This policy brief summarizes the current state of knowledge on clean birth practices and the potential role for clean birth kits (CBK) in supporting these preventive practices and for saving lives. The content draws on several recent scientific reviews and a Technical Workshop on Clean Birth Kits held in London on March 25-26th 2010. This Workshop was the first in a series of technical meetings to review issues related to commodities and kits at the time of birth.

This document presents a summary of disposable kits intended for use during the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum periods. It also includes a brief summary of newborn kits. With the exception of the review of birth kits, the data included was identified through a rapid search of internet resources, expert websites and through a call for information to maternal and child health groups. Due to the limited methods and reliance on published sources, the list presented is unlike to be a complete list of kits or groups working in this area. Instead the intention is to provide an overview of current practice which can act as an aid for discussion.

 

The document was presented at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group.

This presentation by Jim Litch, Patricia Coffey, and Siri Wood was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides an overview of the physical aspects of birth kits, including contents, packaging and distribution.

This presentation by Luc Mullany was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Workshop and provides and overview of recent chlorhexidine trials demonstrating reductions in mortality and omphalitis. It also discusses the distribution and sale of chlorhexidine to help determine effective strategies to promote its use.

Leading researchers, policy makers, and program managers met in London in the first in a series of technical consultative meetings planned to take place across 2010. This meeting focused on the evidence surrounding clean birth kits and involved the technical community drawn from academia, NGOs, UN agencies, and bi-laterals. The workshop reviewed the evidence base on CBK and found that although there was some evidence on effectiveness (from reviews), it is not as strong as we would like. There was very limited information on implementation. Evidence for CBK will be summarized in a policy brief and circulated for the Women Deliver conference (June 2010). The policy brief will include recommendations for policy, programmes, practice and advocacy.

This presentation by Hannah Blencowe and Joy Lawn was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides results and analysis of a study completed on the effect of hygienic birth practices on neonatal tetanus. The study finds:

 

"-Low/vary low grade evidence supports: A reduction in neonatal mortality/omphalitis with birth attendant hand washing; and a reduction in neonatal tetanus mortality with individual hygienic birth practices.

-Insufficient evidence was found to estimate the mortality effect of hygienic birth practices on sepsis and tetanus related neonatal mortality."

This presentation was given by Bilal Iqbal Avan, Christine Clar, Vanora Hundley and Wendy Graham and provides an update on their review of evidence on effectiveness of maternal interventions and CBKs.

This presentation by Joy Lawn was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides an overview of a Lives Saved Tool (LiST) and estimates lives saved and cost estimates related to clean birth practices.

This presentation was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides a series of questions regarding CBKs and their contents.

This presentation was developed during the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides potential research questions on various issues relating to clean birth kits, including policy, maternal supplies, maternal kits, implementation models, incentives and catalysis, impact and equity, and birth kits and handwashing.

This presentation was given by Joy Lawn at the June 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides an overview of clean birth kits, evidence collected, and objectives for the meeting.

This presentation by Oona Campbell was given at the 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides an overview of models developed to determine the effectiveness of various maternal interventions.

The aim of this newsletter is to keep the group (CBK Working Group) informed of ongoing work in the area of birth kits and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the work programs that interest them.

This presentation was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides recommendations for moving forward, including a global ask for commodities for care at birth and determining what steps can be taken in countries where CBKs exist.

This presentation by Venora Hundley, Bilal Avan, David Braunholtz and Wendy Graham was given at the March 2010 Clean Birth Kits Working Group meeting and provides a systematic review of clean birth kits evaluations.

This presentation was given by Homaira Hanif, Peter Winch, and Steve Wall at the June 2010 Meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides survey results on CBKs from Bangladesh, Mali, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda.

This presentation was given at the June 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides recommendations for contents of a basic universal birth kit, add-ons, and steps moving forward.

This presentation by Wendy Graham was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides a general introduction fo clean birth kits and why they are being discussed in the public health community.

This presentation was given at the June 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides an overview of prioritization for CBK interventions.

This presentation was given at the March 2010 meeting of the Clean Birth Kits Working Group and provides research question on implementation of CBK interventions, context specific options for reaching women, and a workplan for country case studies.