Maternal and Newborn Health Research Roundup – December 2025
Summary
This month’s research summary features new evidence on: gaps between WHO-recommended neonatal sepsis management and real-world feasibility in African health systems amid rising multidrug-resistant pathogens; long-term declines but persistent inequalities in maternal mortality across Southeast Asia and the likelihood of missing SDG 3.1 targets without accelerated gains in obstetric and reproductive health care; and the value of early pregnancy blood pressure trajectories, particularly mean arterial pressure, for identifying pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension at heightened risk of severe superimposed preeclampsia.
1.
Neonatal sepsis management in Africa: A rapid systematic review and meta-analysis
This rapid systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence on clinical management practices for neonatal sepsis across African health systems, examining alignment with WHO treatment guidelines and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. The analysis showed that while most facilities adhered to first-line antibiotic recommendations, high rates of multidrug-resistant pathogens—especially Gram-negative organisms—undermined treatment effectiveness. Resource shortages, limited workforce capacity, and poor guideline implementation further constrained quality of care.
The review highlights a widening mismatch between guideline recommendations and on-the-ground feasibility, underscoring the need for updated context-specific protocols and continental antimicrobial resistance surveillance. (November 2025)
2.
Maternal mortality ratios in Southeast Asia (1990–2021): trends, disparities, and projections through 2050 based on the global burden of disease 2021, with reference to SDG 3.1
This time-trend and projection analysis used GBD 2021 data to assess maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) across Southeast Asia from 1990–2021 and forecast trajectories through 2050. The authors found substantial declines overall, though progress plateaued in several countries and inequalities widened between high- and low-income settings. Projections indicate that without accelerated improvements in obstetric care and family planning, many countries may fall short of the SDG 3.1 target by 2030 and beyond.
The study emphasizes the urgency of targeted regional strategies to close gaps in facility readiness, emergency care, and reproductive health access. (November 2025)
3.
Association of Mean Arterial, Systolic, and Diastolic Blood Pressure Trends in Early Pregnancy With Superimposed Preeclampsia With Severe Features in Pregnancies Complicated by Chronic Hypertension
This secondary analysis of longitudinal data from the Chronic Hypertension And Pregnancy (CHAP) trial examined how early pregnancy systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) trajectories relate to the subsequent development of superimposed preeclampsia with severe features among 2,316 pregnant individuals with chronic hypertension. Over a median follow-up from enrollment through delivery, approximately 25.9 % developed superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Higher longitudinal MAP, SBP, and DBP measurements were each significantly associated with elevated risk of severe superimposed preeclampsia, with MAP demonstrating the strongest overall association and slightly better predictive metrics (e.g., higher area under the curve and lower Brier score) than SBP or DBP.
Although predictive performance was moderate, these findings suggest that tracking MAP trends may enhance early identification of individuals at high risk for severe hypertensive complications in the context of chronic hypertension and support the potential integration of MAP into clinical monitoring strategies. (December 2025)