomes at a lower cost (dominated) compared with standard care; and three produced better health outcomes at a higher cost compared with standard care, with ICERs ranging from US$571/DALY averted to US$55 942/DALY averted.Conclusion MLBCs appear to be able to produce better health outcomes at lower cost or be highly cost-effective compared with standard care. Costs do vary across sites and settings, and so further exploration of costs and cost-effectiveness as a part of implementation and establishment activities should be a priority.https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/3/e013643.full
spellingShingle AKM Fazlur Rahman
Oliva Bazirete
Emily J Callander
Abdul Halim
Abu Sayeed Abdullah
Caroline Homer
Andrea Nove
Sabera Turkmani
Mandy Forrester
Alayna Carrandi
Sally Pairman
Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda
Vanessa Scarf
Sheila Clow
Rose Chalo Nabirye
Saad Ibrahim Rasheed
Arslan Munir Turk
Shree Mandke
Martin Boyce
Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
BMJ Global Health
title Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
title_full Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
title_fullStr Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
title_full_unstemmed Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
title_short Midwife-led birthing centres in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Uganda: an economic evaluation of case study sites
title_sort midwife led birthing centres in bangladesh pakistan and uganda an economic evaluation of case study sites
url https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/3/e013643.full
work_keys_str_mv AT akmfazlurrahman midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT olivabazirete midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT emilyjcallander midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT abdulhalim midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT abusayeedabdullah midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT carolinehomer midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT andreanove midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT saberaturkmani midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT mandyforrester midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT alaynacarrandi midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT sallypairman midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT scovianalugombalinda midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT vanessascarf midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT sheilaclow midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT rosechalonabirye midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT saadibrahimrasheed midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT arslanmunirturk midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT shreemandke midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites
AT martinboyce midwifeledbirthingcentresinbangladeshpakistanandugandaaneconomicevaluationofcasestudysites