Maternal and Newborn Health Research Roundup – October 2025

1.

Impact of scaling up breastfeeding on reducing the global burden of non-communicable diseases in mothers and children: a population-based modelling analysis for 132 low-income and middle-income countries

This population-based modelling analysis across 132 low- and middle-income countries estimated the potential reduction in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from increasing exclusive breastfeeding to 90 % coverage. The model projected that scaling up breastfeeding could avert roughly 72,000 annual NCD deaths and prevent over 10 million cases of type 2 diabetes and 3.8 million cases of hypertension, gaining about 1 million life-years. The largest benefits were seen in South and Southeast Asia, with the greatest per-capita gains in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings highlight breastfeeding promotion as a cost-effective, under-recognized strategy to curb the global NCD burden in mothers and children. (November 2025)

2.

Setting research priorities for maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health and nutrition in Afghanistan: an application of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology

This national priority-setting exercise in Afghanistan applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology to identify research priorities for MNCH, SRH, and nutrition. The study found top-ranked questions focused on service delivery in fragile settings, newborn survival, maternal complications, adolescent SRH, and nutrition, emphasizing feasibility, impact, and equity. The findings provide a roadmap to align funders and implementers for maximal gains in a resource-constrained context. (2 September 2025)

3.

Facilitators and barriers of maternal and infant healthcare access for undocumented migrants in the first 1000 days of life: a systematic review of the literature

This systematic review identifies and synthesizes evidence on facilitators and barriers to maternal and infant health care access among undocumented migrants in their first 1,000 days of life. The review highlights consistent impediments including legal status, fear of deportation, cost, language barriers, discrimination, and lack of information; facilitators include community-based outreach, culturally sensitive staff, and supportive policies. The authors argue that policy reform and training of providers are critical to reducing disparities in access for undocumented populations. (20 October 2025)

4.

Persistence of geographic barriers to maternal care services following a health system strengthening initiative in rural Madagascar

This longitudinal observational study combined village-level geolocated service registry data and household cohort surveys in Ifanadiana District (2016–2018) to examine how geographic distance affects utilization of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care following health system strengthening (HSS) interventions. The authors report that women living within a one-hour walking distance from facilities had roughly double the utilization rates of maternal services, while those 1–2 hours away had ~40–60 % lower relative utilization, and women over 2 hours away had minimal access. Notably, HSS improvements were concentrated among those within two hours of facilities; improvements among more remote villages were negligible. The study concludes that even with financial and system strengthening efforts, geographic distance remains the dominant barrier to maternal care in rural Madagascar, and that spatial targeting is essential for equity. (1 October 2025)

5.

Not one but two: cross-sectional associations among repeat pregnancy, maternal mental health and child cognitive outcomes among adolescent and young mothers in South Africa

This cross-sectional analysis examines associations among repeat pregnancy (≥2), maternal mental health (depression, anxiety), and child cognitive performance in a cohort of adolescent and young mothers in South Africa. The authors found that repeat pregnancy was associated with worse maternal mental health, which in turn correlated with lower child cognitive scores, suggesting possible mediating pathways. The study underscores that interventions addressing mental health among young mothers—especially those with repeat pregnancies—may have downstream benefits for child cognition and development. (5 October 2025)